October 2024. Norwich.
A second GBG newbie for the self-proclaimed “City of Beer”, as different from the Weavers as Manchester’s Hare & Hounds is to Mackie Mayor.
Which is fine, Viva la diffidence as they say,
and the 10 minutes stroll the quirky Coslany quarter,
over St Crispins Road and into the irredeemably dreadful and wee-soaked Anglia Square.
But this is the start of a marvellous string of boozers taking in the Plasterers, Leopard and Duke.
So how have I missed the Marlbrough on my near annual trips to Norwich Over the Water ?
Well, perhaps it looked a bit “keg”, but as we know in Norwich every backstreet boozer is an ale shrine in waiting.
Four cheery blokes smoking outside the door (no comments, please) awaiit.
” ****ing let im in, lads, he wants a drink“.
It’s a little gem.
No-one in the main bar is drinking the cask, of course; it’s a Madri stronghold bar what feels like a CAMRA room on the left with some real ale trade but I prefer this one.
A cool, crisp, Tindalls, a soundtrack that Old Mudgie would appreciate,
and lads reminiscing about the time they took a coach to North Walsham the year they won the Wooden Spoon in the local cricket league.
I still don’t know whether they meant they avoided the Wooden Spoon or actually finished bottom. And I never shall.
A great little pub, with Bullards and billiards,
darts and Dylan.
Dick and Dave would love it.
retiredmartin 
Precisely the type of pub Norwich GBG seems to lack.
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I’d say that’s spot on, Dave. In general I’ve thought Norwich pubs quite narrow in their customer base, though the Champion was more like it a year ago;
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Yes, and I had a champion pint of Batemans’s XB in the Champion four weeks ago today.
The Abbot drinking just as well two days earlier in the Champion of the Thames might suggest that beer quality could miraculously improve across the land if all pubs were given such a name.
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“Champion” ?
I’d be happy if they were all called “Quite Good”.
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But which surprises me that its not a regular GBG listing, its not like they struggle for numbers & space in the “Norwich” section of the guide, its usually one of the stalwarts of the City of Ale trails and it actually serves good well kept real ale based on my experiences, and there are definitely pubs they put in that dont.
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the reason you miss it is because you goto the Ribs of Beef, hit Magdalen St, do the Kings Head, loop back round by the Plasterers and never get that far out of the city. Or even if you hit the Whalebone, do the Brewery tap as well, unless you pick that street its on to walk back towards the city on youd never know it was there, unless you were ticking pubs off to collect a badge, which is how I found it.
Im surprised its never made a GBG before, as theres a distinct cask ale feel room to the pub, and a clear Madri section for the lager drinkers too. But maybe theres more turnover in tenants than we realise,as it looks to have been re-decorated since I last went, and seems to get regularly repainted, so maybe everytime its just about to get in, it gets turfed out again by the rules
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