Pigs are in the news again, I hear (possibly not in Canada). Any excuse for a classic “pig head on the Barnsley pub bar” shot. I still can’t work out what it was for.
Hotel prices in University cities always rocket up when students move in. As a revered “tight git”, this meant swerving the usual options in Sheffield city centre (£130+) and instead heading to the cheap bits of Barnsley.
First of all to the Premier Inn at Tankersley (Junction 36 to you and me), whose Brewers Fayre competes with McDonalds for the gourmet pound.
I took Son 1 to Maccy Ds (surely a future East Cheshire micro name) for chicken selects while Mrs RM and Son 2 looked for more edible options next door. An hour later, I got the message “You must come now. Doom Bar’s drinking well“.
Well. How could I resist. Actually, they were two distinct statements. The essential nature of the Wentworth (Brewer’s Fayre) derived from an extended Irish family on the lash.
It may look like Gomorrah to you,
but it was lively, and boozy, and noisy, the very essence of a pub.
Youngest son chastised me for taking photos of people (rightly so, Matt), so here’s a picture of Mrs RM’s second pint of Doom Bar.
It was really cool and tasty (NBSS 3.5), helped by the Yorkshire head.
I’ll be entering that score, and replying to the rather snobby comment on WhatPub;
“Big food pub, not even sure its a pub anymore ?”
That may have been true when it was a real ale lacking Taybarns (RIP), but this was an authentic a pub experience as at the very similar Whitbread diner in Newark this year.
A short hop along the Trans Pennine trail and over the M1 into Hoyland, where Keys is patently the sort of posh modern diner that Barnsley CAMRA want in the Beer Guide, sitting a few yards along from the identical Saville Square of recent GBG fame.
People still dress up to go to out round here, and I almost expected to be refused entry for being a scruff, which would have made a better blog post.
Note the authentic gold handbag in front of the pumps.
While I waited for service, competing with folk ordering champagne yapping about their being a “legend at the Hacienda“, I sensed the need to make a random decision on the ales. Neither the lady with the fascinator, the bloke dressed like Demi Roussos or the pig were of much use, so I went for the Abbeydale, and went and hid in the corner.
It was superb (NBSS 3.5), an experience only slightly soured by the “Rawk ! ” music and the realisation when I walked round the bar that I could have had a CAMRA discount.
Two Barnsley pubs, one posh, one not, both with superb beer. Just goes to show you never can tell.
Of course, if you come to Hoyland you must visit Brad.
NB I finished off Mrs RM’s Doom Bar when I got back at midnight. It tasted like cold tea.
I blogged about Taybarns here, but contrary to my prediction, it never really seems to have taken off. Pity, because as a picky eater I’m a big fan of buffet-style restaurants, because you don’t have to put anything on your plate that you don’t want to eat.
Seems that people also dress up to stand in yapping crowds blocking the bar 😦
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I think I’ve learned that if I predict success for anything it will turn out to be the kiss of death.
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Taybarns I’ve looked in were always busy, so bit surprised. Didn’t see much rollout of the brand.
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I don’t think there were ever more than about 10. There was another one on the A34 north of Newcastle-under-Lyme.
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It was that Newcastle-u-L one I had mind, also packed when we stayed at the adjacent Premier Inn We got a chinese takeaway.
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That is exactly the kind of text you want from a family member.
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You’d better not take your younger son GBG-ticking with Simon E, then 😉
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I am tempted do that when I give Si lifts to Cambs rural pubs at some point next year !
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What pub snobbery,well that surprises me.
Women should get dolled up for a Friday or Saturday night out,they do round here and should do everywhere,blokes should go out casual smart,ie a sports shirt and smart jeans.
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“Pigs are in the news again, I hear (possibly not in Canada).”
Certainly not for this week at least. Our Thanksgiving is this coming weekend (unlike the Yanks who do it in November) so it’s all turkey around here right now. 🙂
“Youngest son chastised me for taking photos of people (rightly so, Matt), so here’s a picture of Mrs RM’s second pint of Doom Bar.”
I see what you did there. (heh)
And quite the difference in ambiance between the two pubs (that photo of the Keys is another nice one by the way). Both have good beer though so at least one can decide to go “uptown” or “downtown” for a pint, depending on your mood.
Cheers
PS: “As a revered ‘tight git’”
I take it in this case the “tight” is used to indicate spendthrift rather than tipsy. 🙂
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Spendthrift/someone who gets a bargain etc, never heard of it for tipsy ! I d like the subtle differences between pubs you mention.
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” never heard of it for tipsy”
Could be more in use over here than over there; but it is listed under the slang definition on Dictionary.com:
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/tight?s=t
Cheers
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Just be very careful where you’re going here. Barnsley borders are very close to my original home! You should have gone to The Wortley Club, a very fine little village (spoiled only by the A629 going right through it’s heart) and apparently the club is outstanding for good ale. The nearby Wortley Arms is currently my folks dining pub of choice, although I am unsure of the beer quality.
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Should have said, Wortley is only a couple of miles from Tankersley.
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Oh Richard, you know I’ve been there. And Wortley Arms. Beer Guide regulars over the years I love Barnsley.
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I’m glad someone loves Barnsley!
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I love Yorkshire folk.
They’re like the Scots but with all the goodwill squeezed out of them.
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Rhubarb ! As Sir Geoff would say.
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