GBG19 had all been going so well. Seven pubs, seven pints, five of them in the “Mmm, try this” category.
And Bedford, while not exactly a pub jewel, tends to give you competently kept BBB. But last year we had the Brewhouse & Kitchen debacle (that one’s gone from the Guide)
Anyway, what’s new in Bedford to show you;
Not much, really.
An underused riverside, a frankly grim shopping centre, and a modern leisure complex that can at least claim to be better than the carbuncle at Stockport.
But in what looks to be a misplaced attempt to become a second-rate Milton Keynes, the Riverside is just packed with dreary chain diners. It looks better from the air.
Mainly because it isn’t on Bing Maps yet.
Plenty of chains on the High Street too, with that B&K and S&L competing for the lunchtime tenner.
The lone new Guide entry isn’t competing for the lunchtime tenner trade.
With a frontage straight out of A5 Cricklewood, a long narrow shop front conversion interior, and a sign saying £3 pints, you can tell who it’s aimed at. People like me.
The Bear is the Young Members Pub of the Year. Bear that in mind when you see the range of ales;
And someone had clearly been vigorously pulling through the ales (mind, this is 2pm, not midday).
Perhaps there is hope for the youth of today if they vote for a basic (very basic) pub with Marston’s EPA and Pedigree.
The cheery barman was on his first day (I get that a lot) and had to turn round the clips to identify the Pedigree, and then I told him the price.
The interior was so dark (think Arena Tavern, Letchworth) I popped into the smoking area. Basic doesn’t do it justice. One smoker scowled at me. The Pedigree scowled back.
So I came inside; at least there’s proper tables.
I imagined the Bear at 9pm filling up with young people singing along to “Galway Girl” and joining CAMRA after sipping the Burton nectar.
But it’s not going to happen with Pedigree looking like this, is it ?
Not vinegar, just lifeless (NBSS 1.5). The urinal enjoyed it.
A toothless Old Boy met me at the door and took a look inside.
“Dead as well”
“Yep”
“Oh well. Back to the Benefit Bar”
Perhaps a trendy new craft place unmarked on What Pub ? I followed him a few yards.
Nope.
retiredmartin 
When did you get the UAV?
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It’s a drone, bought off Amazon.
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It’s a UAV, remember I am (was) a professional – it’s cool, but why were you flying within 500ft of a built up area? Have you got special CAA licence?
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I’m a pigeon, Richard 😉
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Can’t wait to see it in action.
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It’s terrible that after Marston’s have taken the trouble of retaining their Burton Union sets to brew a truly unique beer Camelot Inns can neglect it like that.
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The Bear looked like a keg pub to me, Paul, and not craft keg, either. Doubt they sold much more Pedi in the evening. Still, £3 eh 😉
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And it was all going so well…
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When in Bedford I’ve always done well enough for beer in Charles Wells pubs of which there are about fifteen so how did the Bear get in the 2019 GBG ?
Has the branch got something against Wells because it’s big or is alleged to have “sold out “?
Two of the six for 2018, Castle and Devonshire Arms, were Wells’s pubs but what about 2019 ?
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Castle, Devonshire and White Horse, the three Wells stalwarts, still in the GBG19.
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“Not much, really.”
Even on my desktop monitor I can’t see diddly.
“Swans and the Swan”
A charming juxtaposition.
“Marvellous hotel by the Ouse”
Funny how it’s pronounced “ooze”; but stick an ‘h’ or ‘m’ in front and it’s totally different.
“Spot the person”
The one on the phone? (though that’s true in 90% of photos these days)
“Perhaps the Siren Breakfast Stout is held back for the weekend”
And the Hobgoblin mat is merely for show?
“Not vinegar, just lifeless (NBSS 1.5).”
Sigh. I didn’t want to jinx you earlier, so I figured I throw a number out there that was down the road so to speak.
“Nope.”
Well, technically, any Spoons could be called the benefit(s) bar. 😉
Cheers
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CAMRA Young Members?… anyone under Seventy is eligible.
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In Bedfordshire they must be a few decent pubs short of a CAMRA picnic.
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It’s never been great for well-kept cask, let alone free houses. Mind you, neither is much of Cambridgeshire outside of the cities.
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Noooooooo…It’s a shame when Pedi is poor……clearly can’t cope outside of Derby estate pubs!
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