The Polka Hop, Wakefield

Having been told beforehand that this was a 'rock pub' I was a little dubious about visiting but Aleandhearty had recommended it so gave it a go. Was pleased I did, there were a fair selection of unusual beers from independent breweries (5 in total, including East Coast – ex of Fernandes I believe) which were cheap and tasted good. Live music was advertised for the weekends though there was a complete lack of customers at 6:30pm on a weekday night – just me and the guide. The interior of the pub was fairly unremarkable though not unpleasant - perhaps could do with feeling a bit 'warmer' on a rainy day. The landlady was friendly and I could have happily stayed for a couple had I not had other places to go. Worthwhile for a beer visit when the music's on but really needs to advertise itself and get customers in for other times.

O’Donoghue’s is now under the ownership of Great Heck Brewery and change is already in the air. The pub has reverted back to its 19th century name The Bull & Fairhouse and the interior is to undergo some modification. A new bar is to be installed, the toilet block is to be moved to create a new quieter drinking area and a couple of previously covered windows are to be opened up again. There’s even talk of the ‘c’ word – carpet, in some areas! On the beer front, the pub will feature two Great Heck beers. ‘Golden Bull’ will be the house ale, plus a constantly changing second choice. Four other beers will be drawn from micros far and wide. (Some adventurous choices from my experiences so far). A couple of decent lagers and a respectable cider are also promised. In a nutshell, the idea is to enhance the character of the place, without completely changing it. Will do a full review when things are more settled.

With a name like O’Donoghues, you would expect a to come across a stereotypical Irish theme bar complete with inflatable Guinness glasses, toucan posters, tricolours and a bar conversation that inevitably ends with “would you like extra cold” before pouring what they will tell you is the best Guinness outside Dublin. Fortunately O'Donoghues rises above the plastic theme pub game and concentrates on being one of Wakefield’s finer ale houses as well as being a regular outlet for live rock and blues music. The simple interior consists of bare floors and basic furnishings apart from the raised sofa area at the front that doubles up as a stage for the weekend live music sessions. The main body of the pub is quite open but there can be a bit of a bottleneck at the bar when there is a band on. There is a small recess on one side containing a not very accessible dartboard and a few upright empty barrels to rest your pint on. At the rear is a small room that offers a bit of intimacy and also houses an old piano if you fancy sneaking in a few numbers. The 6 hand pumps offer a good selection of ales, mainly Micro’s and many locally sourced. Over my 2 visits I noted Newby Wyke Kingston Topaz, Rudgate Well Blathered, Bobs Brewery Co White Lion, Mauldons Mid Winter Gold, Batemans Miss Scotland and East Coast SSB. There is also the now obligatory pump clip collection that gives a good idea of what passes through the pumps. The customer base was quite mature and friendly as were the staff but if you aren’t into the live music side of things then the pub is best avoided on event nights. Definitely one of Wakefields must do pubs but locating the place has thrown a few people into a spin - the trick is to find the Graziers and it is next door round the corner.