This pub really frustrates me. One of three Thwaites pubs within a hundred metres, in the town centre, it's the only one that sells real ale (well, sometimes it does). And that is the annoying thing - what is happening to Thwaites? I don't intend to go on, but I simply question their commitment to real ale. Since they took over brewing Bomber - yes, a completely different beer to that brewed by Mitchell's - they've been promoting it. Advertised, and sold for £1.60 in the White Lion, it always tasted fine. But now it's gone, and the solitary pump clip is redundant.
The pub has been done up in recent times, but has kept its traditional character. The main room, to the right as you enter, is lively and loud, particularly at weekends when disco and karaoke dominate. Fortunately there are two quieter rooms, one containing a pool table and TV, with wall seating. The other is to the left as you enter, and is the best room in the pub. It is here you will find the real ale pump clip, but whether you find real ale is questionable! If you are in luck then make the most of it, because next week it might have been taken off.
It's a pity we can't rely on The White Lion for a pint, with so few hostelries in the town centre catering for the real ale market, because the pub itself is friendly enough. I wonder whether Thwaites are looking to go the way of the previous brewers of Bomber?
