The Geldart, Cambridge

Of all the side-street corner pubs in this eastern part of the city this is my personal favourite. As a self confessed jazz head, anywhere that is musically themed with reliably good ales,dispensed by brass instruments instead of your standard hand pumps, and pictures of Miles Davis and other Jazz greats adorning its walls firmly has me by the short and curlies. Another good visit here. Eight ales on the go with a good mix of styles and the Vale Brewery’s Black Beauty Porter I went for was in good condition. This is still right up there for me, so no need to modify my previous rating.

The Geldart is a music themed pub cum exhibition of musical instruments, including a very impressive glass topped piano that is being used as a table. Lots of stuff to look at, the musically inclined people in our group were very excited, and rightly so. Even the eight hand pump handles are made of cut down musical instruments! Salopian’s Lemon Dream, St Austell’s Tribute, Adnams Ghost Ship, Vocation’s Bread & Butter, Oakham’s Citra, St Ives Meor and Vale Brewery’s Black Beauty Porter were the cask options. I went for the Vocation which was well served by a very friendly barmaid. This place is well worth a look.

One of the many side-street corner pubs in this eastern part of the city near the railway line, but this one is a recent local Camra-award winner. Attractive twin-bar interior, with both parts semi-traditionally decorated with a musical theme, and the link between them having a glass-topped grand piano as a table! Good selection of eight cask beers on handpumps with handles created from small instruments, with the Vale Black Beauty (£5.20) being in great shape. Notably efficient and personable staff too, so that's always worth an extra point.

Serving ‘innovative food’, this is very much a music-themed pub; museum wouldn’t be off the mark, with musical instruments and radiophonic paraphernalia aplenty; it’s also a Cambridge CAMRA pub 2023. Lots of the tables were reserved and laid for dining, no doubt for those looking to munch on innovation. There are nine pumps, suitably with pump handles fashioned from bits of musical instruments. I went for the Oakham Citra which I’ve marked as ‘nice’, the experience dented by having to part with £2.85 for the pleasure.

If navigating to this pub using a map on your phone, make sure it hasn't sent you to Geldart Street instead. Using your glasses even though it's raining might save you an extra half mile walk. I had arranged to meet a friend here, a GBG completist, and when I arrived - only 10 minutes late - and said in reply to his question that I would have a half of Hanlon's Yellow Hammer, he failed to mention that he had drunk this beer before and it is pretty boring. So much for revenge being a dish best served cold. To be fair, I scored it NBSS 3.5 because it was in very good condition, but if a friend said he was thinking of drinking it I would certainly advise against. Despite all this I had a good time in this pub, with its quirky hand pumps fashioned from musical instruments distinguishing it from any other pub I have visited or been told about. Unfortunately I had reached the point in this day's pub research where making notes had become beyond me, so that's all you get. Date of visit: 29th February 2024