The Old Black Bull, Preston

Never alters but why should it got 10 hand pulls on the bar proper ale house like they used to be always call in when in that part of preston

There are plenty of pubs to choose from along Friargate, but with only enough time to visit a couple, I turned to the local CAMRA magazine in the hope of identifying one with a decent ale range, and the end result was a visit to the Old Black Bull. The pub was in the middle of a Welsh Beer Festival when I arrived, with a staggering number of Welsh brews listed on the bar, although only a selection of them were available at any one time. The handpulls were dispensing New Plassey Cwrw Tundo and New World Pale, Tiny Rebel Dirty Stop Out, Moorhouse Bitter, Grey Trees JPR’s Ale, Old Black Bull Cask Ale, Celt Experience Brigid Fire, Otley Colomb-O, Fuzzy Duck Drunken Duck and Fullers Chiswick. A fine selection and very difficult to choose between, although I eventually opted for the JPR’s Ale, which was in very good shape. The pub is fairly prominent, occupying a corner site where the A59 cuts through Friargate. You enter through a frosted glass ‘Old Black Bull’ door into the main bar with the servery running down the left hand side of a checkerboard floor room. The servery has plenty of dark wood, but much of it was obscured by ugly Six Nations flags and bunting. To the right, hidden behind a couple of broad pillars, there is a comfy looking seating area, decorated with some frosted glass partitioning screens. Beyond, to the rear, there is a large opened out room with bare floorboards, button backed leather banquettes around the perimeter and standard and low stool seating elsewhere. A large fireplace on the back wall had frustratingly been obscured by a high backed pew positioned in front of it, which seemed a shame. Most of the pub has half panelled walls with a dark paint scheme above, which isn’t quite as bland as it sounds. The front corridor also gives access to a small, public bar on the left hand side, but I only spotted this as I was leaving, so I didn’t get a good look. There were lots of TV screens showing coverage of the Cheltenham Races during my stay, with the commentary playing throughout the pub. A large group of lads behind me got very excited and vocal when their horse stormed to victory in one of the races, but this was treated with good humour by the staff and customers alike and didn’t seem to represent the norm. This is a nice traditional style pub in which the beer really takes centre stage. It’s a shame they’ve covered up some of the more potentially attractive features, but it doesn’t detract too much from a very enjoyable pub experience.