The Devonshire Arms, Russell Park, Bedford

Located out in a residential area you’re unlikely to stumble across to the east of the town centre, this is a smart two-room Charles Wells house that has apparently been tied to the brewery for over 120 years. You enter into a large bare boarded front bar with half-height wall panels, some of which are painted grey, beneath plain upper sections. The servery is to the rear right and has a simple tongue and groove panelled counter beneath a nice pot shelf with decorative metalwork and frosted glass, with the pub’s name spelt out across it in gold lettering. All topped with some rather ugly blackboards listing the wine selection, which rather spoil the overall effect. The mirrored bar back has some basic dark wood shelving that looks like it might be a relatively recent replacement, but still fits in okay with the overall look. Seating comes mainly in the form of simple tables and chairs, especially through the opened out left-hand side of the room, with a few high tables and stools dotted around and hard backed pews under the front windows. The walls have been decorated with various old paintings, a fake stag’s head, plentiful CAMRA certificates and an unused TV screen. There’s a nice fireplace to the left with a plain mirror above, backed by some deer motif wallpaper. A door next to the bar leads through to a rear room with plenty more tables and chairs, a plainer version of the front servery, and more of the same traditional decor. A good 70’s and 80’s soundtrack played in the background and there was a steady stream of customers, most of whom seemed to know each other, throughout my stay. Two Wells beers - Eagle IPA and Legacy - were available alongside Adnams Ghost Ship, St Austell Tribute and Black Sheep Bitter, and my pint of the Ghost Ship was in very good condition, meriting the pub’s inclusion in the Good Beer Guide. The two barmaids seemed friendly enough, but despite the influx of customers, there was a strange, stilted atmosphere of the sort I don’t really associate with this sort of community local’s pub. This is quite a nice pub with a decent interior that has a few comfy spots to settle down in, and some well kept ale, albeit from quite mainstream sources. I think I’d have warmed to this one a little more if I’d caught it a bit later in the day, when it was a little livelier, but as it was, I came away feeling it was a reasonable pub without much in the way of atmosphere. Maybe one for a revisit some day.

A well described, Victorian side street local which has the dreaded Charles Wells sign outside. Inside is all very pleasant and the welcome was friendly. So far so good. And it continues to surprise with beers on being Thwaites Wainwright, Marstons 61 Deep, Courage Directors, Wells Eagle IPA and an excellent Adnams Ghost Ship. Not a selection to set the world alight and with a few from the former Wells Bedford brewery but Marstons are clearly having an influence and any choice outside Bombardier has to be a good thing. I liked it here and would make a beeline for it if in Bedford.

Official site of The Devonshire Arms - www.devonshirearmsbedford.co.uk

Official site of The Devonshire Arms - www.devonshirearmsbedford.co.uk

The Devonshire Arms page on the Charles Wells website - www.charleswellspubs.co.uk

The Devonshire Arms page on the Charles Wells website - www.charleswellspubs.co.uk