please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I've changed trains many times at Crewe and have contemplated walking here many times before. But it's a fair walk from the station and tucked away just to the east of Crewe's town centre. I'd heard good reviews about the pub and was expecting good things. But to be honest, I was slightly disappointed and I didn't think the Borough Arms was as good as Hops. This is a typical local boozer, with an L-shaped bar and another side room. Conversation rules. The ale selection is also good. On this visit, they had 9 ales - Abbeydale Dam Good Stuffing, Coastal Ocean Sunset, Oakham New World Order & Inferno, Cairngorm Trade Winds, Idle Valley Jaded Pioneer, Wadworth Dray Bells, Fyne Ales Crystal Highlander & Thornbridge Jaipur. They also had 2 ciders - Westons Old Rosie & Cotswold Cider Company Yellow Hammer. I opted for the latter, which was perfectly fine. But I was short-changed by the young barman, who seemed completely confused by what I had given him. It was eventually resolved. But I don't think he had a clue what he was doing! My review may feel a little negative. But my score reflects the average that the pub currently has. This is a really good pub. But I was somehow expecting something even better.
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Visited yesterday and found it still as per my previous review - busy with all bar stools occupied, friendly East European barmaids and a good selection of ales in fine condition. This and the Hops will remain my regular ports of call when in Crewe although both are a fair walk (15 minute or so) from the station.
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A marvellous drinking house. Apart from the nine real ales including one brewed on the premises there is a superb selection of European beers both on the bar and in bottles. The neat garden oasis out the back is surprisingly quiet considering that the main railway line is on the other side of the wall and that there is a busy road bridge next to the pub. They could do with some parasols up during the hot weather though. Twenty minutes walk from the railway station and situated on the next railway bridge due north. Worth a vist.
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Great little traditional pub with a good selection of real ales from independent breweries, mostly at sub £3 prices, often considerably so.
Very friendly (Eastern European?) staff.
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A good selection of well-priced and well-kept ales to choose from and plenty of other options in terms of European draught and bottled beers. All the bar stools were indeed in use - I assume that they are the preserve of the first regulars to arrive and I was one of the only two customers to sit elsewhere. But the atmosphere was fine and the two barmaids, one of them Polish, were pleasant and efficient. All in all a good experience.
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In here last Friday and a real ale mecca of a pub.
Nice interior as per picture at the top of this page.
About a dozen others present with a nice young lady doing the serving.
Do not be alarmed on entering as you will probably not see the hand pulls.
Just turn to the left go up the couple of steps and turn right and there they are on your right.
9 hand pulls all together in a line – above the bar they are chalked on to small plaques by name/ABV/price.
They vary in price from £2.75 to £3.10. I hasd a pint of something from Scotland called Jarl for £2.75 and very nice it was too.
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Absolutely top-notch beer and the service was good. It seems that upstairs is a comparatively small bar with another room downstairs leading out to the beer garden, but that's the way the place was built. For the quality and range of its beer this place is justifiably well-known.
Just one black mark, and it leads on from an earlier review. There seems to be a large group of regulars, it's their pub and everyone else has to work around them. If I'm sitting on my own at a table I don't mind others sitting down but it's polite to be asked, and distinctly impolite to then start talking through me at the people at the next table.
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Visited for a few hours on Friday night for the first time in several years. Pretty busy place - shame that crowds insist on hanging around the bar making if very difficult to get served! Apart from that, the experience was fine. Good selection of beers (8 or 9, didn't count), prices reasonable and quality v good.
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I can understand some of the previous comments, and the landlord needs to take stock of himself for the sake of his visitors, he had a very unpleasant experience from a visitor once and he is very weary of them, and as regulars we know of the 'old git' that was mentioned in one review...he really is obnoxious old git! Once in the pub and sat down it IS a friendly pub, regulars and visitors all chat to each other, two big TV's in the main real ale bar where there are NINE cask ales on, the other part of the bar is all Belgium/continental beers and hundreds of bottled beers. There is also a large room downstairs where you will find an in-pub Brewery! large well kept garden out the back of the pub. Oppsite the kings Arms pub.
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As all previous posters have stated .The Staff and Landlord are unfriendly to the point of being rude .
I never thought i would be compelled to write a negative review .
On the occasions i have visited the TBA in the last few months ,the landlord is hardly ever available . Some weeks ago i entered the bar to be confronted with a scene from what i can only describe as a kindergarten.
The last occasion and most definitely my last visit, the barmaid
condescended to tell me he was at home .
I was a lover of this particular once great pub as a lot of my family and friends have used it for some time , but i am loathed parting with money for beer that was quite frankly awful .
In truth the barmaid did her best but to look after me. but a cellar takes skill and experience to keep shipshape.
So to conclude we will take our trade elsewhere.
With surroundings that could benefit from good spring clean.
This once great pub is now zero . :( :( A crying shame .
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I notced the locals have rallied round and pushed this miserable hole in to the top ten. Just goes to show how easily the figures are manipulated. This is now most definitely a zero pub. Leave it to the brusque and obnoxious locals. This site is primarily an information point for visitors and this pub is unfriendly towards outsiders.
anonymous - 27 Nov 2011 15:16 |
Ale was good and a good range as well - ambiance not all that - big TV with F1 qualifying on and there was some scrot of an old man trying to palm off a battered 50p for the beer the landlord was serving him - the landlord gave him the beer free in the end and refused to accept the 50p. The old git was rude and gestured at the landlord to give him the beer...I'd have turfed the git out.
Crewe looks a very downtrodden place.
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(what a difference a year makes)
anonymous - 27 Oct 2011 16:56 |
I would echo what the last reviewer says... staff and clientelle are unfriendly and ignorant. Best leave this place to the woollyback locals.
anonymous - 27 Oct 2011 16:53 |
After some very favourable reviews i thought i would spend an evening around crewe. My final port of call was the borough arms.
The beer selction was good although not particularly well kept and if you want service with a smile this is not the place for you.
Overall Crewe has some good quality pubs such as the crown,angel and hops all serving quality ales.
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Excellent pub good range of real ale. The best one in Crewe. Will return.
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Probably your best place for real ales in Crewe but a little too many of the 'beer ticky' brigade for my liking. Had a nice pint of the Blue Monkey ordinary bitter. One thing though is that as well as bitters it has a good selection of unusual lagers - though the delights of Carolus or Erdinger would probably be lost on your average 'lager drinker'.
anonymous - 4 Dec 2010 00:53 |
be carefull of the drunken landlord shouting at anyone under the age of 40 for coming in wanting a drink. not good friendly service. It's a shame because i used to like this place for a quiet pint
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Great for passing a lazy Sunday afternoon in.
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Enterprising free house situated just outside Crewe town centre close to a road bridge over the main railway line.
Outside, the pub advertises itself as offering "Traditional real ales and Belgian beers" and tells us that it was established in 1867.
There's a comfortable, but rather unremarkable, single bar interior which has low ceilings, but has a reasonably light and airy feel and is decorated largely with German/Belgian beer posters. Stairs lead down to a lounge bar below street level and a pleasant outside drinking area.
Although the CAMRA Good Beer Guide tells us that the on site Borough Arms Brewery is "now brewing regularly", disappointingly, none of their beers were on when I called in on a recent Sunday evening. My disappointment was tempered somewhat by the splendid range of other real ales on - 9 in total - beers from Box Steam, Blakemere, Banks and Taylor, Breconshire, Bushy ( IOM), Manchester Marble, Abbey Ales Restoration plus 2 from Hopback. The Abbey Ales Restoration - � 2.60p - was a fine, light coloured hoppy pint. The pub is in the 2010 CAMRA Good Beer Guide and is South Cheshire Pub of the Year for 2009.
Crewe doesn't strike me as one of the nicer towns that I've ever been to, but I'd be happy to call in her again, irrespective of whether their own beers are on or not. Finally, do note that the pub doesn't do lunchtimes between Mondays and Thursdays, not opening until 5pm on those days.
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A true representation of how pubs should be, with a more than fantastic range of ales.
A must for any pub goer
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Been going here ever since it opened (but not very frequently unfortunately). Went a couple of weeks ago, and it had been refurbished since my last visit. No change to the excellent range of beers though.
Every town should have at least one pub like this !
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Committed beer pub just outisde the town centre, by the bridge over the West Coast Main Line.
It's small and poky, with one small L-shaped room hugging the bar and another room a couple of steps down and through an archway. Extra seating is also avaiable downstairs.
It has a slight German feel as do many pubs which specialise in beer, with a bright airy atmosphere and light wood panelling as opposed to traditional Briitsh dark oak.
The beer range is impressive and easily the best in Crewe, with 8 handpumps dispensing microbrewed ales (many local such as Titanic, Salopian, Spitting Feathers) as well as a vast array of Continental ales.
I tried Salopian Prohibition, an American style pale ale that was unusual but enjoyable, also a Hornbeam Top Hop, both excellently kept.
This is the must-visit pub in Crewe and the highlight of a crawl. A very strong pub.
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Been to Crewe manys a time,especially when the Limelight was good for gigs and to be honest the town is a bit of an "Armitage Shanks". However the Borough lifts it out of the gutter and well on to the pavement!!! Always good ale served by nice barpeople. Got the end of a barrel on recentest visit but it was changed almost without me asking,as if they knew it was on the way out. And a dearer pint was the replacement without the pettiness sometimes found of asking for the 10p. Good pub.
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I was in here on Friday night and was most impressed by the range of beers on offer. The brews made on the premises were excellent. What a great pub, friendly customers and staff and only an hour and forty minutes from London. I'm sure I will be back!
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Okay!
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Great real ale pub but not much space to manouvre on a busy fri night, 7/10
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Probably the best pub I have ever been in. The outside has been done up a treat now and the inside is as welcoming as ever. Has it's own micro brewery downstairs which produces some excellent ale. If you are lucky enough to go when they have their own Wheatsheaf ale on then you have to try it, one of the best beers I have ever tasted.
Went in for a couple yesterday afternoon and stayed for about 6 hours. Havent had a bad pint in there and the service is always friendly and the locals are all welcoming.
Has a lovely beer garden downstairs which is perfect for a summers afternoon. Also has a basement bar for when the upstairs bar gets busy.
If you like real ale then you must visit this pub.
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One word - excellent in every respect (isn't that four?)
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Superb boozer, looks derelict from the outside but has an excellent range of beers and friendly staff. Even better the superb pints of real ale are served in lined glasses. Wonderful pub and look forward to returning next year (reason for visit football match).
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From the outside you may think twice about going into this pub. It looks like it wouldn't be out of place in a war zone, a tiny sign the only indication that this isn't a run down house. But once inside, what a surprise. A friendly little place with a large selection of real ales. I think there were 9 cask ales on tap and also a large selection of bottled beer. The prices are a little higher than other pubs in Crewe, but it's definitely worth it.
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Excellent real ale pub - was in the Friday before last and there was a decent selection on the handpumps. Only had time for one on this occasion - will probably stay for a few more next time!
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At first sight The Borough didn�t look up to much from the outside, and the people gathered around the door smoking even gave the place a vaguely menacing air (I wonder if the Government thought of that side-effect of the smoking ban?). However, once inside I couldn�t have wished for a more welcoming pub, full of life and with a pleasant relaxed atmosphere. Some serious dominoes was being played (don�t they love their dominoes in Crewe!).
This pub has a large beer range, both of cask ales and foreign beers of the draught and bottled varieties. This is another of the �I wish it was my local� category as far as I am concerned.
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was my favourtie crewe pub when i lived there, although the usual clientelle were of the more mature age group! amazing range of drinks on tap and in bottles, i reckon you could spend all day in there without being able to sample everything. as crewe pubs go it was a touch expensive but i guess importing that quantity of foreign juice costs money. shame that it seems to have almost random opening hours, many was the day/night i walked along earle street with my best mate into town and fancied a fruity beer only to find the pub shut. beer garden is a hidden treat, bit neglected but nice enough. and some half-decent polish totty behind the bar from time to time gets the thumbs up from me.
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Popped in for a pre match pint on my way to Crewe Alexandria this Saturday.
There was a fantastic selection of ales on, and also Belgian/Dutch beers.
One of those wonderful pubs that has a menu for its beers!
Only downside was the waft of bleach coming into the pub from the gents toilets. Plus could do with a decent cider bottled or on handpump. That way the girlfriend would come along.
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Now with 9 real ales always on.
Pub is currently being extensively refurbished with new beer garden and pub brewery viewing area.
Has just won South Cheshire CAMRA Town pub of the year 2006.
Next own brewed beer will be called "CRACK of DAWN" after the landlady's name. Beers are being brewed by Martin Bond who has an Off Licence in Nantwich.
Opening hours will be extended after completion of refurbishment. Current hours are as per 2006 GBG.
As the new landlord says "We are getting there"
The previous landlord has gone to Hayle in Cornwall and is still very FAT.
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One of the best selections of Belgian beers in the country. A
bit of a walk from the station, but what better way to break a long train journey ?
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New landlord started last week. Informs me that things will stay the same
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Now has own brewery in operation and own label ales so far sampled have been excellent. Guest beer quality improved too. The boy done good! Hope it lasts! (so get in and buy some).
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Fine selection of well kept beers and well worth a visit - it's just a shame that the amience is more your nan's living room than pub - such is life!
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Best beer in the area and the landlord is a character a must for all real ale lovers
Christine - 9 Aug 2004 16:45 |
This is the best real ale pub ive ever been to, the beligian speciality beers are well kept and totally fantastic.
The landlord is a bit scary, but he's a really nice guy when u strike a conversation with him.
i'll be in there after the Everton v Crewe match 20th July!
Kraviz - 3 Jul 2004 22:41 |
I visit quite often, bers always good quality, varied. Good price.
Robin - 9 Apr 2004 19:32 |
An excelent pub selling loads of diferent real ales well worth a visit.
Steve Bowden - 20 Feb 2004 14:20 |
Plain and no frills, but simply the best range of well kept beers in South Cheshire.
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