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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Bull, Rugby
Rugby
CV21 3BX
Pub Type
Craft Union (Stonegate)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Bull
A large building, or combination of buildings, opened out around a very long bar counter. The central feature, for me at least, was the bank of five hand pumps, with the same line up as mentioned by the previous reviewer. I went for the Abbot which was in very good condition (NBSS 3.5). I quite liked it here - it was smart, light, comfortable, the beer was good, though the young lad behind the bar was definitely more interested in his phone than his customers. I went to use the toilet before moving on to the next pub and wished I had held on - it's only just around the corner. (Would have scored a seven with the beer quality and the general ambience, but the toilet drags it down to five.)
Date of visit: 29th November 2023
On 24th December 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 4273 recommendations about 3935 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Bull
Curious-looking building, part three (low) storeys / part single storey. Inside, the 'L'-shape bar is fairly traditional but smartened up since my last visit 12 years ago. Now a Craft Union pub, I found Doom Bar, Hobgoblin IPA (£1.40, half), Ghost Ship, Abbot and Lilley's Mango cider being served from the bank of five handpumps (with the selection and quality both being a bit better than I was expecting).
On 3rd December 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Bull
A fairly standard pub. A L-shaped place that has been updated. There are 5 handpumps on the bar but there's nothing of interest. The beers were Doom Bore, Abbot, Old Speckled Hen and Hobgob today. Its a basic town centre pub to be honest.
On 16th February 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Bull
The Bull is situated on a busy pedestrianised street in the middle of Rugby.
Once inside there is a single L shaped room with the bar facing,the seating was bench type and normal tables and chairs,the rear right was down one step,the room is carpeted and seemed quite smart in my opinion.
There were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Hobgoblin which was a decent drink,the other beers were Old Speckled Hen and GK Abbot.
There were a few TVs showing cricket,the pub was quite busy with older male drinkers on my early Saturday dinner visit.
I was happy enough drinking in this pub.
Pub visited12/7/2014
On 18th September 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Bull
A pretty generic town centre pub. It's been refurbished by numbers, so it looks smart enough but it's almost featureless apart from some very brights colours being used in places. Football was being shown on the big screen. There are 6 handpumps, but only 2 of them were on serving Hobgoblin and Abbot, so not very inventive either. The Hobgoblin was OK, but not great. Pretty much sums the whole pub up really.
On 29th August 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3286 recommendations about 3196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Bull
This seemed to be a well supported pub. The interior was a bit garish with some of the walls painted bright orange. Lots of menus on tables offering cheap meals. There were four handpumps and only two in use, offering up Abbott and Hobgoblin.
On 10th November 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Bull
The Bull has recently been refurbished having been pretty tatty for many years which has definitely helped it's popularity. It's a fairly unexceptional interior with a small bar area to the left and much larger room to the right on two different levels. The furniture is standard 'refurbished pub' and it's carpeted throughout with the exception of wood flooring around the bar.
There are television screens everywhere all showing different footie matches on my Saturday afternoon visit and that also explains the popularity. Having said that, the atmosphere is good with no overt tribal rivalries.
There's clearly an effort being made on the ale front with Bass, EPA, Ringwood Best, Spitfire and TT Landlord on. The latter had just come on and the landlord was taking a great interest in its condition. It wasn't at all bad and neither was the Bass I tried.
Rugby is well served for real ale boozers and The Bull is now one of those that's worth adding to any crawl.
On 21st November 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 683 recommendations about 682 pubs]