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The Mini Monocle, Loughborough
Loughborough
LE11 3ER
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Mini Monocle
Micro-pub in the Tudorbethan-frontaged former Barley Mow pub / music venue with just enough room for a compact stage by the window. That leaves little room for seating, but there are also a couple of small metal tables out on the pavement. Up to seven real ales in a range of styles are served from taps mounted on half casks mounted on the back wall, with six of these in use when we called in. After some discussion, I tried the last of the 5.9% Bohemian Dark Export from Leatherbritches (£3.50, half) but that turned out to still be in good shape.
On 13th February 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 9063 recommendations about 9063 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about The Mini Monocle
This was one of four pubs I visited in Loughborough seven years ago but didn't get around to writing a review; at the time it was called Cask Bah, which is barely less explicable than its current moniker. It's one of several small businesses that occupy what was clearly one large building back in the day, quite possibly a pub with it's mock tudor upper floor and brick and stone ground floor. As soon as I stepped into the porch that the Mini Monocle shares with the potato bar next door the smell brought a memory flooding back. The pub is in a pretty small room with a drum kit in the window, the front panel from a Marshall stack on one wall and a telephone kiosk door in the corner leading to the toilet. The gloomy interior of the pub is enlivened by a row of barrel ends on the back wall. The beers are in a cool room behind, and the beer I asked for was near the end, as the very helpful and friendly young server told us. Leatherbritches Bohemian Dark Export 5.9%, a strong, old ale was one of five or six beers in collapsible polypins, and although there was not much more than a pint left, it was still in very good nick, as my drinking companion and I found out after having been encouraged by our server to check it before she asked us to pay for it (NBSS 4, £7/pint). Looking around we found evidence of live music as well as beer; luckily at the time of our visit it was just beer. This is a pub that I wouldn't mind revisiting, but I dread to think what it's like if there's a band on.
On 6th February 2026
- rating: 6
[User has posted 4671 recommendations about 4280 pubs]
Old Boots left this review about The Mini Monocle
A small eccentric music bar, a small stage with equipment sits in the front window, it’s fairly small and counts as a micro I guess. Not much to add to the fulsome previous reviews, no free shots from the heavily tattooed barmaid however. It is difficult to see what’s on the seven cask ends especially when the Nottingham brewery ones are renamed after rock giants like Ozzy. I plumped for a Leatherbritches beer which was fine but maybe over conditioned. The door to the unisex toilet came from an old telephone box. Nice heavy metal sounds so my usual moans about constant music don’t apply here and I liked the rock/steampunk/goth decor. I didn’t check if the wall mounted Marshall amp went up to 11.
On 25th April 2025
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3937 recommendations about 3601 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Cask Bah
Right in the heart of the town centre, this is a small, single room pub that specialises in live music, although rather amazingly, I managed to turn up on a rare night with no music on. The upshot of this was that the place was pretty empty, aside from a couple of blokes propping up the bar, but I was quickly made to feel welcome by the cheery barman who was compensating for the lack of live music by playing YouTube videos of his favourite live performances on the big screen at one end of the room, as chosen by himself and the two blokes at the bar. He then proceeded to pour shots for us all, on the house, creating a tiny party of four whilst a bemused barmaid looked on from the sidelines. The room itself is a simple bare boarded affair with the bar along the rear wall and the stage to the front. The bar has a timber fronted counter with barrel ends mounted on the bar back from which the beer is mysteriously poured. A couple of banquette booths can be found to one side of the room and high tables and stools have to make do down the other. The stage had all the necessary gear on it for a band to plug in and let rip, but this all looked a bit unsightly and messy on a non-gig night. The place has been broadly decorated with punk and rock themed items, including a few decent paintings.
There were no less than six ales available, but as some of these were poured from the barrel ends on the bar back, I couldn’t work out what all of them were, only being able to read the Nottingham Rock Mild pump clip from the handpull nearest to me. I ended up staying here for a few pints, one of which was nearing the end of its shelf life, but the rest were all in pretty good nick.
This was a slightly surreal and unexpected end to the evening, but I enjoyed chatting to the locals and the barman whilst watching classic music clips and drinking some tasty beer. It’s a very niche place, so won’t really offer much to those uninterested in catching a band, but I thought it was better than a lot of grassroot music venues I’ve been to in the past and enjoyed my time here.
On 31st May 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3387 recommendations about 3387 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Cask Bah
Micro music pub, very much of the punk/New Wave ethos. Furniture of the late 70s American persuasion though I suspect it's more likely sourced from one of the local Asian outlets, with some half cube seating off right and tables made from repurposed drum kit floor toms. Full kit set up for bands at the front of the room. Plenty to look at, and an interesting touch was the door leading to the toilet being that of an old phone box. Beer served from a wall at the back, making it hard to see what was on, especially so as they are all music themed (presumably rebadges from Nottingham Brewery). My ‘Lemmy Legend’ was ostensibly fine though I suspect an aspirator was on the go as it felt a bit zombified (NBSS 2.5). Friendly punters and staff. It's a unique venue and whilst not really my thing, I wish it well.
On 19th November 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5992 recommendations about 5971 pubs]