Bear & Billet, Chester

A very ancient looking exterior leads into an opened out and much modernised plain interior. Some old beams cling to the ceiling and there are bits of early 20th century woodwork in the panelling in the rear section and the staircase. The rear part may be a later extension judging by the thickness of the dividing wall. The servery comprises a short counter to the left, six pulls are central with a six way T-Bar each side, only two keg beers from Vocation and one from Northern Monk to set the heart racing, Yorkshire was also represented in the cask line up of Kirkstall Three Swords and the non Yorkie Tetleys on the wickets. I remember visiting here a few years ago when it seemed a better pub but the memory stuck due to a young barmaid ignoring anyone over 30, too quiet on my mid-week visit to be ignored this time. There was a rather odd trivia quiz underway but with questions like “where is the North-South divide?” things could get fractious. Piped music and screens intrude, more seating and toilets upstairs.

Facebook page of Bear & Billet - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Bear & Billet - www.facebook.com

Visited on a recent Saturday evening. Six hand pulls, one off, one offering Cheddar Valley cider, so leaving Okells Bitter, Phoenix Wobbly Bob, Wychwood Dirty Tackle and Old Speckled Hen as the available real ales. I went for the Okells Bitter but was not impressed, had a bit of a strange chalky taste to it. My friend had the Wobbly Bob, which would probably have been the better choice. Very busy and seemingly dog friendly. An interesting olde worlde exterior as has been previously mentioned, and the big wooden front door is very impressive. Yes it has been opened out internally but looking around you can see it has not been fully ripped out and modernised - there is a bowed ceiling, plenty of dark beams and the wall by the stairs also has wooden sections which I can only assume are authentic. For the ale line-up it's a 6/10, but the added interest of the building makes it a 7/10 for me. One I would be happy to revisit, but not in any rush.

The exterior of the Bear and Billet suggests olde worlde pub, but the interior has been stripped out removing any sign of its previous incarnation. It wasn’t that busy during a recent Tuesday afternoon visit, but all the tables in the front bar area were taken. Not wanting to sit in the rear seating areas I ended up siting on a high stool perched on a beer shelf on the central supporting column opposite the bar. This gave me plenty of time to note the presence of six hand pumps that were drawing Westwood Ales Cheshire Cat, Adnam’s Ghost Ship, Hallets Blindfold, Well’s Bombardier, Okell’s Bittier and Great Heck’s Christopher. Food is available, I didn’t read a menu but the roast dinner, mac and cheese and curry on the specials board were all under £10. There was some background music playing and the large plasma screen was switched off with no signs for live sport that I could see. Adjacent to the fireplace in the left-hand wall is a staircase that I did not venture up. I found the service to be polite and although the interior wasn’t what I expected I still found this to be a decent enough bar that I would have no problem returning to.

A rather impressive-looking olde worlde Okells pub (GI listed, C.17th) which has had a decent go at tradition inside even if the three old rooms have been opened-out and modernised a bit sometime in the previous century - there’s varnished beams, pillars, subdued lighting etc. Six pumps all operational; just two Okells beers with guests from Red Willow and Weetwood as well as a cider. My Okells Bitter was fine, NBSS 3. Weirdly (and just like the Big Hand Alehouse) there were no Okells bottles in the fridge at all – what’s the point of a brewery owning a pub if it isn’t used a showcase for its whole range? Anyhow, this one’s a decent shout for a pint.

is indeed an Okells pub but thankfully they were only provide 2 of the 6 real ales. it has been modernised somewhat and I didn't particularly like it inside. probably didn't help that it was horrendously busy with the upstairs room reserved today. i'm sure it's a decent pub at quieter times though and the guest ale was excellent.