Most of them are naturally enough situated around the city centre, and some warrant particular mention for their history as much as for their alcoholic offerings. I myself am a real ale fan, lager and warm cask beer do zilch for me, so here are a few that merit a mention.

The Old Ale House on Crane Street is a great pub: lively, full of interesting folk, and with the benefits of real ale on tap. It has a good-size car park and features live music every Thursday and a "bring your instrument and jump on the stage" blues jam evening the first Monday of the month.

The Ox Row Inn is to be found on the Market Square and features 16th-century carvings around the large fireplace. It still has many original beams that bear evidence of cattle being tied to them on market days. There’s real ale and a real atmosphere.

The Wig and Quill on New Street is a traditional place with lots of old pub games, real ale, and a beautiful beer garden that stretches down to Cathedral Close. A particular feature is it’s two beer cellars, one of which is visible from the bar via a glass floor.

The Pheasant Inn is the second oldest pub in the city and dates from 1435. It occupies what was once the original shoemaker’s hall. There are real ales once again and great food served at lunchtime and evening.

The Wyndham Arms on Estcourt Road is famous as the establishment where the Hop Back Brewery first appeared in 1987. It was inaugurated by John Gilbert, who started a microbrewery and produced the first brew known as GFB (Gilbert’s First Brew), which can be found in most Hop Back houses today.

The Royal George on Bedwin Street has a large beer garden, essential in the summer, and keeps his beer in fine order, as noted in the UK’s Good Beer Guide. It offers accommodation, as do many of the hostelries listed here.

Finally, there is the Railway Tavern on South Western Road, a pub converted from two houses in the early 1800s. It’s very lively. It has pub games, kids are welcome, and there is great food. When Salisbury’s own brewery, Gibbs Mew, was established, their shire horses that were used to pull the brewery drays were stabled here.

Virtually all the public houses in Salisbury offer a great welcome, and these are but a tiny proportion of those available. But I’ve had at least a couple of pints in these half dozen or so detailed here and can vouch for their food, beer, service, and atmosphere. Happy days… (or should that read "daze?).