Olde England, Kingsley Park, Northampton

Three-level micro-pub in a converted former shop unit so there's rather more space than one might first expect when you walk into the cramped street-level bar. All parts given an alehouse look that belies its relatively recent origins, and the local folk club's evening session downstairs enhanced this impression. Good choice of cask ales from seven of the ten handpumps, including a couple from Potbelly and the even-more-local Phipps Bison (£3.60) plus various craft keg beers from taps on the bar-back.

A bit of a walk out North from the town centre, this is an unusual three storey micropub on the fringe of The Racecource park. Arriving at opening time, I thought it would be a bit weird to vanish onto one of the other floors, so I only managed to check out the ground floor, which is a very small bare boarded space in the style of a Dutch brown cafe. This room is so small, that there’s only enough space for a small servery to the left of the entrance and a few low stools and tables. The bar has a traditional counter front with a cartwheel nailed to one side and barrel ends on the bar back, where a few keg taps can also be found. A small brick fireplace stands next to the bar, with an unlit stove inside and a good pump clip collection above. Despite being a shop converted micropub, the place has managed to generate a traditional pub feel thanks to all the wall panelling and decor that includes old bottles, jugs and earthenware in the windows, a few pub signs, some old paintings, tankards hanging from the ceiling beams and bizarrely a collection of old vehicle tax disks. All of this was weirdly contrasted by a strange dance soundtrack, which definitely didn’t fit the timber-framed, old-school vibe of the pub. Stairs lead up and down to the other floors, but they’ll have to wait for a return visit. Despite arriving dead on opening time, I wasn’t the first customer and others soon followed in after me, which has to be a good sign. This meant I couldn't loiter at the bar for long, so I ordered a pint of Castle Rock Griff and grabbed a seat, only managing to note that several other beers were available on cask, including brews from Potbelly, Bloke Down the Pub and Beowulf. The barman was very friendly and I really enjoyed the Griff, which was in good shape. I probably didn’t get the best impression of this place, as the main bar space is pretty cramped and uncomfortable, whereas I suspect the upper and lower floors provide better seating spaces suited to longer visits. It’s a pretty good micropub nonetheless, and I particularly liked its attempts to style something a bit more pub-like compared to most of its contemporaries.

Quirky three level pub, street level, cellar and upstairs, the downstairs section was closed on our visit and the servery was basically serving hatch upstairs, there was numerous beers on, at least ten from stillage, my Hydes Lowery was very good, the bar maid gave a couple of our group a tour of the downstairs room despite it being closed and it was a very interesting space with lots of nooks and cranny's with secluded seating. Back upstairs more dark wood and seating areas on the street level area, upstairs is a more basic room but full of curios like suits of armor and mounted Boar and Deer heads, paintings and pictures of interest. A bit of a hike from the train station but more than worth the effort.

A lovely three level pub (from a shop conversion) on a street corner. The bar (the only one that we noticed, anyway) is downstairs (somewhat smelly with quarry tile floor), with seating on all three levels. Three ales on here that I could see, Vale Gravitas, Ringwood and Church Brewing, the latter of which was in good shape. It appears that more available elsewhere down here but in the crowded scrum post-football we must have missed them. We took our seat in the ground floor (aka the mid-section room) which had wood panelling, wood seating. All-in-all it’s a quirky place that certainly demands a visit when in Northampton and I think I must have missed a chunk of the fun via an upstairs bar so I will definitely be back.