I thought people might be interested in the Independant's (UK newspaper) report, listing their top 50 pubs (14th Jan 2006). Many of them appear on many publovers lists especially for the grub they serve up. I am only listing the top 10:
1 The Ox, Manchester (good grub);
2 Harrington Arms, Gawsworth, Cheshire;
3 Tollgate Inn, Wiltshire (good for accommodation);
4 Cafe Royal, Edinburgh (gin palace);
5 The Harrow, Hadlow, Kent (great beer garden);
6 Angel Inn, Hetton, North Yorks (good grub);
7 Station Buffet, Stalybridge, Cheshire;
8 Mermaid Inn, Rye, East Sussex(good for accommodation);
9 Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast(gin palace);
10 Manor Farm Barn, Southfleet, Kent(great beer garden).
The comments in brackets are why the Independant has included them on the list.

Nice to see so many Northern Pubs on the list (only to be expected) but none of the smoky flea pits that I frequent are represented.

I looked at the Independant's online pages, but could not find this article, which is a pity, as I'd like to see if I have visited any of the top 50 (none in the top 10).

I cannot really comment on Northern pubs, only rarely visiting them on football related trips. Although I generally prefer beers from Southern brewers (Probably a combination of what you grew up with and what is easily available), I am nearly always suprised at how reasonable a pint is "up North" in comparison to my local prices.

Good food, good accommodation, good beer garden - good grief! Surely the qualifications are good ale and good company!

Wykham Arms in Winchester..a bit yuppie but good.

We enjoyed the Mermaid Inn at Rye. Very upmarket pub.
One of my favourites is the "George Inn" in a village not far from Beckington.

The Independant, of course, can not include all the best Pubs but there were some notable exclusions. To name just a few: the Inn at Whitewell; Bat and Ball in Oxfordshire; the Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey; the Rose and Crown in Pisshall, Cotswolds; the Red Lion in Burnsall; the Queens Head in Troutbeck. One that will never make any list is the eccentric Prince of Wales in St Bees (Cumbria), the chatty staff are only too delighted to give customers a grand tour of the toilets crammed pack with ‘naff’ toiletries which look like they've been collected from various hotel chains. Worth a visit not a stay.

For anybody finding this topic later, can I recommend the website <http://www.beerintheevening.com> for finding information about pubs in the area you intend to visit. I have always found it an excellent resoource.

Nice website willit. The following link to Harden's guide (via Waitrose) also reviews many pubs and I have not been (so far) let down by it. That said, it doesn't recommend the pub that the Independant had as their number 1: The Ox.

http://www.waitrose.com/food_drink/r.../searchall.asp