A trip into town for shopping provided an opportunity to tick a couple of places that have enjoyed recent refurbishments.
First, the former Beehive on Paradise Street is now called Futurist:
I found a very good refurbishment of a formerly slightly careworn pub. It's hard to judge how much of the well done interior is original, the ceramics I saw last time I was here seem to have gone. The stained glass windows look genuine although the rather fine seating booths are definitely new.
No real ale any more, sadly. The new girl was in charge of the counter and she took ages to make a cocktail which went wrong, so her boss poured it away and made another. Then the girl served someone who'd arrived after me, something that always irritates me. Finally I got a decent pint of Guinness. Over a fiver! Minutes later there were three staff, obviously I was unlucky.
Another shop, and then into the Vines:
WOW! A major refurbishment throughout has resulted in a truly wonderful pub, really a match for the more famous Philharmonic. And it's gained real ale as well.
They've done up the billiard room as well with a second bar counter and there was even a real fire. One of the "stag's heads" on the wall is actually half the animal, complete with front legs.
With reference to this blog passim I did note two missing glass shades on the electrolier nearest me in the billiard room.
For some reason every table, mantelpiece, and flat surface had a lighted candle. Are they expecting a power cut?
There's a booby trap for real ale fans here: Four handpumps on the counter, I had a fine pint of Jarl, and four different ales on the billiard room counter, so I could have had Plum Porter.
Beer of the day: Jarl
Miles walked: 2.6 (Mainly shopping)
Maybe coming soon: Sutton, Picton, Everton
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