March 2026. Burton-on-Trent.
A Friday afternoon in search of Burton Bass, and a couple of votes on the Bass fan page for the Burton Bridge, another GBG regular that has had it’s share of turmoil of late.
But nothing like the turmoil of the Hangar,
aka Crossing; Caliente; Brewers Bar; Cosmo; InnStitute; Cosmopolitan; and the Blue Posts, once Burton’s “trendy” pub, and now a stronghold of keg.
I don’t think the Burton Bridge has ever been trendy,
but it has been part of the CAMRA circuit forever. Until now, as it drops out of the GBG after a period of uncertainty.
But it looked in good health on a Friday afternoon,
though in truth the foamy Bass was a bit “rough” (NBSS 3+).
Never mind the beer, it’s a comfy pub, and I enjoyed a chat with a bloke from Dawley in Telford, an occasional visitor to Burton who’d never been to Coopers.
Sitting on your own in a pub with a pint, facing a stranger, how do you judge you can start a conversation, whether about the beer, the weather, or the bus service ?
I was glad I did, he was informative on Telford’s pubs without being beery cheery, waiting for a bus to meet a mate in Hartshorne, “the posh village” I told him. In truth, it’s not THAT posh.
retiredmartin 
Great pub. Across the street from the great 3 Queens Hotel. I do not recall Bass there on any visit. On our last visit we had a good conversation with the publican who took us down to the casks.
Dick
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I remember you staying at Queens, Dick. We stayed on your recommendation; the breakfast was great !
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Yes Dick, it was very thoughtful of him to show us the cellar. Only Burton Bridge beers then but a couple of guests when I was last there seven months ago.
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That was a very enjoyable day.
Dick
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I’m very different to most of your readers/ correspondents in that I do not understand the obsession with draught Bass; this almosr certainly stems from my two spells working for Allied Breweries. When Burton Bridge and Heritage merged a couple of years ago, there was optimism about preserving and enhancing the brewing tradition of the two companies. Has the Burton Bridge pub been sold, or are they just taking an easy option by stocking something brewed by a big company?
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Or maybe it’s widening the appeal of the Burton Bridge Inn to also cater for the majority of pub goers who are happier with well known products.
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I agree on Bass. It’s an ok drink. I was brought up nearby and worked there for a few years. In the 80s. Pedigree before it took a dive was definitely superior. Also Draught Burton Ale. Bass in my opinion was very much in 3rd place.
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Do you have a blog on the worst pub you have visited to date Martin?
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I’ll give that some thought, and catch up on your blog, once I’m safely home !
I wonder what Stafford Paul considers the “worst” pub !
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Nice blog post – just the right balance of words and images for a travel/review article.
Cheers!
James
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