Organ Grinder, Loughborough

The Organ Grinder is a Blue Monkey Brewery pub so it wasn’t surprising to see seven of the nine hand pumps drawing their ales. Available from the last two hand pumps were Round Corner Brewing’s Common Ground and Abbeydale’s Deception, but I went for the BG Sips which was on good form and was served by a friendly barman. With wooden flooring throughout, the bar area is found to the right of the entrance where banquettes run under the front windows to the counter on the right-hand wall and a beer shelf with stools runs under a large drinks board on the rear wall, although the options on the board didn’t actually tally with what was available. To the left of the entrance another banquette runs under the front window and there’s an exposed brick fireplace on the left-hand wall next to a bookcase that is packed with board games. Behind the counter is a separate square room with overspill seating and out the back is some covered seating and a small outhouse with some seating and an old sink. In the rear is a fenced in beer garden full of picnic tables. I didn’t venture upstairs, but I did note an advertisement for the Hayloft Bar that is used for events and is available for hire as a function room. I liked the atmosphere in here and could see why this is a popular town centre pub.

I’m a fan of Blue Monkey beers and their pubs, this is a good one with the shabby alehouse look and it’s GBG 2025 listed. One room at the front, one at the back and a garden outside. As usual mostly Blue Monkey beers with guests Dark Mild from Left Handed Giant and Rev James, the last of nine pulls was blank. A horseshoe has the usual suspects. The previously separate room to the front left has a selection of bored games, a sofa and CAMRA awards, while the longer right hand side has bench seating and Britannia etc tables with an expanse of vertical drinking space. It is also an excessively dog friendly venue, at least five shitehounds were in attendance barking at each other. There’s an events space upstairs called the Hayloft and in the big garden is some sort of old stables that might be used occasionally.