The Penny Farthing, Kirkcaldy

The small right-hand bar of the Penny Farthing has a small serving counter with a few red upholstered stools in the left rear corner. Matching red banquettes with tables sit under lots of framed horse racing photos and some signed Raith Rovers and Manchester United football shirts, including examples from Giggs and Beckham. I ordered a pint of Tennents from the standard keg offering before moving from this empty bar into the slightly larger and busier left-hand side. In here a handful of locals were chatting with the friendly landlady while the jukebox played music from the 1970s, there was a good atmosphere. The furniture in this side is also red upholstered and there’s a red elbow cushion along the bar that runs up the right. There’s a penny farthing metalwork art piece on the wall that cements home that this place has been decorated to a high standard, and clean and shiny fixtures and fittings show that there’s regular polishing, in fact I witnessed some before I left as the landlady closed the smaller right-hand bar. I liked it in here and I bet there’s a good atmosphere on Sundays when live music is hosted from 18:00. There’s no cask, obviously, but this place is worth a look.

A pub very similar in external appearance to the Wheatsheaf, which I had found disappointing, but this one's bright exterior of red and green was reflected and magnified by the good time being had by the customers within. In fact, the interior is very attractive too, but it's always good to be in a pub where people are having a good time. This is a lovely pub with a small room on entering through the right hand door, and a small quadrant of bar counter in the corner. Through the arch is the much larger left hand side, with a consequently longer section of bar. Just the usual Scottish keg fonts. Luckily there was no real ale, otherwise I'd have been seriously disgruntled having to drink lemonade because of driving back to Dunfermline later. The red of the exterior is echoed in the slightly more luxurious red in the carpets, wallpaper and leatherette upholstery, all of which combined could have been over the top, but actually felt just right. Some interesting local pictures on the wall in the larger room, while the small room had a series of racecourse portraits taken in winners enclosures at Ayr and Carlisle.

A traditional interior bar with a large bar area and small lounge just like a penny farthing with it large front wheel and small rear wheel. Very comfortable surroundings with a few pub characters in when I visited. The staff are very friendly but take a little coaxing to start them off.