Category Archives: Pubs

Saltaire

I generally try to avoid staying overnight for work, but there wasn’t a lot of choice today. Without the company of colleagues. In Shipley. 

And that pretty much sums it up. I’m seriously unimpressed with Shipley. No, that’s a little strong. I’ve been here a few times, but haven’t needed to stay over before. It’s a nice enough place in daylight; the canal’s quite pretty and there are some really nice Victorian buildings. 

But, after a shower, I decided on a beer before finding somewhere to eat (nothing vegan in the hotel). I wandered into the House that is a home (it might not really be called that, I didn’t stay long enough to take note). A lovely old building, it was horrible inside. 

So I walked to Saltaire. Where I stumbled across the Cap and Collar, a craft beer bar. It’s small, but the barman understood my request for unfined beer. And I’d barely sat down with a pint when Elbow’s one day like this  was played on the radio. The place resembles the Box Social in Town too, so I’m feeling quite at home. 

I spotted another couple of decent looking pubs on my walk; there’s one next door. Which means I can have another beer or two on my way back to Shipley. 

John O’Gaunt

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned Ye Olde John O’Gaunt before, a few years ago. 

It’s a nice pub, in Lancaster. Apparently, Oliver Reed once had a pee there. 

He who watches over us

After calling off at the College Arms, while my second in command was shopping, we’re now back in the Wortley Almshouses, where our guardian angel watches over us. 

My second in command finds him creepy, but I believe him to be our protector. 

He’s now looking right at you. 

North Street Bar

North Street Bar, a bar on North Street, was a favourite of ours. While it didn’t open until late evening, it was a regular last stopping point. It stayed open until the early hours and could be relied on for cool, chilled live music. 

Sadly, the bar is no more. Worse still, it’s been replaced by one of those vile places that specialise in desserts. 

We’re now in the Draper’s Arms, raising a glass to a dearly missed friend. 

The Hypnotist

We’re in the Ostrich (where my second in command once lost my hat). The place has changed, but only in terms of beer. There’s a much wider choice of real beer. Unfortunately, there’s only one unfined beer (apart from Stella, that is). And it’s called the Hypnotist. At only 6.7%, and an IPA, it’s pretty close to Jakehead. But not quite as nice. 

It’s beautiful though. 

Alms

This is potentially my most favourite bar on the planet. The Wortley Almshouses. 

The Gents’ toilets smell a bit of pee this evening, but that does mean this end of the pub is pretty empty. 

it’s entirely possible that this end of the pub always smells of pee. Our usual seat, at the other end, is occupied. 

Bike thieves

We’re now in the Brewery Tap. We’ve not been here in a few years. In fact, as nice as the place is, we’ve not been here since the night our (much loved) bikes were stolen. 

I’m not sure why we’ve not been back to this bar since that night – the bikes were actually taken from the bike park in Cowgate, round the corner to the Draper’s Arms. Maybe it was because we’d had a great time here (which we did). 

But we’re now. It’s still rather nice. 

Rust

It’s been quite a while, but we’re now enjoying a beer in Charter’s. A favourite bar of ours, it’s freshly decorated. The interior, that is. 

The bar’s still great though. There’s a band playing later. We’re pondering. 

Ye Olde Blue Bell II

With time on my hands, Google has aided my research. While I can’t immediately determine the ultimate fate of the serviceman in 1944, there’s more information about Annie Ratcliffe. And even a poem. 

She met her sweetheart, and quite free from alarms,

With him she went in The Sir Walter Scott Arms.

And in a short time, as the facts do appear,

The girl’s throat he severed from ear to ear

That’s her (she was only 16) on the right. And him on the left.