Navigation Tavern, Mirfield

really very good, worth the short walk from the train station

Another stop on the Trans-Pennine Rail Ale crawl. Exit Mirfield station onto Station Road, turn left and walk under the railway bridge. Pub is on your left, 2 minutes from the platform. Theakston’s pub, decor is a little bit tired but the service was fine and clientele were friendly enough. The combined effect of a lack of natural daylight inside and 6 hours on the crawl by this point was enough to steal my mojo. GBG 2010 entry.

A white washed stone building probably contemporary with the nearby canal, the Calder and Hebble Navigation. A Theakstons badged pub with the full range of their ales plus John Smiths Cask and five guests from Okells, Roosters and Saltaire on sale. There is a small range of keg beers and cider from Guinness, Strongbow, Amstel and the smooth version of John Smiths. The pub is tucked away behind the entrance to a builders yard next to the station but is clearly signed from the main road. The main bar is traditionally furnished with bench seating, wheel back chairs and cast iron pedestal tables, a victorian architrave remains and there is a slightly nautical flavour with boat lights, ships clock and dangling oil style lights. Other décor comprises mirrors and in tribute to the canal builders, the silhouettes of two navvys on an internal window. Beyond the bar is a pool room with a big screen and at the rear is a lounge bar cum function room. The customers were a friendly bunch, mainly older men enjoying a lunchtime drink.