Market Drayton to Chester

[StephenA]

I'm off on a trip to Chester in a couple of days setting out from Market Drayton.

 

Anyone got any good recommendations for Real Ale pubs along the way, and conversely any pubs that should be avoided like the plague?

 

Thanks

[Jim]

I'm off on a trip to Chester in a couple of days setting out from Market Drayton.

 

Anyone got any good recommendations for Real Ale pubs along the way, and conversely any pubs that should be avoided like the plague?

 

Thanks

Don't bother with the Shroppie Fly in Audlem. A poor selection of beer, not well kept and over-chilled. The Bridge Inn (Marston's) is much better and the Lord Combermere - although somewhat upmarket - has decent ale usually including a Coach House beer.

You can't really go wrong in Nantwich - an excellent selection of pubs in the town - so many that I can't remember any of the names.

Again, I was very disappointed with both the pubs at Barbridge Junction.

Things look up considerably once you get to Chester!

[StephenA]

Don't bother with the Shroppie Fly in Audlem. A poor selection of beer, not well kept and over-chilled. The Bridge Inn (Marston's) is much better and the Lord Combermere - although somewhat upmarket - has decent ale usually including a Coach House beer.

You can't really go wrong in Nantwich - an excellent selection of pubs in the town - so many that I can't remember any of the names.

Again, I was very disappointed with both the pubs at Barbridge Junction.

Things look up considerably once you get to Chester!

 

Thanks

 

I'll make notes and if we find any cracking ones I'll post back to the pubs thread

[Ian B]

Don't bother with the Shroppie Fly in Audlem. A poor selection of beer, not well kept and over-chilled. The Bridge Inn (Marston's) is much better and the Lord Combermere - although somewhat upmarket - has decent ale usually including a Coach House beer.

You can't really go wrong in Nantwich - an excellent selection of pubs in the town - so many that I can't remember any of the names.

Again, I was very disappointed with both the pubs at Barbridge Junction.

Things look up considerably once you get to Chester!

Surprised with Jims comment about the Shroppie Fly and the Bridge, My take is the Shroppie is better than OK, Traditional beer good, staff Ok ,

 

Bridge a bit seedy ( Thought it might have got better with the smoking ban but sadly not ),Traditional beer just OK.

 

well I suppose its each to there own !!

[dor]

In my experience the Shroppie fly is very cliquy, the Bridge is more down to earth. The former tends to have deafening load music on Friday nights - the volume is just about right if you stand 100 yards away (shame because many of the bands are very good, but play concert hall volume in a small bar).

 

The shady Oak seems to have given itself high aspirations, but its food is still pub food, just twice the price.

 

Cheshire Cat in Christleton is reasonably good.

 

Nantwich also has some excellent takeaways - Sun Sing and the Indian one opposite are good (What's its name Daniel?)

 

The Barbridge is ok if they are not busy - I avoid it at weekends from June to September. The Jolly Tar oppositye the junction has just changed hands; the new owner plans on doing a lot more live music (he used to manage the Limelight in Crewe) but too early to say what he will do to the beer and food (the food used to be typical pub food, but very reasonably priced).

[StephenA]

Well the Red Lion in Drayton was good

The Beeston Castle at Beeston was good

The Old Boot in Chester was good (Sam Smiths at £1.34 a pint)

The Bear and Billet in Chester was good (Its an Okells "beers of the world" pub so its got real ales, draught german, belgian and Czech beers and bottled european beers)

Black Lion and The Vine in Nantwich were good.

[Philip]

The Beeston Castle is very good - good, freshly made food and it's a much friendlier atmosphere than the Shady Oak offers (a mile and a half further towards Chester). It's slightly hidden behind the railway and the only disadvantage is the busy A49 - not much of a pavement and it's on a fast, tight curve - watch out for that if you visit, but if you're careful it won't be a problem. The trains are a bit loud but they finish service at midnight so they shouldn't be a problem.

 

Edit - sorry, didn't see your post above.

Edited September 10, 2007 by Philip

[StephenA]

The trains are a bit loud but they finish service at midnight so they shouldn't be a problem.

 

Edit - sorry, didn't see your post above.

 

The curve is a bit nasty but at this time of year its not that bad as people have their lights on.

 

We moored between Beeston Stone and Beeston Iron - a bit more of a hike but further from the road and the railway.

 

The Shady Oak seemed to be closed when we went past on Sunday lunchtime

[clovey]

The curve is a bit nasty but at this time of year its not that bad as people have their lights on.

 

We moored between Beeston Stone and Beeston Iron - a bit more of a hike but further from the road and the railway.

 

The Shady Oak seemed to be closed when we went past on Sunday lunchtime

 

Did Chester / Ellesmere Port in Spring, Harkers Arms, Mill Hotel (yes Hotel) both on canal do good selection of real Ale's, bit pricy but it is Chester. Neither are what you would call traditional ale pubs but if it's ggod selection / quality of ale then both fit the bill. If you do go into Chester it's self worth going down Northgate saitcase to basin, moor opposite side Telford Wharehouse (can be a bit loud at weekends) but otherwise very nice. Incidently Telford Wharehouse do Real Ales and is ok during the day / early evening.

[CanalWalker]

the Falcon in Chester does a nice pint.