Sunday Ale In Dale : Wed Jan 11, 2017 5:36 pm
Having posted "in another place", I'll update here: there are three pubs in the centre worth trying. Note (afaik) the Eagle I recommended last year no longer serves real ale.To get to the centre from the railway station: go out of the train staion and follow the tram tracks past the Catholic church and down Drake Street. Drake Street is not a place of beauty even if it now has certain ladies there. On the way is the Cask and Feather which is a fun pub!!!
Unlike last year, the Regal Moon is open. This is a large Wetherspoons pub (ex-cinema) with 3 sets of wickets. I would argue it is among the best Wetherspoons in the country. Expect something from west Yorkshire and also the Lancashire area. The smoking area is at the back. Good real cider to boot. This pub is beside the Tram terminus.
As you go down Drake Street, you can turn left when you see the red car sculpture onto Nelson Street, past the world buffet and across the Church Lane crossroads and down onto the square to the Flying Horse. Ben, the landlord, is a keen RL fan as are several of his staff. Cracking ale and grub. I suggest you try the Pictish which is my favourite local brew. Real fire and, you may have guessed, a place I highly recommend. Again good cider. Camra members get a discount on Sundays.
Both pubs are easily found from the bus Station. In this case do not go up Drake Street but follow the river to the square.
Also in the square is Yates and it often does feature Moorhouses.
The gem in Dale is the Baum: not cheap but wonderful. If you are in the centre, I would suggest: just to the right of the Barclays bank and along that road up the hill until you get to the British Heart Foundation charity shop (good for books). Immediate left before this shop, another passage onto a car park with a church facing you. Diagonal left and the Baum is connected to the Co-Op museum.
Seven cracking real ales, cracking food, great everything. The owner sets very high standards. CAMRA members get a discount on Sundays. The smoking area is at the back. And it serves good lagers and craft keg/cans. The cider is excellent. A real tickers' pub.
Two pubs near the ground:
On the way from the motorway (or a brisk walk from the centre along The Esplanade (the road past the square and over Manchester Road [past Asda] ), cross the river and left onto Bury Road: the Cemetery Hotel. Very similar to the Lamb inside, it again serves Phoenix and can have up to 7 ales. It's not far from the ground but allow say 20-30 minutes.
On Sandy Lane, very close to the ground, is the Ratcliffe Arms: the Dale Bar serves Lees.
[b]Food in the ground[/b] is best bought upstairs in the Family Stand: the pies are from the the Flying Horse and the staff who prepare the food are RL fans. So you get good grub and support RL as well. Ben is looking forward to seeing and serving you.
Another epic for beebMalc and Walshy.
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