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Detail Pages
Calthorpe Arms, WC1
WC1
WC1X 8JR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Calthorpe Arms
My late afternoon midweek visit to this pub found it fairly quiet, though I received a friendly welcome from behind the bar. It's a single room corner pub in an unadorned box-like brick building, with a few seats and tables on the pavement in the side street. There were six hand pumps on the bar, with Youngs Original, Timothy Taylor Landlord and two from Purity. I went for the Mad Goose, which was in good enough condition.
Date of visit: 14th September 2022
On 14th April 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3740 recommendations about 3477 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Calthorpe Arms
Visited 3rd March 2016 - rating: 4
Much as described below. This is a traditional old geezers' pub in a none-too-fashionable area. There's a TV, fruit machine, carpets...Food, somewhat incongruously, constitutes homemade hummus and marinated olives - I wonder how this goes down with the hoary old Marxist philosopher in the corner?
Beers: Truman's Blindside, Twickenham's Redhead and Young's Bitter only (this is a Young's pub?) at £1.75 which was ok.
With the lack of punters and resultant lack of atmosphere, this is one for the tickers and locals only. I won't be returning, but I wish it all the best.
------------------------
A return the other night to a pub which did indeed have something of a modernised makeover during Lockdown. An interesting gobbet of history here, in that in 1830 it was used as a temporary magistrates’ court for the trial of a person accused of the world’s first-ever murder of a policeman. The bar front looks original, but now there’s a back with chunky stained wood and fluted glass lamps over the bar top. Otherwise, the interior has been substantially altered, with wood elements painted dark grey, black Anaglypta to the dado then bare brick painted white, a white Anaglypta ceiling but now with ugly office fans. There are incongruous drape curtains and décor comes in the form of trendy prints. There are studded black banquettes to the periphery, furniture may be remaindered and the carpet is probably new; the games machine and jukebox certainly are. Customers are still resolutely older locals, so no change here, though all seemingly on first name terms with the staff.
Ales amounted to just Young’s Original and Landlord at £2.60 a half, fine and served by a very friendly barmaid.
This isn’t a bad place as such; actually, I preferred it in its previous no-nonsense guise, but there are better pubs locally, such as the York, Blue Lion and especially the Queens Head. Having lost much of its former character - not to mention the homemade hummus - I doubt I’ll return, but I still wish it well.
On 27th October 2022
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about Calthorpe Arms
the ale was fairly humdrum today too. Apparently it has just had a refurbishment. The clientele inside and out were a bit rough around the edges. It’s pretty basic but fine as a local i’m sure.
On 14th May 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Calthorpe Arms
The exterior of this street corner pub looks great,traditional with an apex door and lots of etched glass,but sadly this is the high point for this Youngs Pubco. establishment has had a refurb which has stripped the interior of a lot of charm.
It's small inside ,but a white ceiling,faux brick wallpaper,modern carpeting and light fittings made to look old are just out of place.At least bench seating around the perimeter and a good sized mirror have been retained,a flatscreen was showing rugby and the pub was busy with local residents.Pub grub is available from a short menu ,while daily specials were on a blackboard at reasonable prices but dining will attract families detracting from any boozing atmosphere.
There are 6 handpumps ,not all working,offering on my Saturday afternoon visit CW Youngs Bitter,Special and guest Sambrooks Pale (reasonable nick,rip off at £2.20 the half).Old Rosie cider also had a pump devoted to it.
It's in the 2019 GBG but I struggled to see why.A very ordinary ale line up ,in quite an ordinary pub didn't suggest either a longer stay or a revisit.
On 20th October 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about Calthorpe Arms
Lovely old school boozer in the heart of Bloomsbury. Young's Special was in good condition.
Outside seating area, where unbelievably for the area, an elderly couple had come for a drive and were having a pint in their classic Citreon DS. I found this quite cute.
Worth hunting out for a classic pub experience.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2vEHXrf
On 9th August 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 277 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Calthorpe Arms
Young's pub with quite a dark interior. 4 real ales and food served.
On 20th October 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Calthorpe Arms
Situated in a slightly off-the-beaten-track part of the city, this is a simple, single room traditional boozer. A corner door leads into the main, carpeted bar with a dark wood servery along the right hand wall boasting an original looking counter and a slightly clunky bar back. Youngs branded windows run along the front and left hand sides of the room, behind nice red drapes with comfy button backed banquettes underneath, serving round tables with standard chairs and low stools in support. Some wood-effect wallpaper and a lincrusta ceiling add to the place's traditional feel whilst also hinting at the inevitable creep of modernisation which all Young's pubs must fear. At the far end there is a large mirror on the wall and a TV screen showing muted rolling news coverage. A few bits of admittedly interesting Young's breweriana, including some nice black and white photos, dotted the walls and offer the only real form of décor. Stairs to the rear lead up to Wren's Room - a dining area and function room - with the menu detailed on a large board at the far end of the bar. In keeping with the pub's traditional feel, there was no music playing - making this pub a notable exception on a long Friday evening crawl around the area.
This is a Young's pub, so Ordinary and Special were available alongside a guest of St Austell Tribute and Weston's Old Rosie cider with two pumps unused. A friendly, old school landlord served me a good pint of Tribute which I very much enjoyed drinking whilst taking in some of the pub's character and charm.
It's always nice to stumble across an old survivor such as this place when on a crawl around the city. It offers a good contrast to the gentrified pubs that are two-a-penny in this area and whilst it's not perhaps the most exciting of venues with the most extensive of ale ranges, it provides a friendly and comfortable environment in which to relax and that's a combination that people will always seek out.
On 23rd May 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Calthorpe Arms
Traditional Youngs pub that seems untouched since the early 80s. A long, straight room which is carpeted, with bottle green button back banquettes, dark wood bar/panelling and heavy red curtains making for a homely feel. Single mute TV tuned to horse racing. A friendly, community atmosphere within and a tranquil oasis given the surroundings. Six pumps but only three ales on; Youngs Special, Ordinary, Winter Warmer plus Westons Old Rosie cider (the Twickenham Naked Ladies clip was turned). The WW felt like it was fag-end of the barrel (and was spluttering as it came out). When I mentioned this I was told “oh that’s the dodgy pump we only use for specials”. Why not get the bloody thing fixed then, rather than serving sub-standard beer? John Young would be spinning in his grave at that slack attitude (which perhaps sums up large parts of the Youngs estate now). Could and should have scored more than a 7.
On 1st December 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Calthorpe Arms
Still a Young's house, with a choice of two of their beers on this visit. This is a traditional corner carpeted and curtains pub, which still holds a certain charm, but is facing fierce competition from the likes of the Queens Head only a short walk away.
On 13th February 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Calthorpe Arms
A proper, old-fashioned Youngs house - full of locals and a proper pub atmosphere. Smallish but comfortable bar with traditional furniture and decor. Wren's Room upstairs (never visited). Ordinary, Special and Charles Wells DNA (£3.80) available on handpump during my latest visit.
On 26th September 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]