Leaving the Lantern as we found it, before Tiffany’s big visit next week, we headed west to King Cross for new GBG tick No.3. Or is it Savile Park ? Or Pye Nest ? Who cares ?
It’s a good job Charles just does as he told, rather than saying “Why can’t we go the pubs the nice man in the hotel recommended ?”.
Chris guided us, probably via the long route, but we had a great view down to the Calder Valley, and an entertainingly steep descent to the Wainhouse.
Buried into sloping residential streets, it looks an undiscovered gem. The pub website has a better photo with the eponymous folly. That tower will make a good future micropub.
I loved this place straight away, with rooms on different levels and all sorts of Proper Pub activities.
I realise I should moan that central Halifax is now ALL craft bars as far as the Guide is concerned; Alex, Grayston, Pump Room, Square, Vic, etc. None of those were there 5 years ago. But they all sell top quality beer, and make good use of a small area with lots of weekday activities to boost throughput.
Perhaps you can only make a Victorian three-roomer work in the sticks these days. The Wainhouse seems to be ticking over with quizzes and “Giant Yorkshire Pudding Nights“.
A more traditional cask line-up here.
For those of you without Maths “O” Level or a calculator, I make that about a dozen pints an hour sold at peak times. For comparison, I counted one pint in the GBG pub I was in for half an hour yesterday. And that was a mistake.
Three pints of 61 Deep, so I had the middle one. A reminder of how good Marston’s beer is when it sells (NBSS 3.5/4), not that I needed it.
Here’s Crafty Chris savouring a proper beer. Or perhaps it was the NOW…. Soundtrack. We know he loves Kylie & Jason.
A worthy GBG entry, and another reminder that fresh beer produces the best lacings.
Surely now it was time for the Big 6 ?
retiredmartin 
Now, what’s that place mentioned, in connection with Hull and Halifax?
Oh yes.
Elland.
Did you get there, Martin?
Does the call to prayer sound, from that minaret thing, by the way?
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The call to Pale sounds from the Big 6.
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There were geography teachers strumming guitars, the last time that I was in the Big 6…
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I’m old enough to remember the early 1970s when the Big Six were evil.
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Wasn’t that a Judge Dredd single that was banned by the BBC.
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So have the Ordnance Survey got King’s Cross wrong as King Cross ?
Nearby Delph Hill could have got you looking for some Bathams.
“Note Proper carpet” – in which case I dread to think what an Improper Carpet looks like.
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Pretty sure it is King Cross. My first boss was building a model railway of the old station there. I thought that sounds like a mammoth task until he explained he didn’t mean the one in London with an extra ‘s.
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Do you see the craft places as being more creative about weekday events than typical pubs? Kind of curious what would make that so.
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Really interesting question. I’ve noted the Calderdale area in general has a lot more going one on (See: https://retiredmartin.com/2018/01/12/more-craft-capers-in-calderdale/ ) but I think that’s a reflection on the area and community focus in the north. In contrast, there’s very few pubs in Cambridge where you’ll find much on beyond the ubiquitous middle-class quiz, and the live music is pretty much the Portland.
It is possible that the new craft places in Halifax and Leeds and Stockport are run by people more into the music scene who use it as a focal point, and of course they’re more likely to be open at evenings than the afternoon.
Did you notice any live music on recent trips ?
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Not a lot of music this last trip, but I think NYE affected that possibility. I kind of wonder if the people opening micros come at things from a different angle than traditional publicans.
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I suppose that if you’re clear that it’s *not* going to be darts, pool tables, gaming machines, nor football TV, then that clears the decks for other stuff rather.
Good on ’em, really.
I wonder which newspapers they might offer?
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Smash Hits.
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That’s a good point about focus on music over TV and games.
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Stanley Blenkinsop wouldn’t like that, Martin.
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Why’s that ? 🤔
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Perhaps this will explain:
http://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2018/11/at-sign-of-good-companions.html
The blog, quite rightly, doesn’t seem to like link-only posts.
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Two BIG reasons not to go to Halifax on that beer board. I knew you were bigging it up with the old fake news, but the camera never lies.
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Richard,
I agree with you there.
61 Deep is just about my least favourite Marstons beer.
And Cappuccino Stout is just about my least favourite Titanic beer.
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Well all I’ll say is the 61 Deep (is that the old Burton Bitter ?) was gorgeous. Just to annoy you, had a sublime Doom Bar near Cardiff on Friday.
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No, 61 Deep is t’old Pedigree New World and Saddle tank is t’old Burton Bitter.
I had a remarkably good Doom Bar in Stafford’s Dog House on Sunday afternoon on my way home from the Railway.
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I couldn’t fault Titanic and will often drink them when I see them. As for Marston’s ‘virtual’ real ales …
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– but you have been very critical of Titanic Plum Porter.
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What, yummy 61 Deep and Speckled Hen too crafty for you Richard ?
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No, just an ill conceived choice when there are so many really good local brewers in Calderdale making everything from solid trad to modern beers without importing mega brewer crap from the Midlands and E.Anglia. If they wanted a well brewed trad BBB style why not have the excellent Elland Nettle Thrasher that Charles warmed to in earlier posts. Makes Marston’s virtual real ale look like what it is pish.
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It is a fact that the great majority of drinkers want to see well recognised beers on the bar and the owner of any pub intending catering other than just for beer geeks would be making an ill conceived choice if they did not offer the popular “mega brewer c**p from the Midlands and E.Anglia” alongside the beers of your choice.
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