Last post from wonderful Bradford, ’till Monday at least, when I need to start making up some ground on BRAPA as he closes in on a full set of Yorkie ticks.
I could have lumped Shipley in with Bradford, I suppose, but that sort of carelessness has no doubt started wars in CAMRA circles before.
I’d got the huff with Shipley/Saltaire already, as one new GBG tick has opening hours of 1-6pm. No points for guessing what type of pub that it is. The other newbie is also designated a micro, but it’s open all the time, so it can’t be.
As the train pulled in, Google Maps informed me cheerily that Odd Fellows Bar was permanently closed. Helpfully, the connection with Keighley gave me just enough time to run and check it out on the outward leg. It appears that Odd Fellows is a successor is a replacement for Odd Fellows Bar. Or something.
I could hardly wait for the visit on the return leg. Some folk on Northern trains had a head start on me. Nice glass, Sir !
Tucked into the car park of an already basic shopping centre, Odd Fellows is the sort of place that would look at home on the Chells estate in Stevenage, or anywhere in Collyhurst. I’ve seen more basic looking pubs, but rarely in the Beer Guide. As so often, the interior is magically better, if you like pubs anyway.
Simon rated this one highly last month, and I can see why. It’s a real cheery community local, combining the best qualities of a social club in a pubby environment. Darts, dogs and Draught Bass signage. I should have stayed for a pint, rather than a half. I should have had the Tetley rather than the local brew. I’ll probably pop back when I return for the Cap & Collar.
I caught it on Quiz night, which means you get a lively crowd, but doesn’t explain the question “Have you been sleeping with Trevor ?”. My notes are hazy, I don’t remember if that was a quiz question or not, or how it related to Billy Idol’s “Dancing in the Dark“.
This is how to do a micro-pub folks.
retiredmartin 
What you have described in this post is a public house. Nothing more, nothing less. That is why you like it and why I am sure from reading both yours and Simon’s articles that it is a wonderful place. Another demonstration that this micropub title is nonsense.
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Not really.
There are certain characteristics which, taken together, would be recognised by a majority of pub tickers (if not pub users) .
Small size (no more than 40/50 customers when full)
Limited product range but cask beer focus
No cooked food
Eccentric opening hours.
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Eccentric opening hours being the clincher.
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There are landlords of traditional pubs with similar values though Duncan. Quite often it seems that micropubs aren’t that small and don’t always adhere to all of your criteria. I would say that the lack of hot food is pleasingly the one constant from the list. For me, what defines a micropub is that it is a pub conforming to the landlord’s ideals, which has been converted from something else. That is indeed no bad thing, and one that should ensure quality.
One thing that I would say is there is a definite time constraint for a micropub. Anything opened before the Butchers Arms doesn’t seem to have the title applied retrospectively. The most well known example to cite would be the Euston Tap.
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That’s a stunning observation at the end Tom. I was just thinking that in Southend, the Cork & Cheese a smallish basement bar in a shopping centre had a lot of micro characteristics.
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Your point on retrospective classification is a good one, although from my visits to the Euston Tap it certainly doesn’t meet the headcount criteria; it sometimes reminds me of those Guinness Book of Records entries for most people in a mini/phonebox.
Wonder if the fire officer has been round lately?
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Spoil sport.
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I went in the Oddfellows on the 28th November 2015 while doing a large pub crawl round Shipley and saltaire,i think it is far too big to be a micro pub and it also had a pool table when i did it.
I agree that it would look at home in Collyhurst just along from Billy Greens.
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I’m more impressed by your knowledge of Collyhurst than almost anything, Alan.
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I think provision of a pool table is sufficient to deny it micropub status, good spot Alan.
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I’m with Tom on all this, they’re just pubs, generally quite small. Some of them want to be on a “list” of micropubs that follow certain rules and that’s fine. I like pubs that welcome all section of community, except folk who expect to be called Sir and offered butter spoons, of course.
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