Yard, Coventry

Yard is an LGBTQ+ bar that was almost empty when I visited on a recent Monday evening. The serving counter across the rear wall faces an open plan space that is sparsely furnished with a mix of high and standard sized furniture. I got the feeling that this is a weekend bar where maximum standing/dancing room is required. I spotted an upstairs mezzanine, but I didn’t investigate because it would have looked odd if I started browsing the empty building with my half lager in hand. The draught options were standard and premium keg alongside Camden Brewery’s Lazy and another craft lager that I couldn’t quite make out. The cask is no more and this place isn’t aimed at me so I’ll not be returning.

Modern bar with hard wooden seating, grey walls and tea lights in Duvel glasses on each table. Got noisy music as well. 4 pulls on the main downstairs room counter plus 12 craft keg taps. Two from Purity in good nick, plus one from Truman’s and one I couldn’t make out - it had foxes on it. Some odd bits of modern art on the otherwise empty walls. There’s another bar upstairs which I didn’t make it to and a second room downstairs all described below by Bucking Fastard.

A modern bar,but well worth looking around for it's trendy architectural design.Most surfaces are pine ,with pine furniture and a curved ceiling in darker wood.The ground floor has a canteen feeling,but ascend the stairs for a more comfortable area with large plate glass windows which in turn leads to a small external terrace with four tables and great views of both cathederals.There is a cocktail bar with shots on the first floor and dont miss the lecture hall type seating along on staircase,a clever nod to the nearby University. The main bar on the ground floor has four handpumps with ,on our trip, Electric Bear NZ Pale (very good),Purity UBU and Saddleback,and Siren Craft Soundwave IPA (superb nick).There are 10 keg taps with some mainstream brands but some Siren Craft produce as well.It fully deserves is GBG listing in 2018,and although noisy with loud muzak ,a doorman on my Friday evening visit and a lot of young professional drinkers it is well worth including on a crawl given the quality of the real ale offering.

Unusual, low, wide building of dubious appeal, but turns out to be more inviting if you venture within. The ceiling is actually rather higher than one might expect, with enough room for a sizeable curving mezzanine floor. Limited decor and plain wooden furniture give a slightly austere feel when less busy, but there are also some small metal tables out on the pavement. Four real ales on handpump: Pure UBU and Pure Gold from Purity, Oakham Citra and Hank from Tiny Rebel (£2.80). Also has a notably varied selection of craft beers on the 12 keg taps.