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Pub Crawl Four - The Converted Crawl

Pub Crawl Four It's never nice to see pubs close but this pub crawl celebrates new pubs that have opened recently in St Albans.
This pub crawl starts at one of the citys newest pubs - The Waterend Barn. The building dates from the 17th century and was moved in 1938 timber by timber from the Parish of Sandridge to its current location in the centre of St Albans. It was then run as a restaurant and popular for dinner dances and wedding receptions. Wetherspoons bought it and it opened as a pub in 2005. The Waterend Barn has a decent selection of real ale, often at very good prices, and it's worth popping in just to see the actual building as the refurbishment has kept all the old character features.

To get to the next pub turn right out of the Waterend Barn then right again and go along a passageway leading to Victoria Street. Turn left and enter The Slug and Lettuce. This place was previously known as Casa but before that it was an large art shop called CRA. The Slug and Lettuce does not offer much to the more mature drinker as it has no character and no real ale.

Exit the pub and turn right up Victoria Street until you come to the third pub, O'Neils. Many years ago this large buiding used to be the central library in St Albans, a gift to the City by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. During the 1980's the Firkin chain bought the building and turned it into a pub which they names the Philanthropist and Firkin to reflect its past history. Today it is mainly a young persons drinking establishment that is good for watching sport and does have the odd real ale, often Timothy Taylor Landlord and/or Fullers London Pride.

Turn right out of O'Neils up to the traffic lights and turn left along Chequer Street. Go past the now closed Bell pub and enter the Crosskeys. This opened in 1996 and is another Wetherspoons pub. Previously it was a gentlemans outfitters for most of the 20th century. The Crosskeys is a rather dark, characterless pub but it does serve good value food and real ale.

On leaving the Crosskeys turn left and diagonally across the road you will see the fifth and final pub, the Vintry. Previously a branch of Barclays Bank this turned into a pub in the late 1990's. Recently the Vintry has had a major refurbishment and is now a smart over 21's pub that serves a couple of real ales as well as a good selection of premium lager and wine.

You have now completed the Converted Crawl.