The Queen's Head, Peterborough

The Queens Head has a bar on the right hand wall that supports premium and craft keg alongside Stowford Press cider. Three of the four hand pumps were in operation drawing Brewpoint’s Voyage as well as Charlie Wells DNA and Legacy. At the end of the bar at the rear is an open kitchen with large pizza oven, in essence this place is more pizza restaurant than pub. There is some seating by the entrance, but the main seating is in a large square open plan area at the rear. This isn’t somewhere I’d go just for a beer again.

More pizza restaurant than pub, very distressed wood work everywhere. The front left room is laid out as a meeting room. The front right space is more publike and houses the counter which morfs into the pizza servery complete with oven. Beyond that is a large canteen style area. There’s a nice metallic tile ceiling, an egg and dart architrave and only just surviving door casings but otherwise Wells have raped a nice old pub. Beerwise there’s the choice of national keg brands or cask from one of the breweries that ended up with Wells, Courage or Young’s on three of the four pulls.

A Georgian building tied to Charles Wells and knocked about inside.There are original features,sash windows ,a good fireplace and some wood panelling by the entrance,floor tiles around the bar but sadly some designer has gone for a distressed look ,with the bar being faced in wood off cuts and drawers,while the rear of the building has been opened out completely with part of the first floor removed to create a faux warehouse feel.Wood flooring gives way to brick tiles and a huge pizza oven has been installed which fills the interior with cooking smells and heat.There is a pleasant front snug area with fitted bench seating while the courtyard outside is a sun trap.However the muzak was just too loud although the BBC News flatscreen was at least on mute.One the first floor besides the loos is a room that can be hired,and an additional roof terrace for external drinking and smoking. There are 4 handpumps offering 3 ales on my trip Marston's Lancaster Bomber (fair but a BBB),CW London Gold and a collaberation with Exmoor called Ello Ello Special Ale,which the manageress did admit she had shaken the barrel and refused to serve to me because it was cloudy.Fair call. This pub feels aimed at a younger audience,but the dead hand of Charles Wells has removed any charm and the ale selection was dull.Expect the guest beer to be from Marston's ,who now own the Charles Wells brands to boot.There are better pub in the viscinity.

Official site of Queens Head - www.queensheadpeterborough.co.uk