The Cock Inn, Biggleswade

Official site of The Cock Inn - www.thecockatbroom.co.uk

Official site of The Cock Inn - www.thecockatbroom.co.uk

This is one of the few totally unspoilt country pubs left in the South of England. When King and Barnes, Brakspear and Ridleys were independent brewers that were still open for business they all had some pubs like this but the majority have either gone or been turned into gastro-pubs. I'd been here once before some 25-30 years ago when it was a Greene King tied house. It didn't look as though it had changed at all. Today the sign says Free House but What Pub reckon it's owned by Charles Wells! Inside it consists of a corridor with a red tiled floor, one room on the left and two on the right before you reach the serving area. These rooms are all quite small. The serving area has a few tables and chairs plus a doorway on the left leading down to a cellar from where most of the beer is served straight from the cask. Further on to the left is yet another room described as the "dining room" where I overheard it said that tables were reserved as a means of preventing drinkers using it which seems fair enough to me! There is a small patio area to the right of the serving area and the room on the left as you enter is a games room dominated by a Northampton Skittles table. There is a large TV in the serving area but it was turned off. It wasn't too busy on my early Thursday afternoon visit but there were groups of people coming and going. The beer choice was a trifle disappointing with four consisting of GK IPA & Abbot, Doom Bore and New River London Tap. I went for the London Tap and followed it with an Abbot (both £3.50). The Abbot was served from somewhere outside but both were in first class condition. There is an infrequent 200 bus from outside Biggleswade Station that makes the fairly short journey here. The last bus back is at 16:12 on weekdays only! It's only the pedestrian beer choice that stops me giving this one a 10. It's GBG 2018 listed.