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The Borough, Lancaster
Lancaster
LA1 1PP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Borough
Occupying a corner position on Lancaster’s tree lined historic Dalton Square is The Borough, a pub which occupies two floors of a Grade 2 listed Georgian town house that has previously seen service as the Mayor of Lancaster’s house and also, perhaps unusually, a working men’s club. Formerly “The Blob Shop” (oh dear !) according to the CAMRA Whatpub website, it’s now a family owned and run upmarket pub/restaurant.
A Victorian style frontage leads into a front drinking area which is, indeed, reminiscent of a gentlemans club, with deep red leather buttoned padded armchairs in the bay windows, chandeliers, oak panelled walls, tall black and white photos and a number of table lamps incorporating nude figurines. On the right hand wall, a rather imposing framed certificate tells us that one Thomas Taylor was admitted to membership of The British Institute of Embalmers in 1937.
Passing under some etched frosted screens high up, one enters the rear part, which extends back a surprising long way. This area is much larger than the front area and, with subdued lighting and individually sectioned booths down the side, has a distinctly upmarket and aspirational ambience to it.
The toilets are upstairs, as is a separate function room which, I gather, houses a Sunday night Comedy Club. The polished wood bar counter is on the right hand side, in what is effectively a narrowish corridor leading through to the restaurant area. There’s an outside yard at the back ( one hesitates to call it a “garden” ).
The on site micobrewery, which commenced production in 2013, is situated in the cellar, directly under the bar. On my recent mid – September visit, three Borough beers ( Pale, Bitter and Summertime Dark ) were on alongside 2 beers from OSB Brewery plus one from Kirkby Lonsdale. Notably, also on were Wells Eagle IPA and Bombardier. I don’t think I’ve ever been in an establishment before where a CAMRA discount of as much as £1 is applied, although, even after that, my pint of Summertime Dark still came to £ 2.45p, not as cheap as one might expect. I ‘m not sure that I would have been desperately impressed at paying £ 3.45p for a 4% beer brewed virtually under where I was standing. For some reason, which I didn’t pursue, a prominent notice advised that the £1 CAMRA discount did not extend to the Wells Eagle IPA.
Borough beers sampled were enjoyable and the engaging and friendly staff, who were also very knowledgeable about the beers, contrasted quite markedly with those at The Water Witch earlier in the day.
I’d definitely want to come here again next time I’m in Lancaster.
On 6th October 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Borough
A large converted townhouse on one of Lancaster's squares. It's got a fairly narrow frontage, but goes back a long way. The rear of the pub was totally given over to food with many tables taken and the rest with reserved signs on them on our Thursday late afternoon/early evening visit. The front area has deep, leather, buttoned armchairs and feels like a waiting room for the restaurant area. The clentele in this area all acted as if they owned the place and it was mainly full of suits & suitesses, who were all rather up their own arses. The pub has its own 2 barrel microbrewery and only their beers were on the bar. My pint was in good condition and there is a £1 per pint CAMRA discount. There needs to be, even with the discount the round was still more than it would have been in my CAMRA National Pub Of The Year winning local. I didn't take to this pub at all, although we may have caught it at a bad time, it's difficult to know.
On 6th June 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3342 recommendations about 3252 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Borough
We called here on a busy Tuesday lunchtime and the service was excellent. The interior is traditional with oak flooring, oak polished bar and screens along the front of the restaurant section. All the timber in the front of the pub was painted in a heritage sage green colour. We tried a couple of their Borough ales and found them to be served cold. After warming the glass through my hands, I did start to taste some flavour, but not much. I found their beer a big disappointment, in fact boring.
On 23rd February 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3745 recommendations about 3745 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Borough
They now have their own microbrewery and there were three on last week. The Stout was very good. I would have tried the others but I couldn't pass up the chance of a swift and well-served Hawkshead. It has always been a bit upmarket in here and there seems to have been another subtle notch upwards as the rear area seemed very formal to how I remember. Still one of Lancaster's best, mind.
April 2011
A relative newcomer to the Lancaster pub scene, this is a conversion from an old townhouse close to the city hall. It’s a very large place and is ornately decorated; high ceilings, chandeliers, oak-panelled walls and old pictures. It functions mainly (though not exclusively) as a food and coffee house during the afternoons (I saw a few people having business meetings in here) but turns into a relaxed drinking den in the evening. There are half a dozen real ales sourced heavily from local breweries (think Hawskshead, Bowland etc) which are usually in exceptionally good condition. The bay window with the comfy leather chairs is a good place for people watching. Aimed squarely at the middle class, CAMRA types and upmarket students, the atmosphere is relaxed and enjoyable. Highly recommended.
On 2nd December 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5992 recommendations about 5971 pubs]