As Dave said on the last post, Bradford is a delightful surprise, particularly for anyone whose view of the place is formed by biased BBC reports or “Notes From A Small Island“.
Dick and Dave were, no doubt, thrilled by the stately but scarred architecture and quaint gift shops.
The walk from Pub 1 to Pub 2 takes me past the McDonalds where I was once rumbled rummaging through their dustbins for coffee stickers, something that traumatised ours sons at the time.
This trip I avoided the “Hunt For Coffee Stickers” and focused on the street art.
Regular readers will remember underground leisure complex Sunbridge Wells just as it opened in 2016,
Back then I wished it well and hoped it got the custom that Bradford’s ventures sometimes lack.
It looks brilliant, and I’m sure the “Little Fat Black Pussy Cat Club” (top) is just the right thing to boost trade, if not the steam train and Rod the Mod heritage.
The obvious comparison is with the underground bar in Bolton’s Vaults, but the feel is closer to the posh pub near Lancaster Station.
Wallers Brewery is the house bar, and it’s quite a sight. Not actually a brewery (hoorah), although the fizzing bottles and pipes remind me of what Alan Winfield’s homebrew set-up. Alan would love Wallers. I miss Alan.
The beer from Bosuns of Wakefield tasted a bit like homebrew (and was priced as if it was), but was at least a coolly served traditional brown beer that Taster Guy next to me enjoyed.
There were a few offices workers and a few old codgers like me sampling the beer, and some “End of the Road” Indie on Thursday lunchtime.
Bizarrely, you can bring your own food in. I can’t imagine a better night than a takeaway curry from the International and a few beers down here, though getting out might present a team-bonding challenge.
Sadly, this lone pub ticker from York didn’t make it to the surface;
Anyway, an essential visit, and here’s a short video to whet your appetite.
One pub to go, and this one is as Bradford as it gets.
retiredmartin 
“particularly for anyone whose view of the place is formed by biased BBC reports or “Notes From A Small Island“. –Ha! I’ll bet even devoted Bill Bryson fans aren’t inclined to simply take his word for it when it comes to what an English town is like; I always get about halfway through one of his books and think, “For a guy who loves England, he’s doing an awfully good impression of someone who hates England.” 😉
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Good point ! Bill’s not a great pub man, I sense. Couple of solitary pints of lager then off to Chinese restaurant in “Notes”. It’s a shame there aren’t any obvious blogs by Americans about English pubs (perhaps there are).
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Maybe something I can do when I become “RetiredMark.” 😉
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Oh, the Unicorn. Pretty topical that, Martin. Did I see the Rainbow, not long ago here too?
Keep ’em comin’ that man.
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I do hope I’m not being topical. That would be The End.
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I do think the city center and the area around the city hall are special. I will return. Looking forward to the next tick.
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I’m guessing the 3 new Guide entries weren’t on your last itinerary. I’d certainly go back to the Peacock Bar.
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They were not and what is odd is only the Sam Smiths stood out in the center. Most of the other ones I liked were a bit out of the center.
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I’d agree. I do like the variety the newer bars give Bradford, same in Halifax and Leeds.
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Maybe ‘diversity’ is more appropriate modern parlance as “variety” and “Leeds” in the same sentence might contour up memories of t’Leeds City Varieties music hall for your older readers.
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Are those real guns? I would not have thought you could sell them like that there.
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They look to be air guns, but be careful, you’ll put your eye out!
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Oooh! Videos … will it catch on?
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These fads never do. Think of CAMRA.
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