Enough of my whining about dull beer. Anyway “It’s real ale, it’s supposed to taste like that“.
Here’s some “street” art.
It was a joy to be alive, a joy to not be in Maidenhead, a joy to be visiting my third GBG pub in St Andrews at 11:54am.
Yes folks, three before noon. Paul Mudge would be proud.
Now, this was a real pub. Despite the threat of food, The Criterion felt like the kind of Brain’s boozer you got in St. Mary’s St. before the Cardiff brewery lost its brains.
Gleaming surfaces, efficient service, uniformed staff, a boisterous order maintained.
One long room, a few tables at front and back, seats at the bar, high tables along the wall.
Sunday drinking lives on here, at least. Old Boys ordering cheese toasties at the bar. All very unfussy.
But was it all chasers and Tennents?
My third Stewart 80/ in an hour. This was stunning, at least by Scottish standards. Cool, complex, rich. NBSS 3.5+.
I almost stayed for a pint of the Edinburgh Castle, a bellwether beer.
The soundtrack in the Gent’s was Hibs v Rangers. You really don’t want Souness in the loo with you.
In the bar, we had Kylie.
“I should be so lucky” if all Scottish pubs were this good.
Oddly, the next one was.
retiredmartin 
Yes, it could almost be The Cottage inside, Martin, which does survive on St. Mary St.
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…but not the hand basin.
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I’m sure the Cottage was exactly the one I was thinking of, Etu 👍
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It’s the layout, proportions, and light, well covered by your pics.
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Do you mean “uniformed” staff as opposed to “uninformed” or did they really not know what they were on about?
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I have a valet called Eric who makes notes for me.
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> ………a joy to be visiting my third GBG pub in St Andrews at 11:54am.
Not quite as big an achievement when most of the ale is poured away rather than being drunk.
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A tick’s a tick.
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3 before 12 on a Sunday in Scotland?
Good going, last time I was there I had to wait until after noon for a pint.
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I wondered too, Leon. I thought it was noon (isn’t it 12:30 in N.Ireland ?). Just checked date on photos and was def. 11am opening.
Varies by licensing board, apparently;
https://sltn.co.uk/2013/05/16/sunday-pub-hours-under-spotlight/
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Interesting, thanks.
Think you are right about Ulster too
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I’ve heard Souness bangs out a mean karaoke version of “especially for you…” Looks like a good un 👍 great photos and a good atmosphere
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