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ONE PUB ONLY?
Thistle Park
CRAWLING FROM RAILWAY STATION TO THE GROUND?
The station is between the town and ground with a big hill to climb.so try a dockyard crawl from The Dolphin, across the harbour to The Fareham and then the Thistle Park before a taxi to the ground
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT?
Dolphin
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14 The Barbican PL1 2LS Telephone 01752 660876
G William Holmes
MP TV
O 10 to 11 Mon - Thu, 10 to 12 Fri - Sat, 12 to 10.30 Sun
In total contrast to the Prince Maurice and refreshingly so, this pub is one that might, and perhaps never should, change. The Bass is legendary, served from the “wood” on the bar floor. It is beautifully basic despite its tourist location. I would choose this every time. The ships may have long gone but the Dolphin remains to remind us of port - side times past and long may it continue. I am told it is quite a haunt for Argyle celebrities on weekday evenings. It is one that I would make my destination on a walk around the rejuvenated Hoe. This is also the home of the Bosom Pals featuring Rick, in the Beryl Cook paintings that adorn the walls. My visit, one wet lunchtime, found easy conversation at the bar. Instantly, good recommendations were made for the best, and worst, of Plymouths’ real ale pubs. Take their advice, avoid the fishy pubs on the hoe, geared up for tourist food, and settle into a quality time among locals and footie fans who make the extra effort to welcome friends and strangers to their quirky and distinctive watering hole.
UPDATE: If a pub hasn’t changed in twenty years then why should it in the last?
BWV 11.2.05: Bass Draught
BWV 30.5.06: Bass Draught | |  Fareham Inn
6 Commercial Rd. PL4 0LD Telephone 01752 201553
G Veronica Caldwell
SP TV BM P
O 11 to 11, 12 to 11 Sun
On the route from the Dolphin to the Thistle you will spot the Fareham. It looks like it has been recently renovated on the outside and shouts out that it is the cosiest pub in Plymouth.
So it was that on a typically damp day in December I found the hospitality of Ronnie and her locals along with my mates being dragged along for the fun of it. Ronnie has been here for eleven years and served up a great pint of St. Austell Cousin Jack. I was not the only footie fan to find it, as it is well known by the discerning traveller. Oh for more space at the bar to get a wider range, but it is just not possible in this small and indeed comfortable, street - corner boozer. The pub has a good pub feeling. The locals are likely to be fishermen and / or Albion rugger types rather than back - street footie fans. The walls were timbered, the floors flag - stoned. It didn’t take long to get into conversation about ale and the fact that the single ale rotates regularly, usually from regional independent brewers, and what's more, at a rarely found realistic price! Next time it will be a pint of Summerskills and, if it is an evening session, the locals will be in full pub game mode; darts, board games and euchre, being popular. The Fareham is a great little pub and well located for the inevitable renovation of the nearby dockyards that has just started.
BWV 31.12.05: St Austell Cousin Jack | |  Fortescue
37 Mutley Plain PL4 6JR Telephone 01752 660673
G Steve Smith
F Sunday lunch 12 to 3.30
MP TV JB P
O 11 to 11 Mon - Sat, 12 to 10.30 Sun
Mutley Plain will be well known by students of the town ands is the nearest suburban village to Home Park. The Fortescue is a good example of how in the nineties some locals were redesigned to create traditional style pubs that stand the test of time and remain as places that should now be cherished.
Steve, the landlord is himself a Wolves fan and is keen to welcome real ale drinking away fans to his pub. They will find a long bar that runs the length of a narrow room and a small snug. Outside is a great decked patio for pavement - gazing and downstairs a cellar bar that doubles as “The Acoustic café.” The music theme gives a clue to the atmosphere in the pub. It is a pub for a wide range of people but the common denominator is good ale and quality entertainment. The local bands play regularly, often four in a night. The juke box certainly met with the approval of this lunchtime visitor, no chance of Eurovision songs being played here. The pub is one for good banter. The room is arranged with large bench seats around which to share a pint, a game of cards or, as they did on my visit, read the local papers. The pub is literally highly polished and well cared for, so too the beers. The pub notice board gives a better clue to its community function. Next week they are off to watch cricket at Taunton. The pub teams appear to be social teams as they play a lot of pub sports without winning very much.
BWV 30.5.06: Bass Draught, Greene King Abbot, Hydes Jekyll’s Gold, Tom Wood Hop and Glory, Thwaites Bomber | |  Prince Maurice
3 Church Hill, Eggbuckland PC6 SRJ Telephone 01752 771515
G Rick Dodds
F Good value weekday bar snacks 12 to 2.30
CP TV BM P D
O 11 to 3, 7 to 11 Mon - Thu, 11 to 11 Fri - Sat, 12 to 10.30 Sun
This near perfect hillside village local is located in a commuter village just outside of town and has a character to die for. Open log fires, good views, bucket loads of character and great ales. It does get very busy both when Argyle and the Albion play. I was diverted on my visit by the Titanic pictures, the locals’ crossword for charity and the chat of the regulars. It is a comfortable; bring your dog and paper, type of place at lunchtime. Patently in the centre of village life, the Prince Maurice also has plenty of regulars who make the journey out from Plymouth seeking a bit of country life and an easy journey home. Six regular ales are the norm supplemented by two ever changing local guest ales and for travelling fans that means new beers to sup from Devon and Cornwall.
UPDATE: The pub was totally unchanged and had the same characters in the pub when I visited this year.
BWV 11.2.05: Adnams Broadside, Badger Tanglefoot, Cains Raisin, Courage Best, East St. Cream, Randall's Patois VB,
Summerskills Best, Thatcher's Cider, Valley Cider
BWV 30.5.06: Adnams Broadside, Burton Bridge Spring Ale, Courage Best, Greene King Old Speckled Hen, St. Austell HSB, Sharp’s Doom Bar, Summerskills Best, FFB | |  Thistle Park Brew House
32 Commercial Rd PL4 OLE Telephone 01752 204890 W www.thistlepark.com
G Quentin and Debbie Style
F All home - cooked, freshly sourced menu with a South African twist 12 to 10
MP TV JB P D
O 12 to 2 a.m. Mon - Sat, 12 to 1 a.m. Sun
This is a unique refurbishment by the rugby loving, ale brewing, South African landlord. A street corner locals that is popular with all age ranges at different times of the day. It has two very different rooms; the larger bar has large drinking space and tables for group sessions. The smaller, darker, standing - room only bar, reminded me of a University bar that is easily transformed into music venue / meeting space. It is a “nouveau spit and sawdust pub offering urban chic to locals and businessmen alike.” I would walk across water to find this pub, no don’t, it is better to use the footbridge from the Hoe instead.
UPDATE: The pub was being rebuilt / refurbished when I visited this year and the plans for the pub are truly impressive. They include creating a restaurant and roof garden, larger bar frontage for more ale choices, a new entrance, street tables and more room to enjoy this great pub. The orange room is finished. Music and sports plays a full part in making this the most popular real ale pub in the town centre.
BWV 11.2.05: South Hams Brewery Bitter, Sutton Eddystone, Pandamonium, Plymouth Pride, XSB
BWV 30.5.06: South Hams Eddystone, Wild Blonde, Sutton Plymouth Porter, Plymouth Pride, XSB
Facebook page | | | PLYMOUTH CAMRA | | 
HOME PARK
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LOCAL BREWERY
Summerskills
15 Pomphrett Farm Industrial Estate
Broxton Drive
Billacombe
Plymouth
PL9 7BG
Telephone 01752 481283
www.summerskills.co.uk | | WETHERSPOONS
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The Mannamead 61-63 Mutley Plain Plymouth PL4 6JH Opening Times: Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am
The Britannia Inn 1 Wolseley Road Milehouse Plymouth PL2 3AA Opening Times: Sun-Thu 9am-midnight; Fri/Sat 9am-1am
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