No. 32 The Mount

Visited on 21/4/11. From the cricket club, we by-passed the Cherry Orchard (No. 15) and the gang of under-age drinkers loitering outside the off licence, before eventually arriving at the Mount. After initially attempting to walk through the wall, then realising the door had been moved (this after one pint !), we entered a very busy and recently modified bar. Whereas previously, the pub had been split into two main areas, now it's all been knocked into one. It's not as good. This is a small pub and I guess the reason for the change was to create more space. However, it seems to have lost some of it's atmosphere and charm. Fortunately, among the forest of shiny new chrome plated plastic keg beer dispensers, two hand pumps survive, providing a choice between Weetwood Eastgate ale and Brain's bitter. The former was ok, but the latter was a bit 'iffy' by all accounts. Anyhow, by the time we'd been served and fought our way through the massed ranks of 'Albert's quiz' devotees to enjoy the famous view from the Mount's terrace, it was dark. It's where all the smokers go now anyway, so that detracts from the experience to be honest, even when it's possible to see things.