Once my local, I rarely step foot in the door anymore…read more Girdwoods always had a curious split personality, with one half being a traditional pub with a good bar, some books, a jukebox and a pool table. The other half was only open at weekends in the evening with DJ's that was popular with a much younger crowd with an emphasis on metal music. There were some legendary parties in here, particularly come Halloween. For no obvious reason, the numbers dwindled over a few years until the place could no longer sustain itself and has now been replaced with a faceless interior that you could easily mistake for the work of JD and the Wetherspoons. Monday night in here is Poker night, with some of the best players in the Lanarkshire Nuts Poker League shuffling up every week without fail. At £5, there are far worse ways to spend your Monday night.

The Railway Tavern is fast becoming a 'cool' pub to visit in Motherwell. I went with my friends one…read moreweek night over the festive period and we had a great night! It was a Wednesday night but i assume they only had karaoke on then because it was Christmas. The bar is pretty old fashioned inside, with the bar in the middle of the pub and tables surrounding it. We ordered some vodkas which were reasonably priced (just slightly more expensive than The Brandon Works) and sambucas. Instead of the normal clear shot, the barman gave us Luxardo Sambuca cream, a kind of coffee tasting liqueur, which blew my socks off. Safe to say the rest of the evening is a tad blurry. The locals were really friendly, the karaoke host was lovely and had some great banter with us, we even got up to belt out a bit of the classic Kenny Rodger's The Gambler! The pub always has entertainment on, with bands playing and themed parties for special occasions. It also has quite a sizeable beer garden which is perfect for summer. I would suggest that they make a website for irregular punters like me to see what is on and when. Other than that, it seems like a great wee pub!

Visited last Wednesday with the kids for lunch. The food was lovely with very friendly efficient…read moreservice. Great value for money. I'll definitely be back soon.

Applebank Inn is a lovely pub and restaurant that has a very welcoming feel, it's the type of place…read moreyou can hang out in without feeling like you need to rush out as soon as you've had your drinks or eaten. They have a large area that's hidden from the main pub area where food can be eaten but it can also be hired for an occasion. I had my birthday dinner here recently where there were 26 people and we all got our food at the same time and it tasted great. The menu is big with lots of dishes to suit most. There's vegetarian options and being lactose intolerant, there were lots of meals on the menu that I could choose from. The staff are lovely and were very good dealing with everyone's requests at my dinner party. Sometimes they have bands come in at play at the weekend which certainly brings in a crowd.

An unexpected gem set next to the river Avon in the village of Millheugh, a sort of leafy suburb of…read moreLarkhall. It's a fine, 300-year-old, stone-built inn, that sits above a weir and just before a tall, ancient bridge. Inside it's just as you'd hope such a place would be, the eager staff will even regale you with the story of the "Black Lady". She comes in some times, and they even hold seances so you can communicate with her! The beer choices are acceptable, not great, the food menu though is more interesting. Two of us picked langoustines with charred bread and a garlic butter, for - I think - about £6. Obviously we expected either tiny ones or a couple of medium ones, but no, there were four pretty large langoustines for that price and there were no complaints about the flavours either! Almost astonishing value. I went metro-retro for the main and opted for the lasagne. It was a nice lasagne, cheesy, firm and with plenty of mince, not quite as mother would make it but everyone likes theirs differently, and she was a very fine, qualified cook. It had more cheddar than parmesan, but I love rich food so it was no problem to me and I may well have it next time.