If you’re getting bored of Shropshire,
a) Don’t worry, I’ve nearly finished (just an isolated pub at Onibury to tick)
b) Try living in the Fens for a month.
Onward to Whitchurch, which is a cracker. Forget your Maldives and Maidenhead, this was the place to be on the hottest day of the year so far.
On the close-up you can see how near the town is to the Welsh border (roughly Redbrook on the A525/A495 junction), which somehow never fails to surprise me, as it never feels quite as old-fashioned as the border towns to the south. The flags of St George are often the best indicator of the border, though.
The benefit of annual trips back to towns to visit new Beer Guide pubs is that you’ll always see something new. This time it was the string of attractive buildings lining Dodington and Watergate.
It’s noticeable how the town has resisted the homogenisation of the chain shops, though it was worryingly quiet for a market day.
There’s some classic shop fronts,
and some less than classic shop fronts too.
The new Guide pub was opposite the wonderful St. Alkmunds Church, which I seem to have overlooked before. The folly of youth.
The Cock & Greyhound is an Atwill house, which is fine by me. They’ve made a good all-rounder of a pub here .
No Salopian, but Pride, Bishops Finger and a decent Dizzy Blonde (NBSS 3) is a good solid selection. Just in front of my glass you can see a blue bag full of wires that someone left unattended when they popped into the garden. No-one berated them when they came back to pick it up, like they did to Simon in the Scottish Stores. Just saying.
The less said about the door stuck to the ceiling, Tut’ n’ Shive style, and the “Big Cock” challenge, the better. They like their multiple exits and large chickens round here.
They like their traditional pubs too, and the Old Town Hall Vaults is one of their best. With a feel closer to Sam Smiths more basic houses than their own flagship dining pubs, it’s one of Joule’s top pubs too.
I felt a bit awkward exploring the rooms; it is very much a local rather than a tourist pub, and the barflies in the main room were conspicuous. The side rooms were very peaceful though.
The inevitable Pale wasn’t quite as good as it looked (NBSS 2.5/3), despite some decent turnover, but it was worth £3.10 just to enjoy the later afternoon bustle from a cross-section of local life, to a musical accompaniment of Boogie Nights, Return of the Mack and In the Air Tonight. Those three segue perfectly.
The rugby shirted couple planning their dinner party are probably still disagreeing on canapes now.
retiredmartin 
“I felt a bit awkward exploring the rooms” is an interesting thought. I often think I am showing respect when I do this. I always hope people who are regulars recognize I am admiring what they take may take for granted.
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You are showing respect, Dave, but I still feel a bit self conscious ! I normally say “Don’t mind me, just being nosey” which doesn’t seem to help matters.
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Is it common to see Bishops Finger that far from Faversham?
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It’s a reasonably common guest beer on national PubCo lists, Dick, much more so than Spitfire used to be. See it in Spoons a bit. The slightly risque name helps, of course, 😱
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Really enjoying these Shropshire posts (certainly not bored!), I was a Shropshire lad in this area, near Baldwin’s Gate (I just searched to see if the Sheet Anchor was still there – good grief, what have they done to it! But on the plus side, I see Joules now have the Mainwaring Arms in nearby Whitmore), and these make me wish I was back there – just look at those pub photos!
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My experience in the Old Town Hall Vaults was similar to yours – lovely pub, but a crowd of barflies blocking the view of the pumps, and a lacklustre and slightly too warm pint of Pale Ale.
And, like you, sometimes I get funny looks if I go and have a look in the different areas of a pub. “Are you looking for something there?”
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When they’re good, they’re very good..
Used to serve Bass, I think.
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I had a pleasant overnight stay in Whitchurch a good few years ago. Just looking on Street View to find that the ageing but classy Victoria Hotel where the Beatles once stayed is now flats and the fine chip that used beef dripping shop two doors down is now a kebab shop. I can’t remember the pubs I went to though.
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Ageing but classy a nice description for the town !
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That bit between England and Wales never fails to impress me. Once you get away from the influence of the Manc/L.pool conurbations then it is truly wonderful, all the way down into Herefordshire, including both sides of the border as well.
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