Boar & Fable, Bradford

One of the many North Parade venues that come and go over time, but this one is in the current Good Beer Guide so I gave it a try. Typical micro-pub interior, with one side wall covered by pump clips and the other by miscellaneous breweriana. Also has the expected eclectic mix of furniture in the rectangular seating area in front of the bar, but there are also some canteen-style tables out on the pavement. Three cask ales on handpump: Rooster's Yankee, Thornbridge Krushd and Somers from Vocation (£4.60).

The Boar & Fable was a much better experience than the Peacock Bar diagonally across the street. Whether the two are tied in some way, I'm not sure but customers are invited to bring food from the Peacock into the Boar & Fable. Seating inside is a bit of a mixture. There are bare boards and subdued lighting. Pumpclips fill one of the side walls, which was painted a dark green/blue colour. The opposite wall was exposed brickwork. TVs were showing golf and darts but music was playing loud and the TVs were on mute. When I sat down, there were menus on each tables offering pizzas on naan bread (presumably from the Peacock). These were soon replaced by cocktail menus. Further seating can be found downstairs and also on the pavement outside with chairs and tables also in front of the neighbouring premises (the now closed Sparrow). The friendly barman had 3 cask ales to offer - Craven Brew Blonde & Dark Cherry & Rooster's 24 Seven. However, I'd already spotted on Untappd that they had a cider I'd not previously had - Udders Orchard Browns Apple. Apparently it has one the local CAMRA cider award. The barman told me that the producer was a bit of a one-man band and proceeded to try a little himself. I don't think he was overly enamoured with it. I can't say I was too impressed either but it was drinkable. Craft beers were Buxton Trolltunga, Vocation Crush Hour, Amity Mango Boom, Bini Orange Is The New Black, Thornbridge Brock & Stiff Tea Raspberry Blower. I'd say that this bar is well worth its position in the Good Beer Guide.

Another newish micro on the strip. Usual oblong interior, with dark green on one side and exposed brick on the other with an interesting block wood bar back. Three cask dispensing local beers I'd never heard of and a slab of craftykeg. My Turning Point Minimal Water Damage was a little flat but drinkable (NBSS 2.5). Quiz on the go, which looked like fun, I happened to drop in when they were trying to bounce a ping-pong ball into a pint glass. 6.5

Exactly as described by OB below and also pretty busy on our Saturday, late afternoon visit. Luckily we managed to get the last table as there's not much standing room available. My pint of Turning Point was in very good nick. Another good addition to the North Parade attractions.

Someone here must be a fan or perhaps just a reader of Pubs Galore as a list of opening hours has appeared on the door, very useful in a street of bars with rather erratic and changeable opening hours. Post pandemic things are still weird of course. Bench seating down one side with a mix of wooden tables, opposite has tables with stools, upholstered benches, art work and a biggish screen. The counter is still across the rear with 7 keg taps on a T-Bar plus a Paulaner ceramic tap of three parts. There’s also two new hand pulls, one from Turning Point and the other from Shadow Brewing, don’t get your hopes up I heard Bradfield mentioned as coming next, however supporting small Yorkshire breweries is a good thing. I can’t complain about the beer quality either. There’s a laser display screen at right angles to the counter, so not visible until you’re at the counter and can see the pumps anyway.

Official site of Boar & Fable - www.boarandfable.com

Official site of Boar & Fable - www.boarandfable.com

Was going to visit last Friday, but the door sign said "Closed" - despite Google and WhatPub showing the pub as opening at 12 on Friday (I was there around 2:30pm). Unfortunately their own Facebook page doesn't list their opening hours! There was a chap sat in there (presumably the owner) but when I walked past later on the shutters were half way down. Whether they had an issue that meant they were unable to open, or whether the opening times are incorrect, I have no idea. Come on guys, it doesn't take much to put your opening hours on your Facebook page. There was a chalkboard in the window to tease me with a beer menu that was unobtainable, however it did list a couple of interesting looking cask beers so will definitely be worth investigating again, another time.