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Beer of the Week (w/e 14th December 2025) with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
Bold Forester, Mansfield
Mansfield
NG18 5NG
Pub Type
Hungry Horse (Greene King)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Strongers . left this review about Bold Forester
The Bold Forester is a popular Greene King Hungry Horse pub with a huge car park out the back, and oddly no obvious garden seating, so some parking spaces are occupied by picnic tables to allow for al fresco drinking in less-than-ideal surroundings. This is a large pub with a U-shaped serving counter to the right that supports standard and premium keg alongside two banks of four hand pumps that were drawing Titanic’s Plum Porter, Dancing Duck Brewery’s Duck Down, Little Critters Brewing’s Turtley Tropical and GK Abbot Ale. Entering through the front entrance into the over 18s bar there’s high tables directly to the left by a couple of fruit machines, and beyond are some standard tables that give off a dining vibe. To the right of the entrance is a tile floored bar area with some high tables that are served by the front of the counter, and in the front right corner is a laminate floored area with seating along the rear wall and in the front windows. The rear of the counter serves a family friendly lounge with different seating areas that I didn’t really investigate. Televisions throughout were airing muted cricket on Sky Sports while some lounge music played. For 5pm on a Monday afternoon there was a good atmosphere with twenty or so locals in attendance, and more were coming through the door as I left. I’m not sure how much of a claim to fame this is, but this pub is the best Hungry Horse pub that I’ve visited over the years.
On 12th November 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6353 recommendations about 6315 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Bold Forester
The Bold Forester is yet another roadside chain pub on the busy A38 into Mansfield. It is also yet another Hungry Horse establishment. They seem to love these around here. It was the third one I'd visited on my two trips to this area of Nottinghamshire.
Surprisingly, this one is listed in the current 2022 Good Beer Guide, with the promise of up to 12 real ales. In the event, there were only half of that number. But it was still a vast improvement on the other Hungry Horse establishments I'd visited, in terms of ales.
The regulars are Greene King IPA & Abbot & Morland Old Speckled Hen. Guests were Kelham Island Pale Rider, Titanic Plum Porter & Bradfield Farmer's Steel Cow.
The bar is quite large. After scouring the length to check out the various handpulls, I waited and waited and waited to be served. People who had arrived just after me were served. Others arriving at that end of the bar were also served. I was getting particularly frustrated and had to ask one of the passing barmaids if anybody was likely to be serving at my end of the bar anytime soon. In fairness to her, she served me immediately and I even received a CAMRA discount on my order.
The interior feels like a typical chain eatery, with nearly all tables taken with diners. Although there were a fair number of people just there for a drink, from what I could see. An outdoor area contains some heated huts, presumably installed during the various pandemic restrictions when it wasn't safe to eat or drink indoors.
This was not really a place I could feel comfortable in and with the inefficient service, I wouldn't be too tempted to return just for a drink. Although the prospect of a cheap meal with a decent ale to wash it down with would be a good enough reason to pay a visit. So, maybe I will return to sample the mass produced food the next time I'm in Mansfield.
On 24th March 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3329 recommendations about 3327 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Bold Forester
Thank goodness for Greene King! Never thought I would say that (though actually its twice following Williams Ale House in London), but after the very poor experience of the chain pubs in the town centre this Hungary Horse is much more like it. Modern building from the exterior inside there are split levels, separated areas, differing from dark to light areas, high/low seating.
All very well presented and laid out considering its a chain pub.
Good choice of beer, including local & a rushed member of staff apologising for the slight wait whilst serving someone else.
Beer kept very well.
On 27th April 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1585 recommendations about 1562 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Bold Forester
The Bold Forester is a large modern pub that is set well back from the main road in its own grounds.
Once inside there a very large single L shaped room that is divided into different areas,there is a pool table and TV to the rear right,this is more like a bar area,the middle area had some bench seating and comfy chairs,the family dining area is to the far left on a raised area,the room is carpeted throughout and is quite smart.
There were three banks of handpumps,the ones on the front bar area were from the Greene King Stable,IPA, Abbot,Old Speckled Hen,the pumps at eaech side of the bar had guest beers on,i had a drink of Nottingham EPA which the landlord said was fresh on it tasted very nice,the other beers i noted were Navigation Pale,Cottage Pit Stop,i saw beers from Mauldons and Double Top,too many to write down.
There were lots of diners but has a drinker i was made very welcome,i carn'nt comment on any smells of food,because i lost me sense of smell a few years ago.
I was happy enough drinking in this pub,it seems large enough to cater for both drinkers and diners alike.
Pub visited 28/6/2014
On 28th June 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Bold Forester
The Good Beer Guide describes this as Mansfield's "flagship real ale pub", so I thought I'd better check it out, though going by appearances it is not a pub I would have put on my "must visit" list. It's a modern building, now part of the Hungry Horse chain, but the landlord is apparently a real ale enthusiast, which has got to be a good thing. I counted 13 hand pumps, but I may have missed one or two. Several were carrying Green King pump clips, but there were others advertising beers from Batemans and Titanic, plus Theakstons Old Peculier and local Nottingham Legend. Service was cheerful and prompt, despite it being a very busy early evening when I was there. There must have been 40 cars in the large car park (it was about half full), but there was still plenty of room inside this large open plan building.
The main drawback for me is that most people were here for their evening meal, and the smell of cooked food, mostly fried, mostly fish, was not conducive to enjoyment of a pint, or even a half, of good real ale. I took my half to the benches outside, which was not much of an improvement as the ash trays had not been emptied for some time. The beer was OK, but if this is the flagship, I dread to think what the rest are like.
On 24th August 2011
- rating: 4
[User has posted 4531 recommendations about 4152 pubs]