The Carpenters Arms, Harpenden

It's a great pub: the one nearest to where I live, but even apart from its nearness I prefer it to all the other pubs in Harpenden (and there is some good competition). It's small, so can get a bit crowded at times, as trainman has pointed out. You just have to put up with a round about walk to get to the bar. I would rather have it crowded than almost empty, like some pubs I have been in during the past few months. If having space to yourself is a problem, then go mid evening (6 to 8 is busy with commuters on the way home; 9 to 11 is busy with people popping out from home; 8 to 9 is often a bit of a lull). The beer is always, always in tip top condition, and the guest ale is usually interesting. Their usual beers are a bit under-hopped for my taste, but that is a personal matter, and the guest beer is usually nice and hoppy. Pay no attention to grilledsardines: I can't think why he had a bad experience, as everyone I know has always found the staff, customers and ambience fine. Our pub in the other direction from where we live, involving a nice country walk, was the Three Horseshoes, so we were dismayed when it closed. However it is now open ... sort of. It's really a restaurant, but will serve drinks in the garden without a meal (I'm not sure about whether you can just have a drink inside). You can have a drink at lunch time and (at weekends anyway) during the afternoon until 5pm, when they stop serving in the garden, because they are getting the restaurant ready for the evening. They don't advertise any of this, and really regard themselves as a restaurant with the pub bit as an afterthought, but for the time being at least, our summer weekend walks in that direction have been reinstated.

12 May 2009 12:47