King's Head, Huddersfield

Manager and staff very friendly, very good choice of ales all marked on a large blackboard with info and prices. Prices were the cheapest around and beer well kept. Very basic inside, manager says there's a spectacular glass doom above the ceiling and when they do a refurb it will be on display. There's a lot of potential with this pub just waiting to see something happen. Will return when they do it up.

Specialises in Real Ale from independent micro breweries. Live music evert Sunday.

Housed in part of Huddersfield's impressive station building at the east end of platform 1, although access appears to be only possible from the street side. It is basically a large plain room about 35 foot square, with a smaller room beyond and a smallish alcovelike space next to part of the bar counter. There is some bench seating and tables round the edge with a few Britannia tables with stools in the middle. There is a stage at one end of the room under a window that allows you to watch the trains going by or if you're going towards Manchester see when the next train is due, a very useful if unintended feature. The walls and ceiling are plain painted anaglypta but enlivened with some framed Rizla adverts and a large mirror over one of the fireplaces, there is also a nice victorian tiled floor. It may once have been a more impressive victorian buffet but décor is not the point of the Kings Head, in the words of Fyfe Robertson in a long forgotten TV advert; “No! It's BEER!”. The impressive collection of 10 hand pumps, three serving real cider, have a changing selection of wonderfully well kept ales from mainly small breweries, there are a few kegs also available. A large blackboard over the fireplace shows the usual strength and price information although I wasn't the only customer who totally missed it on entering even though it's right opposite the door! Friendly staff and as you might guess the customers are largely but not exclusively, real ale devotees. By the way, the King in the pub's name is Jimi Hendrix, according to the sign outside.

A superb real ale venue housed in the neo-classical splendour of Huddersfield station, once described by John Betjeman as ‘a stately home with trains in’. The three-roomed interior is understandably quite plain by comparison, despite the mosaic tiled floor in the main room. (However, the pub’s official website states that the present licensees are trying to restore the former Victorian grandeur. A major project will be the removal of the false ceiling to reveal the original). A recent Saturday lunchtime visit had a lively, friendly atmosphere with Town fans, rugby league supporters and several groups of ‘rail-ale’ tourists all rubbing shoulders. All ten pumps were on the go and the quality of my Brewster’s ‘Decadence’ was tip-top. All the beers were roughly around £2.30, which struck me as very reasonable. Staff were friendly, welcoming and very efficient. The pub’s doorstop sandwiches are rightly famous-very filling and great value at around £1.50. Access was possible from the platform on my visit. Definitely one on the growing list of must visit pubs in Huddersfield. Excellent.