please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Quite probably the better of the ale pubs in Bedford - more of a local pub than a 'Camra Destination' (a la Wellington). Had the Ampthill Pale which was more of a bitter in style than a pale. There was a mini beer festival going on outside but it was a bit parky to go out. A nice pub in a nice (which is rare) part of Bedford
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A bit out of town but well worth the walk, very friendly & knowledgeable manageress.
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although technically a Greene King pub its now managed by the local White Park brewery which means there is now one of the biggest choices of cask ales available in any Bedford pub. Sadly as I find GK and White Park beers pretty insipid at the best of times (my personal opinion) I don't frequent as often as I might but expect to see the likes of Oakham on the bar sometimes too and other interesting breweries. Well run and friendly with well kept ales.
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Wood panels and leather sofas - it certainly looks the part. A Greene King pub with a refreshing array of other ales, both local and distant (Ormskirk!). Slightly out of the way Bedfordwise so I guess it's a loyal locals pub. Occassional extra casks in the garden for beer festivals bumps up the already impressive choice by another dozen, occassional hog roast in the carpark means I didn't even contemplate the standard menu. Go for the specials, return for the decent boozer it is.
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Nobby's Best & pork scratching were a particular highlight!
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Good selection of well-kept local beers, good food if you are hungry and plenty of space. Only blot is the fact that it's 20p a pint more expensive that most pubs around!
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We were delivered here from the Cricketers! Refurb looking good apart from the gents and slightly unsure of bottles behind protective cage. However on the most important topic good choice of beer and very friendly staff. Like the Welly but you can bring a lady.
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Maybe bedding in, not too bad though hardly meriting some of the best reviews nor the most dismissive. Give it a few more months - it's a relaxing enough place in a pleasant part of the town
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Right, time to swallow my pride and admit I was wrong.....
Popped back in here again yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by the new look of the place. I must have called in last time in the in-between stages because there were still the two bars and only GK IPA and H&H Bitter on then. Now there's 8 beers and it's been opened out to form one big room.
There seems to be a genuine focus on the beer with local brews given much fanfare. White Park White Gold and GB - both tried, both in good nick - Hopping Mad Patriot too, alongside all the GK beers and GK-owned beers like Belhaven.
Good to see they've kept on the barmaid from before as she was always friendly and welcoming. All-in-all we liked it and plan to pop in again soon.
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To littledrummerboy, I couldn't disagree more. 8 beers on handpump, beers available in 1/3 pints as well as halves and full pints. The prices are similar, if not slightly less, than before. I do miss the old two-bar Three Cups, but this sort of refub is unfortunately standard these days. It's much better than the supermarket cafe layout of some of the refurnished Charlie Wells pubs around town.
My feeling is that this will remain a real 'pub', different but certainly no worse. There is a knowledge of and commitment to real ales that you don't normally see.
The big test will be to see if the can keep it up, if they have enough custom to justify 8 ales and keep them well-kept, if they do start to have good events like quizzes. Time will tell.
Concerning the GBG, I think entries are usually suspended when a new landlord takes over, so I would indeed be surpised if this one is included next year on this technocailty.
I'll miss Tony's version but I can celebrate this new arrival on the scene.
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Well, there goes another pub.....
Tony, the last landlord, left here at the start of November and now, just two weeks later, the place is a shadow of its former self. Beer choice has gone, atmosphere has gone, the best quiz night for miles has gone and - to top it all - the prices have gone up even more than the inflated GK ones that they imposed before.
Ignore the Good Beer Guide entry, if you're on here to double-check. That's for the place under the last landlord.
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This pub was a marked improvement on the Castle and the Ship down the road. Both customers and staff were friendlier. The pub has 2 rooms plus a small garden at the rear. Beers were Tetleys Midsummer Madness, St Peters Best Bitter & Greene King IPA. A nice place for a relaxing pint.
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Still a great pub. The licensees are great. The tuesday night quiz is great. Beer quality and choice is great. The prices, sadly, are not great and are getting a tad out of control. Typical of Greeney Kingey I suppose.
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Quiet pub with very well kept beers - worthy of its local CAMRA award winning status. Decent and reasonably priced grub. It's a bit of a well kept secret it would seem. Not a particularly young or hip place - perhaps the opposite to an extent. There are at least another couple of decent pubs very close by if you want a slightly more lively place, but the Cups is well worth a visit for a quiet place to sit and chat over a pint or two.
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After a bit of a shaky period a few years ago the Three Cups has been quietly going about it's business, slowly improving the quality and range of it's ales, and general ambience without the need of regular refurbs - unlike The Castle just up the street.
Keep up the good work.
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well run quiet pub, mild always available
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After hearing that the pub was the winner of the regional CAMRA award for best pub 2009, we decided to pay a visit after a gap of a few years. Very pleasantly surprised we were too. All the GK beers were in good form and the guest (Bath 'Gem') was a cut above. Nice to see the GK mild on as it's quite a rarity. The following week, we went back for the tuesday night quiz and had a great night again. Highly recommended.
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Hadn't been here in years but I have to say this pub is a bit special. 5 excellent beers on tap all well kept. Mild as well which is quite a treat...sandwiches weren't bad either!
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The first reviewer who said that "this is a good example of a town pub that feels like a country pub" seems to have got it just right. Although this is a Greene King pub, it also had Bath Ales Gem on which was welcome. One of several reasonable pubs within walking distance of the eastern edge of Bedford town centre.
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first visit in quite a while, been tidied up, guest beer ! Greene King Mild available - THUMBS UP
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This is a good example of a town pub that feels like a country pub, the beer is excellent and the food is sensibly priced. There is no juke box or poole table, very popular Saturday Lunch before and after Bedford Rugby have played at home. Overall one of the better pubs in the town
John Martin - 13 Nov 2004 13:08 |
