retiredmartin

7th February 2020

You left Stafford Paul and I after a third successive failure to get a pint in Congleton, and what’s more, desperate for the loo.

Why can’t market towns of 25,000+ be legally required to install pissoirs like in less civilised countries ?

As always I directed Paul down the less-than-optimum route to Ye Olde Kings Arms, a pub existing solely so that American readers could endlessly debate the validity of the “e” on Old.

It’s a gem, as you’d expect from a Marston’s house.

Paul shouted “Bass, please” and shot to the Gents.

I considered my options for 0.37 seconds before saying “Another Bass, please” and then “The second one is mine but don’t tell Paul I said that“.

OK, eight (8) is a lot, but what BBB heaven at £3 a pint, and the £5 lunch menu looked a bargain.

It’s an ancient, rambling place with a cheery Landlady and informal dining, and we picked the table between two early arrivals in the main bar. They were transfixed by Paul’s pub maps.

No pics of food, or a splendid tight-headed Bass (NBSS 3), so you’ll just have to take my word for it that the Lamb Steak and Bass was the best £8 I’ll spend in a pub all year, on a par with the trencherman’s feast in Leek.

I was stuffed, with only space for one more half before a dash back up the hill and onward to Stoke.

Luckily Beartown’s White Lion is just across the road. Congleton should add some more pedestrian crossings before Paul’s next visit.

This had a homely feel, with half-timbered beams and decent seating, a child doing her homework on the laptop at the bar (“none of the answers were Watney’s“), the Foals on the soundtrack, and a good range of beers for folk who like that sort of thing.

The sort of pub you get a lot of in Norwich,only here you can understand what they’re saying.

The Kodiak was very good (3+), Paul’s Stout looked even better.

And that was Congleton, though I could have squeezed in a Bass at the Queen’s Head by the station after a pounding 15 minute return. Paul had that privilege later.

Stay tuned (as they say in Stoke) for Hartshill.