View Larger Map The Blake is in the hilliest part of a hilly city, so new owner James Birkett may be putting his neck on the block in trying to attract a drinking crowd to this old Stones house on the edge of Ruskin Park. His track record at the New Barrack Tavern and the Sheaf View suggests otherwise. If you’ve been to either of those pubs, you know the quality to expect. The Blake is a much smaller pub than the other two, with a friendly atmosphere engendered by…

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View Larger Map The pub was surrounded by scaffolding and swathed in the sort of blue mesh fabric that responsible builders put up these days – fortunately whatever work was going on was confined to the exterior. Once inside there’s a relatively peaceful scene, but then the oddness hits you: as well as being a pub with good beer, plenty of character and a friendly atmosphere, this is a pub that relishes eccentricity. Looking around, I could see one or two items of normal furniture, but most of the stools…

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