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Section 2 - Pub Facilities/Environment (Marked out of 25)

Again there are fives sub-categories, each marked out of five: 1. Cleanliness and décor - basically is the place clear or is it a bit a spit and sawdust affair?  Are the ashtrays emptied regularly?  No one needs to sit in somebody else’s filth. 2. Furnishings - comfyness of chairs etc. - this is particularly important if you’re planning a long session.  Hard wooden chairs bad, padded chairs better, sofas great! 3. Beer garden - there’s nothing better on a warm day than a nice cold beer in a beer garden.  No outside seats, no points.  A bit of effort here goes a long way.  A few shrubs or a water feature all add to the ambience and the points.  Outdoor heaters are good for the cooler nights, and don’t forget to check the condition of chairs and tables. 4. Air Quality, Odour and Temperature - being non-smokers we don’t like getting cancer off other people.  However this is becoming less of an issue with the Government’s smoking policy. What’s the temperature like?  Are you stripped down to your t-shirt and still sweating, of has your beer frozen in it’s glass.  Are there any offensive smells around?

5. Toilets (including signage of) - obviously spending a lot of time in a pub means that there’ll be a few visits to the toilet.  Apart from the general tidiness of it are there any special features such as newspapers or even TV monitors above the urinals? Signage was added to this category as after visiting numerous pubs we’ve never been to before (and probably never will again) we got fed up of wandering round looking lost, and worse still going into the ladies - how hard is it to put up a sign?  Upstairs toilets aren’t good either - lose a point.   Section 1: At the Bar (Marked out of 25)   Section 3: Entertainment (Marked out of 15)   Section 4: Immediate Area (Marked out of 15)   Section 5: X-Factor (Marked out of 20)