Newcastle-under-Lyme manages to combine a rich and often dramatic history with a vibrant contemporary feel. You’ll find no better illustration of this coming together of the old and the new than in the town’s diverse variety of pubs. From hostelries of genuine antiquity through to battered old backstreet boozers, and from cutting-edge brewpubs to craft-beer bars, this Staffordshire market town really does offer something for everyone.

People have been enjoying the hospitality offered by Newcastle’s many watering holes since the days when the town was a major producer of clay smoking pipes. Today, that reputation continues as a teeming mix of locals, students and tourists look to quench their thirst. From bustling alehouses that maintain a live music scene through to traditional taverns offering a more sedate atmosphere redolent of a seemingly bygone age, this book will guide you through the town’s pub landscape.