Next up, a bit of a minor classic. Though I suspect I’m alone in thinking this.
Into “real” Preston, not far from the Wetherspoons wherein resides the nation’s most awesome beer blogger. Here seen in a Proper Pub.
I’d have popped in one of Matthew’s favoured craft emporia to say hello, but I’d only decided on Preston late on, as the Mersey micros were closed (now there’s a shock).
I guess you’d call the residential area that the Princess Alice hides in “mixed“, and I’d mean that as a compliment.
There’s some handsome looking local boozers a mile out from our usual Preston base, though the New Welcome is sadly less than welcoming at present.
If there’s one pub detail I can’t resist, it’s decades-old Beer Guide stickers left on the windows. I may have been here in 1995, you know.
I was a bit nervous that the Alice wouldn’t open at noon, with so many pubs these days deciding that 4pm is plenty soon enough, thank you.
But it was, even if the Landlord was still setting up and presumably restoring order after the visit of Norwich City to Deepdale the day before. Canaries fans are always trouble.
So, why is the Alice in the Beer Guide when, say, the Ember Inn isn’t ?
Well, there’s lots of hand pumps. With local beers.
And it’s nearly as cheap as Wigan, which is saying summat.
And it’s a proper community local that real people, rather than just beer bores, go to.
And the charity box alone is worth a visit.
But pubs with a dozen TV screens in every possible crevice, showing 3 different sports at the same time, rarely find favour with CAMRA branches.
So it must be the beer quality then.
And it was, being a better pint of Lancaster Blonde than I got at the brewery itself, with impressive texture, temperature and smell. NBSS 4+.
For a while I had the pub to myself. Sadly they weren’t showing highlights of the CAMRA revitalisation debate, so it was a choice of the marathon, the IPL or Rangers v someone. Then they turned on the classic rock, just for me.
If I’d stayed much longer they’d have probably started the quiz and the meat raffle, just for me. I’d have come second in both.
As I left it started to fill up. That happens a lot.
Revitalisation. A posh word that means very little. Only beer of the quality served in the Princess Alice will ultimately preserve real ale.
retiredmartin 
Likely Cowdenbeath will be looking for a new manager next season, you could have a go at that. Probably a bigger transfer kitty than at Ibrox as well.
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Do they pay in Wetherspoons vouchers ?
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Of course, but nobody is sure if they’re valid in Scotland with minimum pricing.
2 Stranraer defenders are worth 1 voucher.
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Looks decent … I went to Preston once to take an exam and … no I’ve never been back. I did buy a 1938 Wombwell Hospital ‘Colliers Pie’ plate in a very good antique emporium though.
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love that detail.
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I’ve still got that plate. It hangs in the hall with my collection of Denby Dale Pie Plates – would like to meet anyone with the 1895 or before Denby Dale pie plates for friendly negotiations, cash always available.
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You may not have met Sir Matthew, but given the presence of Lancaster Blonde, did you run into Johnny Whitepebble?
And I bet the classic rock selection didn’t include anything from Magnum’s album “Princess Alice and the Broken Arrow”…
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The Johnny Whitepebble reference is here
http://seeingthelizards.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/guest-post-johnny-whitepebble-of-beer.html
But also see Mudgie’s classic response here
http://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/a-day-in-life.html
Ah, those were the days when pub blogs were fun.
And, sadly not a Magnum opus I’m familiar with.
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This is beginning to sound like it is in code, a sort of Rupert Periwinkle transported from 1978 to 2018.
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Johnny Whitepebble was a spoof by Matthew Lawrenson of “seethelizards” of a pub blogger called Mike Blackstone, who seemed to spend his time travelling around Lancashire and the Lake District and apparently never finding favour with any beer apart from Lancaster Blonde.
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Both splendid “tributes” to the style, even if dangerously close to me and my predilection for Bass !
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“A pint of Lancaster Blonde with impressive texture, temperature and smell. NBSS 4+” – that’s only to be expected of a beer from that lovely big old brewery in Wolverhampton.
er, or am I getting confused between Lancaster Bomber and Lancaster Blonde ? .
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Everything is brewed in Wolves these days,Paul. Except Hancocks HB.
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Old GBG stickers in the windows are special. Great pub in a slightly unlikely location. Lovely post.
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The entire window of stickers in the Coach & Horses in Shrewsbury is my favourite
https://retiredmartin.com/2016/04/18/shrewsbury-the-same-but-even-better/
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Gremlins in Brecon has a 1978 one in the window. Can’t recall seeing any older but as we spend most of our time going to new entries, we aren’t seeing much of the old stagers.
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Nice. Brecon is the other town I’ve never really done, oddly. 3 for me there and it’s not THAT far really. Tend to save Wales for the good weather and Surrey for the dull.
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After a few days in Spain, I have to admit – I’d rather have had a few proper pints in Lancashire. Looks good. I may not have recognised the charm of Preston upon my last visit there, but you have a way of finding beauty wherever you look for it.
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Preston may not be Toledo or Segovia, but the park running down to the Ribble is gorgeous and the views to Bowland unmatched.
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