Branston – Blacksmiths Arms

To provide a little context, we visited this pub in Branston whilst on our sixth LDWA 100 training walk.

It’s a fairly large pub, built in the 1940s and now part of the Star pub estate.

There was a choice between Robinson’s Dizzy Blonde, or what would have been our third pint of Marston’s Pedigree. For variety, we went for the former, which is a slightly controversial beer given its previous branding and it has certainly caused Robinson’s some issues over recent years.

The beer was appalling as it was some way past its best. These things shouldn’t really happen in an ideal world, but the staff member was prompt at resolving the problem. Well, he resolved the problem by replacing the pints, but he said he didn’t drink ale and so wouldn’t know what had gone wrong. So, that’s all well and good, although it meant that we ended up with Marston’s Pedigree, again. Although, to be fair again, this was well-kept and tasted as it should.

As an aside, I do hate returning beer as it’s always inevitably awkward. Although, as a positive, it’s becoming really rare that I need to do this and it’s the first time this year. And, I do hope that customers do return beer, as otherwise a pub will keep serving something from the barrel which isn’t of a particularly great quality and that doesn’t help anyone….

The pub was a community type affair that seemed to be trying to appeal to as much of the local community as it could. It was showing football on its screens and it appeared to be pretty much a lager-based pub, but it did have a sufficiently friendly and comfortable feel to it. Perhaps it was all a bit generic for my liking, but since the staff were warm and engaging, it was a perfectly sufficient place to shelter from the rain.