VINE HOTEL - The only regular Skegness entry in the Good Beer Guide, with most of the Batemans range available. Some way from the town centre, it has a very large garden but with only a few chairs and a single swing. On our first visit, the bar serving the garden had only a single handpump, with poor quality Batemans XB. More recently, however, a much wider range was available in this bar as well as the others.

RED LION (Previously LION HOTEL) - Opposite Lumley Hotel, the family room originally appeared to be part of a covered car park. Mansfield Riding was on handpump, but this later disappeared to be eventually replaced by Tetley Bitter. A few years ago the pub was taken over by Weatherspoon's and re-named. Unusually for a pub in this chain there is a family eating area, but it is inadequately small. At least there is a proper selection of real ales.

WELCOME INN - First pub seen on arriving in Skegness. Has a large family room and a large outside children's play area with swings, slide, bouncy castle etc. The family room became a family eating area (with typical pub-chain menu, but food okay), but there never seemed to be a badge on the handpump. In late 1995(?) the pub sported a large banner proclaiming 'range of cask ales'. However, by the time we got to sample this range, it consisted of just Shipstones Bitter. After Greenalls discontinued this brew in 1999, Tetley Bitter became the replacement.

LITTEN TREE - This is a brand new pub within the Embassy Centre complex. The menu in the window initially had no mention of children's meals, and the place didn't look as though it welcomed families, but by August there was a sign saying that a chilren's menu was available. There is a small balcony outside with some tables and chairs, and there are definitely some handpumps on the bar.

SEA VIEW - At the north end of the seafront road. The last time we visited it had a large family room, with plenty of facilities for children, and a fizzy beer bar. The main bar had Bass, Stones and Worthington Best on handpump (the Stones always seemed particularly good here). A fair sized, enclosed rear garden also contained things for the kids to do, but was falling into disrepair. Because of the state of the garden we eventually stopped visiting, and there still seems to have been no improvement. In June the sign for the family room had disappeared - I didn't know whether the place was getting a new paint job or the room had been lost. But then even on a Saturday night in August there was no sign of the room being open, and although the garden looked tidier there were no chairs in it. Unfortunately this place is therefore on the verge of relegation to the red section.

SHIP HOTEL - Large hotel with big family room; lots of tables outside overlooking Skegness' most busy road junction. Handpumps with Theakston's XB were introduced only a short while before the pub was taken over by Mansfield from Home (shows how long ago that was), with the pumps then serving Old Baily for a while. However, I'm not sure whether any real ale is sold any more.

COUNTY HOTEL - Large hotel on main seafront road. Formerly sold almost the full range of Batemans beers, but was part of the great Batemans sell-off, with a much reduced range of beers (including, to attract the tourist, John Smiths bitter). A large, unwelcoming side room was used as the family room, but this facility is now unavailable.

SUN CASTLE - Large many-roomed pub on seafront road, overlooking the bowls greens. Previously had fairly decent indoor and outdoor drinking areas, with one room full of electronic games machines, but 'improvements' have now been made that reduce the family areas. Very cold Theakston's XB on handpump, and a funny pump with William Younger's Draught Bitter, used to be available, but a later visit showed the handpump to be unbadged and the Younger's stuff (whether real or not) to be crap. More recently still there was no sign of real ale.

CORKY'S BAR - This bar was accessed via a courtyard off the main shopping street, but has now disappeared. Children were allowed in the bistro (presumably for eating only) and there were also 3 or 4 tables in the covered courtyard. Theakston's XB and Mansfield Old Baily were available on handpump, with the latter also featuring in several food dishes.

SHADES - This pub is right at the centre of the main shopping area. Following refurbishment in the early 1990s, it had a small garden area connected to a fairly big family room. Unfortunately, this room was so full of electronic games and pool table etc, that it only had room for five tables. Greenalls, the owners, were so confident about their 'own' products, that they sold Bass and Tetley's on handpump. Even though the front of the pub looks very smart, with a big sign saying 'Traditional Ales', the family room is now tatty and no real ale is available.

WOLFIES BAR - This bar, on the seafront road near the clocktower, has undergone much change in the last few years and now has a sign outside stating that families are welcome. However, although it previously advertised real ale, I can't see any sign of this now.

MARINE HOTEL - Was originally integrated into a shopping arcade towards the sea end of the main shopping street. A confusing sign was outside the place for several years, that suggested Bateman's real ale and guest beers (draught Bass) were available, whereas inside only Courage Directors and Ruddles Best were found. It was also confusing that somewhere with such a smart, large downstairs family room never seemed to open it, instead 'welcoming' children to the desperately smoky and dingy bar. More recently the place has had an extension, with an outdoor seating area (although in not very pleasant surroundings) plus a heated outdoor terrace, and advertised Batemans XB and XXXB 'from the cask'. This work was coupled with a change in name to the Marine Boathouse. Further internal work has recently been completed, but from the outside I couldn't spot any handpumps. This lack of real ale was confirmed in August, and the place didn't even have my favourite standby - Gold Label - so it's now been relegated.

LUMLEY HOTEL - Near the town centre. For many years had excellent Kimberley Classic on handpump, combining this with a good family room and a large garden with chairs and a play area, as well as good value food available at lunchtimes, this was the perfect place to go for a lunchtime drink. Also had all the Kimberley seasonal specials once they were introduced, although unfortunately they were rarely in good condition. Recently, however, the place has been converted into one of the Hardy and Hanson food pubs, with the family room absorbed into the rest of the pub (but still available for family meals) and a much smaller new kids room built. Unfortunately, now that food is the major earner, they don't seem bothered about the beer any more - in three recent visits the Classic was off a couple of times (and it was pretty much 'off' the other). Our most recent visit again found no Classic, so this pub has now been relegated.

There are another half dozen or so pubs in Skegness, some advertising childrens facilities but which definitely only have fizzy beer, others which accept children but I'm not sure whether real ale is served or not (eg estate pubs owned by Stones), and others which don't allow children.

Other Places

Back
Winthorpe
Ingoldmells
Chapel St.Leonards
Surrounding Area