The Farmers Arms, Holmfirth

Stone built, ivy clad, community local, converted from three weavers cottages in the 1920s. Found tucked away in a side street just off the Greenfield Road. As one of only two 2010 GBG listings, for Holmfirth, it was a ‘must visit’ during our time in the town. For those with a car, it’s only two minutes away from the centre. However, because we thought it closer than it actually was, we endured a fifteen-minute route march up the hilly A635 to get there. Internally, it has a large main room divided into three drinking areas and a smaller stone-flagged side room, with a dartboard and overhead TV. Overall, it feels quite plain with its roughly artexed walls and exposed beams, but the collection of brasses above the bar offer goes some way to offer a level of ornamentation. Seven real ales on hand pump, but disappointingly dominated by ho-hum national brands, on this visit: Wells ‘Bombardier’, Greene King ‘Abbott’ & ‘Pale Ale’, Shepherd Neame ‘Spitfire’, Adnams Bitter. As Timothy Taylor ‘Landlord’ is also pretty widespread these days, that only left Copper Dragon ‘Golden Pippin’ to provide any real local interest.Unfortunately, this normally aromatic beer tasted rather tired and, dare I say it, even a little warm. (First one pulled that day?) We received a nice welcoming smile from the young barmaid, but the atmosphere was quite muted, only an extended family group and ourselves in the place, late on Saturday afternoon. Possibly the town’s folk festival drew away some of the regulars? Overall, it was a bit of a let down. Admittedly, any visit to a pub is only a ‘snapshot’ and we may have been particularly unlucky with the beer line-up, but I did come away thinking that I would be unlikely to return, if visiting Holmfirth again.

Very pleasant small pub - a hidden gem, invisible from the main road. Sells several well-kept real ales, usually including Taylor's Landlord and Black Sheep Bitter.