The Baum, Rochdale

Situated in a pleasant local conservation area, this is a cosy little pub, nicely hidden away from the bustle of the town centre. The interior is somewhat larger than it first appears, with the simple U shaped layout extending into a conservatory area at the rear, whilst a compact raised seating area at the front left makes good use of the available space. There is a mix of wooden and stone flooring as well as wood panelled and bare brick walls which have been decorated in places with a selection of old metallic signs. Fireplaces either side of the bar have been bricked up which is a bit of a shame, but the one on the left hand wall is still an attractive feature thanks to its detailed surrounds. There are some nice stained glass windows, including one in the door that seems to lead to the first floor restaurant, which bears the image of a tree with the pub’s name written in the branches. A couple of TV screens were showing the afternoon’s FA cup tie between Sunderland and Arsenal with music playing quietly in the background. The conservatory leads out into what looks like a surprisingly large walled garden, although in the half light of the evening, it was difficult to get a good look. Eight handpulls were dispensing a good variety of ales which on my visit consisted of Taylor Golden Best, Phoenix Navvy, Marble Draft (£2.70) and Dobber, Fuggleston FSB, Boggart Cascade, Hornbeam Black Coral Stout plus Valley Gold Pure North Cider. The beers I tried were all in excellent condition, with the Draft in particular being a wonderful pint. I also noticed a fairly lengthy bottled beer menu, with a good mix from around the world at very reasonable prices that puts some of London’s ‘craft’ beer bars to shame for charging so much for the same product. The pub is quite well position for away fans visiting Rochdale’s Spotland ground given that it is roughly halfway between the stadium and train station, thus breaking up an otherwise long and uninspiring walk. Regardless of this, I would gladly go well out of my way to drink in this pub again, as it has just about everything you could ask for from a good community pub.