The Minerva, Hull

Official site of The Minerva - minerva-hull.co.uk

On the banks of the Humber Estuary and on the edge of Hull’s marina is The Minerva, a well known Hull pub that was built in 1835 on land reclaimed from the River Humber. It’s situated close to The Deep, a large award winning underwater aquarium and a major Hull attraction. The pub was closed and boarded up for a while, but is now back up and running, The front door into the pub tells us that we’re entering the “Home of Pilots Pride”, which, I was told, was the name of one of the home brew beers. It’s a fine traditional, comfortable pub with a number of adjoining areas served from a central bar. Perhaps not surprisingly, maritime memorabilia abounds – old photos and prints of paddle steamers, nautical charts etc. Picnic style tables on the pavement outside allow us to gaze out seawards and watch the ships go by. The pub is home to what is believed to be the smallest pub room in the UK – one circular table and a fixed padded bench seating two people at most. Three’s a crowd as they say. The room’s dimensions are probably no more than 4 ft x 4 ft. In another corner of the pub is a bar billiards table which, we’re surprised to learn, is the only one in Hull. Apparently, it’s of antique value, although it just looked like any other bar billiards table to me. Close to this is an old one armed bandit taking 2p pieces. Outside, in what clearly looks like an extension to the original brick built building, we see what, according to lettering high up on the wall, is The Minerva Brewery, although I understand that brewing ceased around 2001, quite a few years before my first ever visit. This now houses the Brewhouse Theatre which, so we’re told, is Yorkshire’s smallest theatre, accommodating a maximum of 50 patrons. I don’t recall seeing any flyers or posters for forthcoming performances. On the food front, giant haddock and chips is a favoured speciality, for which the pub is quite well known apparently. One of the pub rooms is reserved for food, with tables laid out appropriately. The pub sign depicts a wise owl reflecting the fact that Minerva was the Roman Goddess of Wisdom. An old Tetleys sign high up on the front wall depicts a Roman gladiator with his chariot. Disappointingly, and like most Hull pubs that I was to subsequently visit over the next few days, the pub was disconcertingly short of custom when I dropped in on a recent late August Tuesday evening. In fact I was the other customer present and when, commenting on this to the barman, he replied with a resigned air that he doubted that there would be any more customers that evening. The pub occupies a slightly isolated position across a dual carriageway from the City Centre, but one might have expected a few visitors to the marina or the nearby Holiday Inn to be using the pub. I did however enjoy a superb pint of Sailmakers Porter ( 5.2% ABV ) from the Big River Brewery in nearby Brough which, on reflection, was probably the best pint I had in Hull. Other beers on were Black Sheep, Tetley and T T Landlord and, from a serving hatch around the rear of the bar, a beer from Yorkshire Brewing Co named after Luke, a local boxing Olympic Medal winner. This pub is worth seeking out