Staffordshire, obviously.
Well, Beermat did ask,
and I’m always happy to provide the definitive answer.
Of course, some will say I’m biased due to the brewery that produces this classic,
but not at all. Leave the brewery counting to Norwich and Sheffield and look inside a pub like the Coachmakers in Hanley.
Staffordshire has the best pubs, edging out Derbyshire and the ill-conceived “West Midlands”, which dilutes the joys of the Black Country and Walsall with a large blob of chain pub nothingness east of Brum (sorry, Beer Mat).
They’ve even got the Official Best UK Pub per CAMRA in Tamworth, not traditionally a great pub town.
I reckon the atmosphere in Burton (below), and t’other Newcastle and Hanley and the county town is hard to beat, unfussy and cheery and nearly always accompanied by good quality cask.
OK, Staffs can seem a bit old-fashioned at times, but that can be a bonus when you can get a pint of Bass at 11am on a Monday in Uttoxeter.
Loads of proper seating, plenty of one or two pump pubs. The sort of atmosphere that converted me to the charms of Stockport 20 years ago (and still does), but I can’t claim Stocky for the Midlands.
If all this sounds a bit one-dimensional workingman’s boozer, this year I discovered a rural classic at Butterton in the magnificent Staffordshire Moorlands.
In fact, I’d be quite happy to put ONE Staffs town up against a whole county and it would still win.
Yep, Leek already has at least 3 entries in my Top 100 (Blue Mugge, Wilkes Head and Fountain), with two new entries in GBG24 still to do.
And I think, in your heart of hearts (of the country) you know Leek would win it for ANY county.
retiredmartin 
Well, yes, I can’t disagree with a word of that.
I could add that Hanley, its Market Tavern to be precise, was the birthplace of Craft Union.
And that, keeping to proper counties as Mudgies do, Staffordshire also includes the great brewing town of Wolverhampton.
Leek reminds me that I was meaning to get there on my bus pass. The Wilkes Head really is one of my favourites.
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Very true. Leek has great pubs. Blue Mugge and Fountain have great beer, too. Wilkes Head, which is a great pub, could use some improvement.
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That was from Dick Southworth. I am having trouble negotiating this updated method.
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Dick,
I’ve not noticed that the Wikes’s Head could do with some improvement but you’ve probably got a better attention to detail than me.
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I think Dick is remembering the occasion in 2019 when he was scolded for stealing cheese there.
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Hard to disagree Martin – Staffordshire is probably my favourite too on balance, although it helps that the best bits of the Black Country were always Staffordshire really! I really must explore more of Leek and the Moorlands, although I’ve had a lot of fun getting to know The Potteries better in recent years. Cheers, Paul
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Yes I’d definitely claim the Black Country for Staffs, Paul, makes the county look weird otherwise !
Leek needs that train line back (preferably direct from Sheffield !).
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