The Shoulder Of Mutton, Bradford

We were made to feel welcome by staff and customers alike in this excellent Sam Smiths pub in the heart of Bradford city centre. The very good Sam Smiths Old Brewery Bitter has now gone down to just £1.82 a pint. We looked around for a seat or two and found ourselves in the snug which ROB Camra describes below, but rather than clearing the room with talk of Crown Courts and such, we instead found ourselves embroiled in friendly banter as though we were 10-year regulars rather than first timers. Being less than five minutes from Forster Square and under ten from Interchange station, this is an ideal stop if you're between trains.

An attractive Sam Smiths pub, with various seating areas in different rooms around the central corridor. Fairly basic furniture and decor. Unlike many of its ilk, I thought it had quite a convivial atmosphere. OBB available from several handpumps (and very good value at £1.85).

This pub is well described by John below, so I won't bother. I always call in here for a quick half when in Bradford, even though I don't really like Sam Smiths beer, as it's such a great little locals pub. A couple of years ago whilst I was working with West Yorkshire Police & CPS I called in here with a Chief Super (plain clothes) & the business manager for West Yorkshire CPS. We sat in the small snug on the left, which had one table available and started discsussing the new system we were putting into Bradford Crown Court. After about 5 minutes I looked around and realised we were now the only 3 people in the room :-)) I don't think that this is a scallies pub, I think they were just being on the safe side. I like this pub and will no doubt call in again soon.

A brief business trip to Bradford gave me the opportunity to revisit this pub, after a couple of years absence, for the proverbial swift half, being the nearest GBG listed pub to our hotel. Situated in the heart of the city, it’s a small typical Yorkshire stone built building. On the wall outside, a small plaque thoughtfully provided by Bradford City Heritage tells us that “this building is a typical early 19th century public house dating from 1825”. Entering the pub, at the end of a shortish narrow corridor, with half height boarded wood panelling, we reach a typical Northern stand up drinking lobby, where seats are limited to several tables and chairs at the room’s edge. Opposite the bar counter, several steps lead down to the main seating area – a simply furnished bare boarded room with light coloured walls and fixed banquette seating around the room’s perimeter. There’s several framed photos of old Bradford, but the room feels somewhat ordinary and unremarkable. It’s evidently been refurbished, but without losing the basic traditional feel and atmosphere. There’s several cosier snug type rooms on the other side of the corridor and the lobby, one of which leads out to a garden, which, by city centre standards, is quite spacious. On my recent early evening visit, there was a good mixed crowd of shoppers and local workers and a lively atmosphere. It’s a Sam Smiths pub – unbadged as such externally of course – with the OBB priced at £ 1.75p, rather cheaper than in their London pub estate. This is a pleasant enough pub for a quick visit, but if I had had more time, there’s other pubs that I’d do instead

Fantastic little place. Former coach house with original coach yard gates and nice little beer garden. Good selection of real ales and real largers, mainly from the Alpine Brewery. Nice atmosphere and good for Forster Square station.

The Shoulder of Mutton is in the middle of Bradford and it is unaltered inside with three different room that i could see. This is a Samuel Smiths tied house and there was their one real ale on the bar Old Brewery bitter and this was a very nice drink and also very cheap. The pub was very busy when i was here early saturday dinner and i think this pub is well worth a visit.

What a wonderful traditional multiple roomed pub full of locals from young to those who have probably spent much of their lives in this great pub. bar staff are also very friendly. Only has Samuel Smiths OBB in terms of ales but Sam Smiths keg Stout is well worth trying. This is a must do pub before it gets modernized . It is handy for Bradford Forester Square station.