The third pub of the day that Julian and I visited was the Fishermans Wharf which is located on the South Pier in Lowestoft, just off Royal Plain. The sun was shining, as I might have mentioned, and it was looking busy in their external seating area. The venue is managed by the pier as their food and drink operation, and before anyone asks, they don’t seem to use an apostrophe in the pub name and so nor have I. The pier itself was opened in 1846 and was designed by William Cubitt as part of the wider harbour works that were taking place. We didn’t take the opportunity to explore the pier area, but this was only the first part of our Lowestoft adventure, so we’ll perhaps add that to the next expedition.
Back to the venue, where there was a friendly welcome from the team member. There were two real ales available, the Ghost Ship from Adnams and the Old Speckled Hen from Greene King. There didn’t seem to be any keg of interest, just the usual generic stuff.
A boat nailed to the ceiling to add some authenticity.
The interior of the venue.
I ordered the Ghost Ship from Adnams, it was light, refreshing, hoppy and a reliable number, although it’s not really something that particularly surprises and delights me, but it was well-kept. Julian ordered the same and was entirely content with the temperature and keeping of the beer.
Julian ordered a second beer, the Old Speckled Hen from Greene King, and if I’m being honest, I think that the sea would have tasted better. On the turn and odd (the beer, not the sea).
We weren’t in a food ordering mood, as Julian had booked the Lowestoft Tandoori for later on, but the dishes coming out looked decent. I was surprised at how brave some people were sitting outside eating fish and chips, with the seagulls just inches away from them.
Overall, this was a busy and clearly popular venue, it was mostly clean, the service was friendly and the prices were reasonable. There are parts of the pub that perhaps need something of a renovation, but these are challenging times and the proximity to the sea must be problematic in terms of staying on top of maintenance as if I lived next to the North Sea I suspect that I’d look flaky in places as well. The beer selection wasn’t vast, but it’s a small venue and they’re clearly serving what their clientele want. It’s well reviewed on-line and it certainly has some rather pleasant sea views, so all really rather lovely.