Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans Central, St. Albans

This modernised gastro pub has a bit of an off-putting location on a busy roundabout at the top of the main shopping street, but once inside, it feels like a nice sanctuary from the bustle outside. The pub looks rather attractive on approach thanks to bold flower boxes and hanging baskets which make it really stand out. You enter into a smart split-level room with bare boards through most of the space plus some rather funky tiled flooring around the bar area. A long, curved button backed banquette runs along the wall opposite the bar area with nice upholstered chairs adding to the comfy seating options here. Curved front windows give you a good ‘people-watching’ view out to the busy street beyond. To one side of the room there is a lower seating area centred around a small brick fireplace with a nice silhouette of a blacksmith and anvil above. The bar has a long tongue and groove counter which turns 90 degrees at the left hand end and runs back into a space dominated by high tables and stools. A couple of TV screens were showing some test cricket whilst a moody soundtrack played in the background. The walls have been decorated with a mix of old fashioned paintings, local photos and craft beer or blacksmith themed drawings. To the right of the bar, a door leads out to a large beer patio with lots of decent looking seating which was proving a popular suntrap on a hot Bank Holiday Monday. There were five ales available on this visit – Oakham Citra and Bishop’s Farewell, Sharps Doom Bar, Greene King Abbot Ale and Farr Brewers Bitter with a couple of ciders taking up the remaining handpulls. I also counted six craft keg options from the likes of Camden and Brewdog. My pint of Citra was a bit steep at £4.10 but was at least in very good shape. I also decided to have some lunch here and enjoyed some simple, tasty pub grub, although again the prices might be seen as a little steep. I really liked the feel of this pub which seemed quite warm and inviting despite its obvious modern makeover and food focus. There was a good atmosphere from a sizable crowd and the beer range and quality was sufficient enough to encourage return visits. Not quite in St Alban’s top league of pubs, but a very solid and satisfying visit nonetheless

Nice, large pub on a road junction that has been opened up and modernised. Clean and well looked after. Real ale here, kept ok

Large mock tudor pub with a fairly dull, open-plan and bashed-about interior. Hopes raised by seeing loads of ale, nine in total plus proper cider. Sadly my Leighton Buzzard Borrower was awful (cheesy tasting) and the Dark Star APA – usually one of this kingdom’s finest brews – was a muted and pale imitation. ‘All fur coat and no knickers’ was my summation on the day.

Official site of Blacksmiths Arms - www.blacksmitharms.co.uk

I seem to recall this large mock tudor pub at the top end of the main shopping drag in St Albans was always one to avoid back in the day due to it having a bit of a reputation of being Chav central with cheap lagers as the main attraction. But clearly all change under the stewardship of the Stonegate pub company on the evidence of this visit. Internally it’s still got the feel of a large pubCo owned outlet with laminated plastic food menus and several screens including a large drop down one for the sport. But it’s worth a visit for its two main USP’s in the very large external outdoor drinking space, excellent for a fine weather evening such as the one we visited on, and probably the widest choice of ales of any of the pubs in town. There was a slight suspicion that its more quantity over quality on the ale front as a couple of our party had a couple of flat and ropey beers, but I couldn’t complain about my Oakham The Robber so have to say this was a vast improvement compared to my remembrances..

Official site of Blacksmiths Arms - www.blacksmitharms.co.uk

An imposing pub just off a busy roundabout with a brewers' Tudor facade. A large open plan boarded room with a central bar which sported ten handpumps. A decent range were on, Woodforde Wherry, Dark Star American Pale Ale, Oakham The Robber, Doom Bar, Adnam's Ghost Ship, two from Leighton Buzzard, Borrowers Bitter and Restoration Ale plus two from Boggart Brewery, Rum Porter and Nibb. There was also a cider from Thatchers, Heritage. There is a huge garden to the rear, popular and a warm and pleasant day, this includes a yurt which can be hired I understand. Great beer range, ok pub.

A quite large, imposing looking corner pub,reasonably spacious inside with a great cask beer range available from the ten handpumps, my two choices here were Oakham The Robber and Darkstar American Pale Ale,both were in fine fettle . Definitely a pub for the beer enthusiast.