‘It’s important to us to be a well-loved local pub as well as a dining destination,’ says General Manager James Oddy. ‘So we work hard to make sure our drinks menus feature lots of great-value choices.’ That’s not to say that our diverse, 200-strong wine list, developed over the years with our friends at Bibendum, doesn’t boast some very refined drops. And thanks to our Coravin – a newish invention that effectively lets us ‘reseal’ bottles as if they had never been opened – we offer 36 of them by the glass, across all price ranges. We treat our beers with no less reverence. Spicy, juicy Marston’s Pedigree, from nearby Burton upon Trent, takes pride of place, as does our very own Duncombe Ale and at least one guest real ale, usually showcasing one of the small local breweries our customers love to discover. And we keep our pumps and lines for these and our lagers and ciders in immaculate condition. Working in hospitality since the age of 15, James has designed wine lists for restaurants all over the country, but a more recent passion is for gin, and his response to the burgeoning current trend for craft gins is a menu bringing together 28 varieties. ‘We love old-fashioned gins,’ he says,’ and now we’re complementing them with exciting new styles whose creative combinations of botanicals give them really distinctive aromas and flavour profiles.’ Rose root, sea buckthorn and blueberries can be discerned in Rock Rose from northern Scotland, while the American Aviation Gin stirs in cardamom and lavender. And as landlord Johnny’s family established the longest continuously running distillery in England, it’s only fitting we should spotlight its time-honoured classic Greenall’s. Malt whisky’s growing repertoire too is well represented, with 25 brands on offer, from classic Highlands Scotches to pioneering Japanese drams from distiller Suntory to several of the US’ best bourbons. Plus of course we’ve a full range of other spirits, and a wide selection of premium soft drinks and juices.