The Red Lion

The Red Lion, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 2JH

An outwardly unassuming cottage pub situated on what was once the main road through the town, but is now a dead end leading to a pedestrianised area. It used to have its own car park on the right-hand side, but this has now been sold off for redevelopment. However, there is a public car park on the other side which is free to use on Sundays.

The brick exterior conceals a timber-framed building dating back to the 16th century, with an unspoilt interior that earns it a full entry on CAMRA’s National Inventory. The heart of the pub is the central public bar, with wood panelling and a quarry-tiled floor. There are two other low-ceiling rooms on either side, the one on the right with a dartboard and an alcove of bench seating.

It still carries Banks’s signage, and the beer range consists of Banks’s Mild and Bitter, plus another from the Marston’s stable such as EPA. It is a traditional wet-led pub, and no food is served. Although the now-closed power station gives Rugeley an industrial image, it is a very long-established market town, and the centre contains a number of historic buildings.