Pubs Galore - the UK pub guide

This entry should be deleted as the Cartvale replaced it years ago.

Now owned by Kirkstall Brewery and opened in August 2023 as the Three Swords. It's been done in the usual Kirkstall house style of tradition pub features, either reproduction or salvage, though the building itself is obviously not a traditional pub. There are six hand pumps on the bar, with just two Kirkstall beers, plus two from Leeds Brewery (now owned by Kirkstall, as I understand), and one from Five Points, whose beers often feature at the Cardigan Arms). It was very busy indeed on a Friday evening, with families and groups of friends doing a lot of eating and a fair amount of drinking. My two beers were tremendous - the Leeds Pale the best I have ever had and the Kirkstall brew that gives the pub its name as near perfect as makes no odds. I must come back at a quieter time and drink my way along the bar.

Dodging the April showers I made my way to Mondo’s tap room from Distortion, annoyed with myself that I neglected to take a photo of the front of the still un-photographed Distortion! Glad I did not volte face as I got here just before another downpour.

Can’t add anything to the forensically accurate description from PSM below other than nothing seems to have changed over the 4 years and a global pandemic in between. Checking my records, I started the evening of the date of PSM’s review with a pint of Brakespear’s Gravity in the Flying Horse on Wilson St over in the City.

Looking at prior reviews, realise how much these tap rooms polarise opinion - to get a 7-3-9 from three esteemed reviewers in succession illustrates that. Guess it is a matter of true personal preference.

There were 14 taps operational on my visit (see photo). I opted from a pint of the Road Soda, a New England pale ale, as only had previously tried in bottles. Was a nice drink but didn’t enjoy as much as the prior Distortion quaff.

Apart from having to meet the missus back at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on Southbank in a short while, the “can’t decide what it wants to do” soundtrack would have driven me out of here before consuming too many more. Would happily have settled for pure punk or pure heavy metal, not a mix of something for everyone!

The history of this grade II*-listed pub is well documented on CAMRA’s sites and the pub’s own site; needless to say, the *** interior is absolutely stunning (see photos).
I was last in here around easter 2016, prior to that summer 2004 when for a few earlier years I was a regular, a best friend living round the corner. Aside from some chairs which seemed purloined from an African shaman, this place is unchanged since the previous reviews within the last year, with an unused pump then Thornbridge Lord Marples, By the Horns Diamond Geezer and Five Points Pale (£2.80 a half) drinkable and possibly better than Quinno’s experience, but not great; another customer was overheard questioning its quality so perhaps I’d have had better luck with the other two.
As BF mentions, this is the best pub in the area by a long chalk which says little about the competition, the grade reflecting the reflective interior; undertake the short walk to Maida Vale, visit the Prince Alfred and Warrington to up the heritage experience to 11.

The Marston’s Sports and Social club is the official affiliated club of the adjoining Brewery next door.
Located a 20 minute walk out of town this longstanding club is open to the public but regular customers are strongly encouraged to join the club for only £8 for the year.

This longstanding club is open to the public but regular customers are strongly encouraged to join the club. I however had no issues whatsoever entering and being served.

Inside you enter into a small walkway that leads straight ahead into the main hall off to the right for a comfortable lounge. The main hall is large with a hard floor and main stage at one end.
The more comfortable lounge is better decked out with carepets and comply lounge chairs all served by one bar shared between the two rooms.
Being tied to Marstons Pedigree, Directors, Wainwright and Boonboggle were the offerings. All pretty pedestrian choices but the Pedigree was a reasonable £3.65 was a class pint NBSS4 being crystal clear, fresh and rich, probably one of the best pints of Pedigree I have had (lets be fair it’s not had to travel far and would be a travesty if one of it’s flagship venues served a dud!).
Unfortunately, I caught it just as it opened at lunch time on a Friday so was the only customer but can imagine it gets busier later on with all manner of entertainment laid on.
There is also plenty of outside tables and acres of green grass on a sunny day overlooking football pitches and a panoramic view of the Brewery .
Overall as a Club this is definitely in the top tier, beer is as good as you will find anywhere in Burton but the traditional Pub goer may be less enthusiastic as me and your reception of this place may be determined by how much you enjoy a traditional social club.