The Great Northern
In all honesty there isn't a lot to see in Langley Mill, unless you are a fan of Asda, Lidl and KFC or are seeking a bus to Nottingham! The "Great Northern" pub, alongside the basin of the same name, therefore comes as a pleasant surprise.
With an early (05.00) start planned the following morning perhaps a visit wasn't the wisest of moves so both Hugh and I were perversely pleased to see it was a Greene King house. Greene King beer is not particularly to our taste and it would be no hardship to have to limit ourselves to a pint and an early night.
Oner room in the pub is designated a "Boaters' Snug" and decorated with photographs of the Erewash and Cromford Canals and of the restoration of the Great Northern Basin in the 1970s.
Our plans to "have a quick half" were foiled, however, when the beer turned out to be some of the best-kept ale I've had in a long time. I'd normally go a long way to avoid Greene King IPA but I have to admit that in the Great Northern it was top notch and only £2.10 a pint. It's a sign of the desperate straits the pub industry is going through that even with high-quality beer at such a low price the Great Northern was almost deserted on a Wednesday night. If you do get as far as Langley Mill you could do worse than give it a try (there isn't anywhere else!)
3 comments:
TWO pounds 10? When you're used to shelling out more than £3.00 for a pint that is amazingly good value!
I think the Great Northern was closed when we were there... It's good that it's open now even if it is Greene King (and me a veteran of the Lewes Arms boycott!)
Halfie, Whenever I come across a pub selling beer that cheap I always think "If they can do it why can't everyone else.
Sarah,
At one time the Great Nothern would have been a Hardy, Hanson's pub and we would never hsve made that 0500 start.
Jimlt
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