A group of us are doing a canal trip from Stoke next month, and to (a) avoid 
the Saturday traffic and (b) do the food shopping for the trip as late as 
possible, my husband and I are going up to Stoke to stay for the Friday 
night.
Now, we could just stay in a Travel Lodge etc but the idea has come to us 
that it might be better to find a decent pub which does B&B at a reasonable 
rate which also sells interesting real ale since he is a great fan.
By decent I mean beer preferably from the micros and definitely NOT a Pubco.
Any helpful suggestions will be gratefully received.
I used to live in Hednesford and know the south of Staffs quite well, but my 
visits to the north of the county were infrequent, and usually were when I 
was calling for Barn Dances, so I didn't actually visit any pubs, decent or 
otherwise.

TIA
Faith

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 22:24:51 +0100, "Faith Myers"
 wrote:


>A group of us are doing a canal trip from Stoke next month, and to (a) avoid 
>the Saturday traffic and (b) do the food shopping for the trip as late as 
>possible, my husband and I are going up to Stoke to stay for the Friday 
>night.
>Now, we could just stay in a Travel Lodge etc but the idea has come to us 
>that it might be better to find a decent pub which does B&B at a reasonable 
>rate which also sells interesting real ale since he is a great fan.
>By decent I mean beer preferably from the micros and definitely NOT a Pubco.
>Any helpful suggestions will be gratefully received.
>I used to live in Hednesford and know the south of Staffs quite well, but my 
>visits to the north of the county were infrequent, and usually were when I 
>was calling for Barn Dances, so I didn't actually visit any pubs, decent or 
>otherwise.


There are lots of downmarket B&Bs in the Potteries so you can take
your choice. They don't vary that much. Very few pubs do B&B, and the
ones that do tend to be Seamus O'Bodger places. If you can push the
boat out a bit (as they say) you could stay in the George Hotel in
Burslem, not far from the canal and with lots of character and
history. Burslem is a good town for a crawl anyway with the superb
Bull's Head (Titanic brewery tap) and at least 5 decent other pubs. I
can't think of any really awful pubs there, apart from maybe Smith's
Tavern. It's also got several good Indian restaurants including the
Kismet, which is one of Stoke's longest established Indians (1962?).

Do not under any circumstances attempt to drink in Hanley or Newcastle
at weekends. There are some reasonable pubs in these places, but it's
just not worth the grief.

There is a Kwik Save actually in Burslem, and a big Morrisons only a
mile or so away on Festival Park.

HTH, Paul
--
Paul Sherwin Consulting     http://paulsherwin.co.uk

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:36:53 GMT, paulSPAM@paulsherwin.co.uk (Paul
Sherwin) wrote:


> I
>can't think of any really awful pubs there, apart from maybe Smith's
>Tavern.


Lloyd's Tavern. I was confusing it with another (better) pub in
Ashbourne.

Paul
--
Paul Sherwin Consulting     http://paulsherwin.co.uk

If you dont mind being half an hour out of stoke, there is an excellent pub
called the Bhurtpore Inn http://www.beerguide.co.uk/towns/aston.htm in aston
near Wrenbury south of Natwich.  This does masses of ale, excellent food and
has a B&B annex I believe.

There is also the delightful Hollybush on the Cauldon Canal with again with
good beer, food and accomodation.  Its just south of  Leek.

http://www.travelpublishing.co.uk/HiddenPlacesDerbyshire/StaffMoorlands/DER26831.htm

Both in GBG and personally recommended for ambience, beer and food though
I've not tried the accomodation in either case.

rob

"Paul Sherwin"  wrote in message
news:42651e7a.20285609@news.demon.co.uk...

> On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:36:53 GMT, paulSPAM@paulsherwin.co.uk (Paul
> Sherwin) wrote:
>
> > I
> >can't think of any really awful pubs there, apart from maybe Smith's
> >Tavern.
>
> Lloyd's Tavern. I was confusing it with another (better) pub in
> Ashbourne.
>
> Paul
> --
> Paul Sherwin Consulting     http://paulsherwin.co.uk

rob thirlby wrote:

> If you dont mind being half an hour out of stoke, there is an
> excellent pub called the Bhurtpore Inn
> http://www.beerguide.co.uk/towns/aston.htm in aston near Wrenbury
> south of Natwich.  This does masses of ale, excellent food and has a
> B&B annex I believe.
>
> There is also the delightful Hollybush on the Cauldon Canal with
> again with good beer, food and accomodation.  Its just south of  Leek.
>
> http://www.travelpublishing.co.uk/HiddenPlacesDerbyshire/StaffMoorlands/DER26831.htm
>
> Both in GBG and personally recommended for ambience, beer and food
> though I've not tried the accomodation in either case.
>
> rob
>
> "Paul Sherwin"  wrote in message
> news:42651e7a.20285609@news.demon.co.uk...
>> On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:36:53 GMT, paulSPAM@paulsherwin.co.uk (Paul
>> Sherwin) wrote:
>>
>>> I
>>> can't think of any really awful pubs there, apart from maybe Smith's
>>> Tavern.
>>
>> Lloyd's Tavern. I was confusing it with another (better) pub in
>> Ashbourne.
>>
>> Paul
>> --
>> Paul Sherwin Consulting     http://paulsherwin.co.uk




The Holly Bush on the Caldon Canal is adjacent to the adjaduct that carries 
the Leek branch over the mail line of the Caldon.



-- 

Brett

rob thirlby wrote:

> If you dont mind being half an hour out of stoke, there is an
> excellent pub called the Bhurtpore Inn
> http://www.beerguide.co.uk/towns/aston.htm in aston near Wrenbury
> south of Natwich.  This does masses of ale, excellent food and has a
> B&B annex I believe.
>
> There is also the delightful Hollybush on the Cauldon Canal with
> again with good beer, food and accomodation.  Its just south of  Leek.
>
> http://www.travelpublishing.co.uk/HiddenPlacesDerbyshire/StaffMoorlands/DER26831.htm
>
> Both in GBG and personally recommended for ambience, beer and food
> though I've not tried the accomodation in either case.
>
> rob
>
> "Paul Sherwin"  wrote in message
> news:42651e7a.20285609@news.demon.co.uk...
>> On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:36:53 GMT, paulSPAM@paulsherwin.co.uk (Paul
>> Sherwin) wrote:
>>
>>> I
>>> can't think of any really awful pubs there, apart from maybe Smith's
>>> Tavern.
>>
>> Lloyd's Tavern. I was confusing it with another (better) pub in
>> Ashbourne.
>>
>> Paul
>> --
>> Paul Sherwin Consulting     http://paulsherwin.co.uk




The Holly Bush on the Caldon Canal is adjacent to the adjaduct that carries 
the Leek branch over the mail line of the Caldon.



-- 

Brett

"Brett..."  wrote in message
news:42663056$0$537$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net...

>

> The Holly Bush on the Caldon Canal is adjacent to the adjaduct that
carries
> the Leek branch over the mail line of the Caldon.


Good shout Brett.

We stopped there twice last week on our trip up the Caldon and back, did not
use the B&B as we were on the boat. Excellent beer, good food at a
reasonable price, friendly service and plenty of mooring. We moored just
after the pub on the way out and up on the aquaduct a few days later after
going to Leek and back.

Access from the Leek arm is really easy down the steps.

Clive

"Brett..."  wrote in message
news:42663056$0$537$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net...

>

> The Holly Bush on the Caldon Canal is adjacent to the adjaduct that
carries
> the Leek branch over the mail line of the Caldon.


Good shout Brett.

We stopped there twice last week on our trip up the Caldon and back, did not
use the B&B as we were on the boat. Excellent beer, good food at a
reasonable price, friendly service and plenty of mooring. We moored just
after the pub on the way out and up on the aquaduct a few days later after
going to Leek and back.

Access from the Leek arm is really easy down the steps.

Clive

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 09:40:53 GMT, "rob thirlby"
 wrote:


>There is also the delightful Hollybush on the Cauldon Canal with again with
>good beer, food and accomodation.  Its just south of  Leek.


But, the traffic can be bad getting into the Potteries from Leek at
peak times. Leek New Road is infested with speed limits and slow
drivers at the best of times, and always seems a longer journey than
it actually is.

HTH, Paul
--
Paul Sherwin Consulting     http://paulsherwin.co.uk