please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Was reborn last year as the Old Street Tavern and is now a very different place to how it used to be. Not only has it expanded into the neighbouring flower shop thereby giving it two rooms but wooden panelling gives it a period look most like the Blood Bay on High Street (where we later saw the ex-landlord Gary - see my January 2017 post) and it now feels much more like a small pub than a converted shop. Oakham Citra, Wye Valley HPA and Ludlow Best were the 3 handpulls; I tried the Best which was £4 a pint and was in good condition.
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Now reopened under new management (something to do with the Olive Branch restaurant?) and is known (imaginatively) as The Bar (although the old signage remains). Seating has now replaced the bottle shop downstairs. A "To Let" sign remains outside and there is talk of the next-door flower shop expanding into this part of the building. Maybe that explains why there was only one other customer when we were there - the locals know it might not remain open for long. Saturday's offerings were both from Three Tuns Brewery - Fruit & Nut and Rantipole - my pint of Fruit & Nut was the last pint from the barrel but was still OK.
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Closed down a couple of weeks ago.
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Well I think the best adjective to describe this place is “quirky” ! The first thing to watch out for is to make sure you turn left when you enter the building – if you turn right you go into a tattoo parlour !
The first room you enter is pretty much a shop selling a small range of traditional English bottled beers. Mainly local but I did spot some from Dancing Duck in Derby. For draught beer and room to relax, you need to head upstairs.
At the top of the stairs you will meet “mine host” standing behind a counter. There is a board with a list of todays beer range (2 or 3). There’s also draught cider I think - but certainly none of that fizzy continental rubbish ! Beers are usually local. On my latest visit I had the Hobsons Mild which was very nice and tasty for only being 3.2%.
Seating is now behind you. Either traditional tables and chairs in the centre of the smallish room, or comfy sofas around the outside. Whatever, it’s pretty certain the place will be almost (if not completely) empty ! Mine Host will make up for the lack of conversation by talking 19 to the dozen though ...
7/10 – idiosyncratic is another applicable word
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Gary runs a fine upstairs room (or as he prefers "micro pub") catering for the die hard ale fans. Straight from the cask, the ales are all fresh and well kept. He has great connections with the local (and Northern) trade outlets. Often on tap are the Salopian or Ludlow Brewery ales. A well kept Ludlow secret. Downstairs is a selection of bottle conditioned ales - for the way home. Don't expect any Belgium rarities or New World hipster beers in cans....
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Revisited on Christmas Eve about 7pm when we made up half of the number present. Gary the owner was, as usual, in good form but my Salopian Oracle was a bit lifeless considering he had been busy all afternoon. Ludlow Gold also on sale. There are some new tables and stools but I would get some pictures on the walls and other knick-knacks to make it look a bit more welcoming.
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The upstairs seating area opened about a week ago although there is still work to be done before the micropub look is finished so perhaps it is a little unfair to rate it at this stage. Anyway, beers yesterday were Ludlow Gold and Hobson's Old Prickly for just £2.60 a pint and Mud City Stout for £3.10. They are aiming for 8 handpulls in the summer. Apparently all tables had been occupied earlier in the day after the hunt had finished but we were the only ones there at 4pm so we had a good chat with the owner. Open noon until 8pm apart from Sundays when they close earlier.
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