The Never Ending Pub Crawl: April 2016

Tuesday, 19 April 2016

Pontefract,Castleford plus a few in Leeds Crawl 29th July 2015

This was a midweek crawl as it was during my factories shut down week.
It was a decent Wednesday when i set out for Pontefract.
It was a National express up to Leeds and then a train to Pontefract,but i had time for a drink in Leeds before my train.

1: Becketts Bank

A Weterspoons house that is a short walk from the train station,an obvious bank conversion and quite nice inside,there was a decent choice of guest beers on,i opted for a drink of Kirkstall Pale Ale which went down well on my mid Wednesday morning visit.

Pontefract

One of those Yorkshire towns i have always wanted to do.
The station is not quite in the middle of town,but luckily i found my first pub in the town while walking to the centre.

2: The Olde Tavern

A decent roadside pub with a couple rooms inside,there was one real ale on here which was Theakston Black Bull bitter which was a decent drink.
This was a very pleasant and comfortable pub to have a drink in.

After a short walk uphill i was in the town centre and found my next few pubs to do.

3: Golden Ball

A decent looking pub that is opposite the bus station.
There were two rooms inside and decent enough,no real ales on the bar which was a dissapointment , so i had to have a drink of John Smiths Smooth Crap which it was.

4: Horse Vaults

A decent looking town pub that is just up from the Golden Ball and opposite the broken Bridge Wetherspoons.
The pub was quite smart inside and despite the outside signage stating cask ales,none were on the bar,i had a drink of Mansfield Smooth which was drinkable.

5: Broken Bridge

A typical looking Weterspoons and larger inside than it looks from outside,i had a drink of Exmoor Gold which was a very nice drink after the last two keg bitters.

It was a short walk to my next pub which is situated in the main shopping area of Pontefract.

6: Windmill Inn

This is a Samuel Smiths tied house with a few separate rooms,there were no real ales on the bar,i had a drink of keg Samuel Smiths Old Brewery bitter which was a decent drink and very cheap at 90p for a half.
The pub was very busy which is no surprise at those prices.

7: Liquorice Bush

This pub is situated on one of Pontefracts two market places.
This pub looked quite smart from the outside and was equally smart inside.
There were a couple of real ales on,i had a drink of Black Sheep bitter which was a decent drink.
This pub seemed quite to be a lot more classy than other pubs in Pontefract.

8: The Elephant

Situated across the market place from the Liquorice Bush,this has a narrow frontage and on a Wednesday market stalls outside.
Once inside the pub is fairly large,but no real ales on here,i had a drink of Tetley Smooth which was a pretty poor drink.
The pub was very busy on my Wednesday dinner visit.

9: Ancient Borough Arms

This pub is just up from the Elephant and also has market stalls outside it.
This pub looked pretty dire from the outside which gives me the urge to go in it.
Four pumps on the bar and all unclipped,so it was a drink of John Smiths Extra Cold crap which was crap.
Another busy pub that also served food.

I took a short walk through Pontefracts second market place and passing other pubs to get to my next pub.

10: Tap & Barrel

This pub has been given the modern battleship grey colour which is not a good thing.
There is a single room inside and a coupe of real ales on the bar,i think the pub is a Greene King tied house,i had a drink of Greene King IPA which was not served in an half as they dont do them here so it was a third of a pint,this was a crap drink and very expensive at £2.11.
The pub was empty while all other pubs in the town were very busy due to it being a market day.

A walk back down the market place to hopefully a better pub.

11: Malt Shovel Hotel

A decent looking pub with a couple of rooms inside,the rear one being quite large and too modern looking for the pub.
No real ales on here so it was a drink of John Smiths Smooth crap.

Just down the market place are two pubs next to each other.

12: Green Dragon

A decent enough looking pub that is joined onto the Ponty Tavern.
This is a decent sized pub and had two real ales on,i had a drink of Hobgoblin which was a decent drink.
The pub was busy on my Wednesday afternoon visit.

13: Ponty Tavern

The pub has a single dog legged shaped room and i was surprised to see one real ale on the bar which was Hobgoblin,this was a decent drink.
Another Pontefract pub that was very busy.

A short walk down from the Ponty Tavern and i was in my next pub.

14: Beastfair Vaults

This is a decent pub inside but sadly no real ales on the bar,so it was a drink of John Smiths Smooth Crap which was crap.

I now took a decent walk to my next pub which was on the East side of the town.

15: The Cobbler

This looks like a decent modern built pub.
Once inside the pub was much larger than i thought it would be,with lots of different rooms on different levels.
To my surprise there were no real ales on here,so i had a drink of keg Black Sheep bitter which was a new one on me.

A bit of a walk back towards the train station and i found my next pub.

16: Hope and Anchor

A large Victorian looking pub that was very comfortable inside,there was one real ale on the bar which was Black Sheep bitter,this was a decent drink.
I quite liked this pub.

It was now a walk back to the train station and my last pub in Pontefract.

17: Railway Inn

An estate type looking pub that is not on an estate but close to Pontefract Monkhill station.
The pub has a single room which is fairly smart,no real ales on the bar,i had a drink of John Smiths Extra Cold crap which was a very crap drink.

I decided to do a quick crawl round Castleford before heading back to Leeds for my bus back to Nottingham.
This would be a smash and grab raid of the town doing whatever i found within a shortish walk of the train station.

Castleford

18: The Lamplighters

A typical looking town pub that most people avoid,it is situated on Castlefords main shopping street which looks pretty run down.
The pub has a single room and no real ales,so it was a drink of John Smiths smooth crap which was crap.

I was rushing now in trying to find other pubs to do,i knew i had the pub by the station to end up in.

19: The Glassblower

A Wetherspoons set in an old austere looking building.
To my surprise this was quite a nice Wetherspoons that was smart and had a decent laid back atmosphere.
There was a decent choice of guest beers on,i had a drink of Saltaire South Sea Pale which went down well.
I quite like this Wetherspoons.

20: Picture House

This pub is no picture,it looks very run down from the outside and is pretty much the same inside.
There is a very large room which has seen better days.
No real ales on the bar,i had a drink of John Smiths smooth crap which lived up to its name.
I thought this was a pretty sad pub.

A short walk back up the high street and i found my next pub.

21: The Junction

This pub looked pretty run down from the outside but it did have some nice blue tiling,i was not excepting and real ales here,so it was a surprise to find a decent pub with three real ales on,i had a drink of Stancill Blonde which was a very nice drink.

It was now time to walk back to the train station and do my last pub in Castleford which is right outside it.

22: The Station

This was a very comfortable pub with a couple of real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Clarks Traditional which was a very nice drink,this is the sort of pub i could settle in for a few drinks.

I then got on a train to Leeds where i would do a couple more pubs before getting the National Express bus back to Nottingham.
After a short walk i found my next pub.

23: Brooklyn Bar

Probably not a place most drinkers would head for,but it was open so i had to do it.
A single narrow room and no real ales which was no surprise,i had my first ever drink of Budweiser which was tastless,but this was another Leeds pub/bar ticked off.

Just up the road i found my next pub.

24: Black Swan

I think this is a pretty new pub that is housed in an old building,there were three real ales on here,i had a drink of Kirkstall Three Swords which was a decent drink to end my pub crawl on.

This was a great day out visiting two West Yorkshire town i never been to before.
There was not as much real ale as i had hoped for,but when you go in any pub like i do you never know what you will find.

Next crawl will be an old one then Nottinghams closed city centre pubs.

Sunday, 3 April 2016

Salford Crawl 12th November 1988

We were looking forward to this crawl which was our first visit the the city of Salford.
It was an early train from Nottingham to Manchester Piccadilly and the free bus across the city to Victoria,we then walked under the rail bridges and found a different world,the City of Salford.

It was not too long before we found our first pub of the day.

1: The Oxford

A plain looking pub that was a Wilsons tied house,with both Wilsons bitter and mild on the bar,we had a drink of Wilsons bitter which went down well after the journey up here.
This was a decent pub with a couple of rooms.

After a shortish walk we was in an estate,just the sort of areas we like drinking in,lots of flats around the next pub,which was a typical looking estate pub.

2: Bird in Hand

This pub had the usual two room layout of a basic bar and a smarter lounge,we had a drink in the bar as the lounge was empty.
The pub was a Banks's tied house,the Banks's bitter was a decent drink,but at the time a bit unusual for the area.

After another short walk we found our next pub.

3: The Globe

A smart looking Lees tied house and the views of the buildings in the middle of Manchester was good.
The pub had two rooms inside,we had a drink in a smart and comfortable lounge,the Lees bitter was a decent drink.

We were now going after our first Joseph Holts tied house of the day,probably the main reason for our visit to Salford.

4: Eagle Inn

A proper old school pub that was set in the back streets,a typical looking Holts tied house,so we could not wait to get in and try the really nice tasting Holts bitter.
The pub did not dissapoint,there were a few different rooms inside,we had a drink in the lounge which was comfortable and the Holts bitter was great.

We did a walk back onto a busy main road and found our next pub.

5: Black Friar

A large Victorian built pub that was situated on a busy corner.
The pub had a few different rooms inside,we had a drink in the bar which was pretty basic.
The pub was a Boddingtons tied house so were were well pleased,there were two real ales on the bar,we had a drink of Boddingtons bitter which was a very nice drink,there was also Boddingtons mild on.

After a short walk we found our next pub which was situated off the busy blackfriars road on a small cobbled street.

6 : Braziers Arms

A proper old looking pub which was close to blocks of flats.
The pub was really nice and unaltered inside with three separate rooms, we had a drink in the bar which was basic but nice.
The pub was a Boddingtons tied with both Boddingtons bitter and mild on the bar,we had a drink of Boddingtons bitter which was a very nice drink.

After another shortish walk we found our next pub.

7: Borough Arms

A smart looking pub that was tucked away in a back street.
This pub was a Burtonwood tied house,so we were well pleased as we really like Burtonwood beers.
The pub was quite smart inside,we had a drink of Burtonwood bitter which went down well.

We was now taking a walk down oldfield road on our way to the notorious Ordsall estate which had a few pubs we wanted to do,but we was also doing the pubs on our way down there.

8: The Jollies

A typical town pub that was in the process of being repainted,there was no pub signage outside so we had to ask once inside what the pub was called.
This was a decent pub with a couple of rooms we had a drink in a smart and comfortable lounge.
The pub was a Lees tied house with two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Lees bitter which was a decent enough drink.

9: Kings Arms

A pretty basic looking corner pub,but i liked the look of this pub.
The pub had two rooms,we had a drink in the front bar which was basic.
The pub was a Joseph Holt tied house with two real ales on the bar,we had a drink of Holts bitter which went down very well.
We were well pleased in doing this pub,another Joseph Holt house ticked off the list.

We had now walked to the end of oldfied road with its junction with regent street where we found our next pub.

10: The Wellington

A large and what looked like a pretty modern pub,the pub was quite smart inside and was a Boddingtons tied house,so we were pleased in doing this pub,there were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Boddingtons bitter which was a nice drink.

We were now heading into the Ordsall estate hoping to find some proper estate pubs,we were not dissapointed.

11: Bricklayers Arms

We hit the Bricklayers Arms before getting into the estate proper.
This was a decent looking Joseph Holt tied house so we were well pleased,the pub had a couple of rooms and there were the usual two real ales on the bar,we had a drink of Holts bitter which was a very nice drink,there was also Holts mild on.

12: The Sabre

A Joseph Holt tied house that was a typical looking estate pub with a tower block close by,so we were well pleased in doing this pub.
There was the usual two room layout,we had a drink in the bar which was busy with locals.
The Holts bitter was a very nice drink,there was also Holts mild on the bar.
A proper locals estate pub with a rough edge to it,but that has never put us off in going in any pub.

13: Welcome Inn

Another decent estate pub that is a Lees tied house.
After i had took a photo of my wife stood outside the pub a bloke came out and warned us that there was a fight going off in the bar,a room we usually had a drink in,so we went in the lounge to the right.
The pub was very busy on our Saturday afternoon visit,the Lees bitter was a decent drink.

After another short walk through the estate we found our next pub.

14: Jubilee

Another estate pub that was built by Boddingtons brewery in the 70s.
The pub had two rooms and both were very busy,the bar was so busy we had a drink in the lounge which was very smart and comfortable.
There were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Boddingtons bitter which went down well,there was also Boddingtons mild on.
Another Ordsall estate pub done so we were well pleased.

It was getting dark by now as it was late afternoon,we had to do a bit of a walk through the estate to get to our next pub.

15: The Broadway

Another estate pub that was a Joseph Holt tied house so well worth the walk.
We had a drink in a smart and comfortable lounge.
The pub had two real ales on the bar,we had a drink of Holts bitter which was as usual a really nice drink.

It was by now very dark and we had to make our way back to Manchester but doing pubs along the way.

16: Druids Inn

Another Lees tied house that looked like it had had a paint job.
The pub was quite nice inside with two rooms we had a drink in the bar which was basic,but still a decent enough room to have a drink in.
There were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Lees bitter which was a decent drink,there was also Lees mild on.

After a short walk we was in our next pub.

17: The Railway

An estate pub situated on the corner of oldfield road and liverpool street.
The pub was a Greenhall Whitley tied house when we did it,the pub had two separate rooms with a basic bar and a comfortable lounge where we had our drinks,there were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Greenhalls bitter which was ok,but bland as usual,there was also Greenhalls mild on.
With it being very dark by now i took a photo of the pub at a later date when it had Whitbread signage.

18: Spinners Arms

This was a Marstons tied house that i think was on liverpool street
A fairly basic pub but decent enough inside,we had a drink of Marstons bitter was was a decent enough drink.
Sadly i never got round to take a photo of this pub.

After a short walk down liverpool street we was in our next pub.

19: Union Tavern

Another Joseph Holt tied house,so we were well pleased.
The pub had three rooms off the main bar,we had a drink in a comfortable lounge.
There were two real ales on the bar,we had a drink of Holts bitter which went down very well,there was also Holts mild on.

The next pub was in the the middle of old Salford.

20: The Adelphi

This was a Boddingtons tied house with one real ale on the bar,the Boddingtons bitter went down well.
Yet another pub i failed to get a photo of,well dissapointed about that.

21: Church Tavern

This was a Greenhall Whitley tied house and the only keg pub done on this crawl.
There was keg Greehalls bitter and mild on the bar,the Greenhalls bitter was bland.

We now had to walk back towards Piccadilly station for our train back to Nottingham,but there was time for one last pub which was close to the station.

22: The Imperial

This was a large pub that was probably a decent pub and hotel back in its day.
Once inside the pub was pretty run down but with it being handy for Piccadilly station is a pub i have used many times.
The pub was a Wilsons tied house with two real ales on the bar,we had a drink of Wilsons bitter which was a decent drink to end our pub crawl on.

We did 22 pubs on the crawl and only one was a keg pub which i think is pretty good.
We did a good amount of local brewery tied houses.

Joseph Holt 6
Boddingtons 5
JW Lees 4

Plus a Burtonwood tied house and Marstons and Bank's tied houses.

All in all a great day out Pub Crawling.

Next up a new Pub Crawl.