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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
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The Ale Wagon, Leicester
Leicester
LE1 1RE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about The Ale Wagon
A long itme favourite stop off when in town, this pub has been redecorated since our earlier visits.
Its generally fairly quiet each time we have visited but still enough locals in to create a bit of atmosphere, mainly of the older age but some younger people in there aswell.
very chatty bar staff with the locals so didn't really get chance to engage in a any conversation.
Not all the hand pumps were in use but still 5 or 6 ales from local breweries available and those that we tried were in good condition.
On 10th December 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Ale Wagon
I called in here twice over my 2 days in Leicester. On a Thursday evening at about 7.30 the pub was fairly quiet and the welcome extremely muted, to say the least. Called in again on Friday night at about 9 to see if had changed and it was even quieter and the service was grudging and grumpy. The beer was passable, but not top drawer. Plenty of handpumps on the bar, but no WOW factor with any of the beer. The pub is tired and scruffy and needs a refurbishment to brighten it up. Scruffy pub, grumpy service, so-so beer. I wonder why it's quiet. I won't bother going in again myself next time I'm in Leicester. I think I can hear a bell tolling!
On 14th May 2013
- rating: 4
[User has posted 3286 recommendations about 3196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Ale Wagon
This pub dates back to the early 1930’s in its present incarnation, and although the interior has been altered since then, there are still a number of notable features, including some fine oak woodwork throughout. The layout is fairly open, with two distinctly different areas either side of the main entrance and it is still possible to spot evidence of previous partitioning. The main bar is to the right and has pew and standard chair seating in front of a small tiled fireplace, with a staircase at the rear leading up to a function room. The smaller left hand side has banquette and low stool seating and a bar that was apparently rescued from the Princess Charlotte – a live music venue across town that has now sadly been demolished. Despite visiting on a Friday night, the pub was practically empty which is disappointing for a GBG listed venue.
The pub is run by the Hoskins family, who also operate a small brewery which supplies the pub with much of its beer. As such, the selection on our visit comprised Hoskins EXS, Hob Bitter and IPA, Down the Pan Last Plantagenet on the Throne, Cottage Duchess and Tollgate Stand and Deliver, with more Hoskins beers available on tap. I tried the IPA which was okay as low abv IPA’s go.
We visited this place at the end of a fairly long crawl of Leicester’s finest pubs, so I’m not sure I saw it in quite the right frame of mind. It seemed to lack the charm of many of the other pubs we visited and although I wouldn’t rule out a return visit, I struggle to muster much enthusiasm at such a prospect.
On 1st May 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Ale Wagon
In an unpromising part of the city centre,this pub feels a bit cut off from the lively bar scene elsewhere.It's a large corner pub with a very high ceiling in the main seating area with an impressive wooden staircase to one side.However this part of the pub can lack atmosphere and the decoration is minimal apart from a few Hoskins mirrors.The handpumps are mainly in the side section but I failed to note the number and plumped for the Hoskins Hobs Bitter which was passable but a rather dull brew.Towards the end of the crawl so my observations were limited,but I didn't feel that I had to return .
On 23rd March 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2936 recommendations about 2936 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Ale Wagon
Basic corner local with a main bar and a smaller side bar.A good selection of real ales and as previously stated don't expect a warm welcome.As the saying goes "I'm only here for the beer"
On 22nd August 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Ale Wagon
I've rated this pub a 6 purely for the Hoskins beers. If you're looking for atmosphere here, you're not going to get it. Still it was busy enough with people coming in for the ales. I went for the Hoskins Hot IPA, Mild, and Green and Gold. The pub itself is clean, but the toilets are quite dated, Imperial soap slivers on the wash basin to wash your hands. Also don't expect much in the way of please and thanks. I would visit again for the beer and the fact it was like visiting the Fawlty Towers of pubs.
On 9th January 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
matt england left this review about The Ale Wagon
Like a trip back into the fifties, but has quality beer. They only do cobs foodwise.
On 30th June 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 61 recommendations about 61 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about The Ale Wagon
Don't know about other comments about ‘atmosphere'? I found the welcome friendly & down to earth from the locals and the knowlegeable, beer enthusiastic guv. The pub has a simple interior with L-shaped bar serving two rooms, nothing wrong with that, or the local feel of the place. Hoskins beers, EXS (5%), Brigadier, Hob Bitter, Mild, Navigation Ale (7%), Tollgate TGB, Ale Wagon Traditional Cyder (8%). I nearly missed this place due to its artificially low rating on these pages, but I'm glad we caught a few well-conditioned beers here before heading off to the train.
On 5th May 2008
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]