The Lifeboat Inn, Thornham, Hunstanton, Norfolk

Greene King Abbot Ale
Nethergate Suffolk County Best
Woodforde's Wherry GBP 2.10 (2000-10-07)

There may be more than one Thornham in Norfolk. The Lifeboat Inn we went to 
was near Hunstanton. I am told you can see the North Sea from the car park, 
but it was dark on Saturday.

It acts as a hotel as well as a pub and restaurant. Near the entrance is an 
enormous fire in an entrance hall decorated with the heads of foxes and deer. 
There's also a few birds stuffed and mounted a long way above your head. To 
the left is the fairly empty restaurant, which is more expensive (and offers 
a Christmas dinner on Christmas Day costing GBP 45), while to the right is the 
bar, which was packed with diners. We waited about five minutes for a dining 
table, though half to three quarters of an hour had been predicted by the 
waitress.

Five cask beers, of which I only tried the Nethergate and Woodforde's, both of 
which were in good condition. The Nethergate Suffolk Best was particularly 
interesting. About half a dozen single malts.

When we ate, we sat in a darkish conservatory. The ceiling was decorated with 
what looked like blackcurrant branches. The menu was oriented toward sea food, 
and was slightly expensive for a pub, but cheap for a restaurant with all main 
courses under a tenner. I enjoyed the food, which looked rather better than 
typical pub. I fear that the Black Sea Bream wasn't caught locally, though.
(2000-10-07)