What makes a good pub?

[Blue Hills]

It's in the title.

That's it - simple question.

Posted to avoid sending pub architecture thread off topic.

 

[Cycleops]

First off it needs to make money otherwise it will face closure like many others have done, so I guess its appealing to a wide an audiences as possible.

 

[Dayvo]

Good ale and a good selection (real ale) plus other drinks for other folk.

No jukebox, computer games, kara-bloody-oke or live TV.

NO children under 18.

No smoking (including the garden/outside area).

A good mix of young and old, male and female, students and workers/pensioners.

A clean and comfortable building with good toilets.

Pub food not so important, IMO.

Located in a quieter area of town (away from busy roads).

Sensible prices.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

My Weatherspoon's is just brilliant, cheap beer, great atmosphere, contactless payment, plenty of spaces to sit and food is good too. No loud music, always get a seat, nice toilets, clean, cant fault it. Even my beer comes in a glass that's the same as the beer manufacturer! The only downside is the walk to town to get there, but if I am lazy I get a taxi!!

 

[Tim Hall]

This bloke opened a pub on the moon, but it closed.


No atmosphere.

 

[Blue Hills]

My Weatherspoon's is just brilliant, cheap beer, great atmosphere, contactless payment, plenty of spaces to sit and food is good too. No loud music, always get a seat, nice toilets, clean, cant fault it. Even my beer comes in a glass that's the same as the beer manufacturer! The only downside is the walk to town to get there, but if I am lazy I get a taxi!!

Out of interest can I ask which pub that is? May be pedalling that way in a while.

 

[screenman]

Customers.

 

[rich p]

If it hasn't got good beer, it can't be a good pub.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

A couple of whiskies that aren't Bells or Glen Toilet Duck would be good if the time ever comes that I tire of ale.

 

[smutchin]

If it hasn't got good beer, it can't be a good pub.

OTOH, it needs to have a lot more than just good beer.

As a formerly active member of my local CAMRA branch, I was frequently disappointed by the stubborn insistence that beer quality was the sole criterion allowed in judging pubs for inclusion in the Good Beer Guide. It meant that several pubs got into the book that had beer quality as the only recommendation going for them, usually because they were the favourite of a particular branch committee member, while other pubs that had a more diverse range of attractions were ignored, even if the beer was up to scratch.

When you think that the purpose of the GBG is to help members from elsewhere to find the best pubs in your area, I always felt we were doing them a disservice.

 

[smutchin]

And a few decent gins ...

Whenever you're down Whitstable way, call in at the Twelve Taps - excellent range of both beers and gins:
https://thetwelvetaps.co.uk/

Always a great atmosphere too, and the owners are lovely - always very welcoming to the dog when I bring him in.

 

[theclaud]

When you think that the purpose of the [Good Beer Guide]

The clue is in the name.

I agree with the rest of your post, but beer quality is the clincher, and the thing most often obscured in pubs' own marketing.

 

[snorri]

At least a dozen bottles of malt whisky on display.

 

[smutchin]

The clue is in the name.

I agree with the rest of your post, but beer quality is the clincher, and the thing most often obscured in pubs' own marketing.

The problem we have in our branch area is too many pubs with beer of a quality that's good enough to be considered for the GBG (nice problem to have, admittedly) - as I expect you know, branches are given an allocation to fill and aren't allowed to include surplus pubs, even if they're good enough.

This means that other factors come into play, mainly branch politics (committee members insisting their pet pub is included) and petty mindedness (eg discounting a pub because it is supplied by a particular brewery).

The allocation system means that while some areas don't get to include all the pubs that deserve to be included, you also get some areas that only include pubs to make up the numbers, where the beer quality isn't always up to scratch - I've had some very disappointing drinking experiences in GBG recommended pubs over the years.

 

[rich p]

OTOH, it needs to have a lot more than just good beer.

As a formerly active member of my local CAMRA branch, I was frequently disappointed by the stubborn insistence that beer quality was the sole criterion allowed in judging pubs for inclusion in the Good Beer Guide. It meant that several pubs got into the book that had beer quality as the only recommendation going for them, usually because they were the favourite of a particular branch committee member, while other pubs that had a more diverse range of attractions were ignored, even if the beer was up to scratch.

When you think that the purpose of the GBG is to help members from elsewhere to find the best pubs in your area, I always felt we were doing them a disservice.

Yup. I always had a problem with the conflict between the GPG and the GBG.
A pub can't be good without good beer but I agree that there are other criteria to elevate a boozer.