For some a pub is a retreat from the frenetic pace of life; a refuge for ale appreciation; or just an opportunity for a good gossip. For the folks of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), it’s a sober business.

No one is more serious about pubs than CAMRA, and now they’ve launched a website for heritage pubs – so there’s no excuse for popping into a chain pub to enjoy their two-for-one on alcopops. Now you can track down a piece of history and enjoy real ales in sumptuous surroundings.

The Pub Heritage Group website is devoted to showcasing the country’s finest historic pub interiors. The 254 featured pubs range from Art Deco to Victorian, with every style in between, and are classified in two groups – those that have been largely untouched since World War II and those that have been altered but remain stunning.

There’s information on tap about CAMRA’s Pub Heritage Group, outlining its objectives and methods, as well as listings of every pub in the scheme, with its position plotted on a natty Google-powered map. There’s also a region-by-region guide that lists pubs in the area, most with pictures, and all with a description and contact details.

The website design is far from sleek but the site is easy to navigate and there’s pub know-how by the barrel-load, with tons of fantastic pictures that’ll mean you’ll never set foot in a wine bar again.

Our favourite pubs include the wonderfully-named, The Nutshell, in Bury St Edmunds. With a bar that measures five metres by two, it’s reportedly England's smallest pub, and its eccentric décor includes the mummified remains of a cat (jokes about swinging one no doubt abound…).

We love: Pubs in Peril, which highlights abandoned pubs or those threatened with closure; the glossary of architectural terms, with images, to help you decipher your inglebrook from your mullion while you’re enjoying a pint; the abundant use of pictures and passionate detailed text accompanying each entry.

We hate: pub descriptions don’t include details on which ales are served.

Verdict

Design: 5/10
Navigation: 9/10
Content: 9/10
Fulfilment: 8/10

Overall score: 31/40

Times recommends

• Dubai cheaper than Doncaster as room rates tumble
• World Cup 2010 - how to follow England
• Copenhagen: Europe's greenest city