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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
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Alexandra Arms, Kettering
Kettering
NN16 0BU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 9 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Alexandra Arms
The major draw of the Alexandra is the ever changing selection of cask ale and cider that is available from the fifteen hand pumps that are spread across the front and rear bars. The pub is wooden floored throughout with simple décor. The walls and ceilings are completely covered in old pump clips, I wasn’t surprised to read that this pub has been a real ale pub for many years. The central front entrance leads to the front bar where tables, chairs, bucket seats and armchairs are found to the left and the bar counter is located on the rear wall to the right. In the rear is a second bar where a limited selection of standard keg is also hidden. In here is a dartboard and a television that was showing World Cup football via BBC. The staff and customers were friendly and I left knowing that I will return when next in the area.
On 8th January 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Alexandra Arms
This pub looks relatively modern from the outside but the sign has an old picture of a pub building here where the left side of the current building is a ladies hairdressers. Maybe it got bombed in the war. The Mannings Brewery sign in the picture refers to a Northampton Brewery near the Railway Station that was taken over by Phipps in 1933 so this was probably once a Watney's pub. On the left above the bar inside is an old Watney's Special (there was nothing "special" about it!) tray that supports that theory.
You enter into a wooden floored front room with the small bar on the right and just tables and seating to the left. In front there is a narrow corridor that leads to the back bar which is a long narrow room with a wooden floor and the other side of the bar area at the top end and darts & Northants skittles at the other. This is a "beer festival" pub that has been around some time so the walls and ceiling of the front bar are literally covered in pump clips.
I didn't count the hand pumps on the front bar but it was at least ten and the back bar had around four. One of the front ones had a cider.
There was a huge beer selection including Nobby's (who no longer brew here), Potbelly, Jenning's, Marston's Revisionist, Bude, Church End, Burton Bridge, Abbeydale, Skinners and Lincoln Green. I went for the local Potbelly Crazy Daze (£3.40) and Nobby's Swift Nick (£3.15). Sadly the Potbelly beer was in poor condition but the Swift Nick was good.
This isn't a large pub so their claim of selling 14 beers seems too much. I might have just been unlucky with the Crazy Daze but I'm prepared to mark it down only one point for the dodgy pint.
On 10th April 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
michael furn left this review about Alexandra Arms
Nip keeps one of northamptonshires award winning freehouses, regular real ale changes and choice, CAMRA pub of the year 2006/7 for Northamptonshire.
On 27th May 2008
- rating: 10
[User has posted 38 recommendations about 37 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Ford left this review about Alexandra Arms
What a Pub !!
Camra pub of the year Runner up in 2004 it has just been named Camra pub of the year for 2005. Good quality ales with a choice of 10 hand pumps including its own home brewered nobby's ales. In a little under 3 years the current landlord has served over 2500 different ales. Well priced, friendly staff & locals it is always busy, especially with the introduction of the popular no smoking bar at the front. Lots of beer memorabilia including the walls been decorated with the pub clips of all the beers served to date. Well worth a visit, i'll certainly be going back
On 11th August 2006
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]