The Drum Winder, Bradford

Official site of The Drum Winder - ambertaverns.co.uk

Official site of The Drum Winder - ambertaverns.co.uk

One large room with a couple of alcoves. It's a JDWalike without the beer. Three handpumps, two on, both pulling really boring beer, these were Wainwright and Theakston Best, which is the most boring beer in the country. Full of Bradford's 50 somethings on benefits or poor pensions who come here because it's dirt cheap. It's quite nicely done in a very bland sort of way. About a thousand Tv's showing cricket and racing on my Friday afternoon visit. a Half of Fosters was £1.05. I'll not be calling in this one again.

Visited yesterday lunch time. My first visit since this place has opened, I believe it used to be a Poundland or similar, but you would never know it. Three hand pulls at the bar, offering Wainwright, Hobgoblin Gold and Theakston Best Bitter. All real ales are £2.30 a pint (£1.15 a half). It's pleasantly decorated, there are TV screens everywhere and a big projection screen. It is fair to assume they are going to be pushing the live sports in here. It is pretty much open plan, the bar is to the left as you enter and over to the right are different sections with banquette seating. Mainly older clientele in but a bit of a mix on Tuesday lunch time, when it was reasonably busy. Music was playing at a sensible volume, and overall there was a pleasant atmosphere. However I couldn't help notice that the place was absolutely covered in CCTV cameras. It's a Wetherspoon style pub but without the beer selection, and I'm not sure if they do food or not. I didn't see any, nor were there any menus at the tables. Toilets are downstairs but most of the old boys seemed to be nipping into the disabled loo on the ground floor. Nice to have tried it, but this seems to be the kind of place that attracts John Smiths drinkers of a certain age, so I doubt the real ale selection is ever going to get too adventurous.