The Albion, Conwy

The Albion Pub, Conwy

The Albion is an outstanding pub. A must, must visit pub.

It’s a grade II listed public house; it’s rated three stars on Camra’s National Inventory of Historic pub interiors; it’s one of the finest examples of a 1920’s inter-war public house in Britain.

Built in 1921, it fell into disrepair in the early 2010’s. It was sold by Punch Taverns to a local businessman, Arthur Ellis. Who spent a year doing it up, spending around £100,000. It re-opened in 2012. In 2013 it won Camra Wales pub of the year. In 2014 it won the English Heritage Conservation Award. A superb renovation.

Arthur Ellis arranged for four local breweries to co-operate in running the pub: The Purple Moose Brewery; The Great Orme Brewery, now known as Snowdon Craft Beer; The Nant Brewery, sadly closed; and the Conwy Brewery. It’s no wonder it’s such a good pub.

The bar has the original wood back bar, with a hatchway linking it to the snug. There are ten handpumps, four are originals from the 1920’s. The bar can get lively, there are stools for sitting at the bar and two tables, one of them can seat eight or more people. The snug at the back and the lounge still have the original seating. The lounge has a large baronial fireplace, hosting a real fire when it’s cold.

There is no music, TV or fruit machines, just the gentle or loud hum of conversion.

They serve a good selection of ten real ales, plus craft keg beers, fine wines (starting at £7.20 a large glass, which will please my wife) and a small collection of interesting gins and malt whiskeys. They have paddles for serving three or six third-pint glasses, helpful for tasting multiple beers.

I had two sessions here, late afternoon today and late afternoon on the Sunday. Sitting on a stool at the bar. I was drinking the Conwy Breweries Welsh Pride bitter at £4.60 a pint. I sat there watching the people going to and fro.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. Giving advice when choosing a selection of beers for a paddle or giving you a taster when trying to decide on a pint to drink.

On both days there was a large number of people sitting around the large table (it was a bit like a Stammtisch in Germany). Playing dominoes and putting the world to rights. On the Saturday I spotted a small mongrel dog, the sort that wouldn’t hurt a fly. On its lead was I identify as rottweiler. On the Sunday a very young girl (3/4 years old) came into the bar with her granny. They’d been to a local zoo. At one point walking round the zoo the little girl asked granny to carry her. Granny said, I can’t because I’m old. The little girl said, but I’m new!

It was an excellent lively bar.

They don’t do food, but there are two superb options nearby, Spice Safari and the Archway Fish and Chip shop.

What more can you ask for, an excellent pub with two superb food options nearby. The best pub of the trip by a mile. It just shows you what you can do with a rundown pub. Punch Taverns, please note.

Spice Safari

This curry house is just up the road from the pub (turn right towards Lancaster Square), it serves excellent curries. I came across it in a newspaper article about the best curry houses in the country. I was told in the Albion that it’s very, very good, but gets very busy, especially at weekends.

I tried it on Saturday, turning up when it opened (17:30) and was lucky, very lucky to get a table, someone had just cancelled. This one must be booked in advance. I had a Rogan Josh, it was superb, nice and spicy.

They don’t have an alcohol license; you can bring our own.

The Archway Fish and Chip Shop

The Archway fish and chip shop is almost directly opposite the pub. I had takeaway fish and chips on Sunday, which I ate sitting on a bench in Lancaster Square. If it’s cold or raining, they have a restaurant. The fish and chips were very tasty. Marsden chippy, please note.

Sitting eating them, there was a pigeon begging for food. Every time I threw it a small scrap of chip, it caught it in its beak. There were two black birds of an unknown model hanging around. Whenever I threw them some scraps, the Pidgeon always muscled over and pushed them out the way to get the food. A bully Pidgeon.