Piper, Ketteringback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Following a disappointing visit to the Red Lion at Cranford St John, I moved onto my first port of call in Kettering - the Piper. This is a typical town local, reminiscent of something you would find on a council estate. The welcome was frosty and the interior was drab and like something out of the '70's. There was only one other customer in the room I was in. It has two large rooms. In short, don't come for the interior or the atmosphere. Come here for the ales. A decent selection seems to always be stocked. Yesterday it was Woodforde's Wherry, Castle Rock Harvest Pale, Nobby's Midsummer Crown, Goff's Summer Ale & White Knight (both of these were listed on a blackboard but I could see only one clipped) & Potbelly Beijing Black. Westons ciders were Old Rosie & Rosie's Pig. They also had their Country Perry. My review may have started poorly. But it emphasises that you should still visit here for the ale selection.
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Old school estate pub retaining bar and lounge (bar has pool table, shows football etc) a bit rough and ready but more real than the 'done up' versions. Has the added bonus of three decent ales on.
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Spacious estate pub that is easy to find and handy for Wicksteed Park. This is the kind of pub that can get undervalued, simply because it looks and at first feels ordinary and unremarkable. However it has good standard facilities, a splendid range of interesting beers and welcoming folk behind the bar. mtaylor40's summing up is spot on.
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Remarkably consistent, almost the ultimate estate pub. Always a well kept, friendly house, with an extraordinary beer range (Blue Monkey on today) that would put 99% of London pubs to shame, and the quality to match. Serves it's local community with cheap bar food. Not an obvious classic, but a classic nevertheless.
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Popped in before the Kettering v Fulham FA Cup game. A handful of friendly Kettering punters made us feel welcome and the landlord, who has been there for many years, has a nice clean pub with a well-maintained pool table and modern jukebox. Food was plentiful and the beers were good - the Cottage Brunel was so tasty I nearly missed the match. Cracking lunchtime pub.
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Can confirm the 2 year old rating below. Nothing special as a pub, but what a super selection of real ales.
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Well worth a visit. It has a good range of well kept beers with proper tasting notes. The lounge is non-smoking and the food very reasonably priced.
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Unremarkable estate pub, but the well kept beer range more than makes up for it.
Jim - 10 May 2004 19:47 |
7 Ales, 5 of which change every week ,from breweries all over the British isles. Cask marque accredited and a regular in the Good Beer Guide.
One of the top beer pubs in the county. A decent bar menu, pleasant lounge ,a busy bar with pool,darts,pinball,quiz/fruit machines and jukebox. What more could you ask ?
Close to Wicksteeds Park.
Rob Walker - 20 Feb 2004 12:54 |
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