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The Red Lion, Leighton Buzzard

1 North Street
Leighton Buzzard
LU7 1EF
Phone: 01525374350

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Pub Type

Punch Taverns

Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Real Ale Ray left this review about The Red Lion

A good old fashioned traditional locals pub, which had a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. Slightly dubious about the ale selection on arrival, Doom Bar, Abbott and Fuller's Fruit Loop. I had never tried the Fuller's Fruit Loop before, so after a generous taster from the barmaid, I settled on that which was in good shape. The lounge and bar side was open on our Friday afternoon visit, whereas the games room on the right now looked to used as a store room. The industrial looking wallpaper featuring red brick work and steelwork really didn't suit a pub of this era.

On 3rd November 2019 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3378 recommendations about 3378 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Aqualung . left this review about The Red Lion

This is a two bar pub and I went in the left door leading to a lounge bar which contained a TV showing music videos, a fish tank and various framed pictures of dogs. It's been well described below and seemed a friendly enough place.
There are only three hand pumps and one was unused leaving just Abbot and Black Sheep Bitter, not a great choice for a GBG listed pub. I went for the Abbot (£3.50) which a local said was fresh on. It wasn't clear so either wasn't ready or needed pulling through. It tasted OK but overall I found this one disappointing.

On 4th December 2017 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Blackthorn _ left this review about The Red Lion

A traditional pub in the centre of Leighton Buzzard just round the corner from the Market Place, it consist of two rooms with a central bar counter and a friendly bunch of locals sat on the stools at the bar.

The lounge is to the left and this has a somewhat dated appearance with red carpet, red velvet stools, floral wallpaper and pretty much every square inch of the walls filled with photographs, many of them of dogs, but also a few cartoon type drawings. The smaller area to the front has a table and chairs squashed in to one corner, and there is a brick fire-place with a coal effect gas fire and flanked by a couple of old milk churns. Up a couple of steps at the rear it opened out slightly, and there was a large fish tank here as well as a plasma screen, although this was not in use. The music was perhaps a tad too loud I thought, this may perhaps have been from a jukebox filtering through from the bar to the right. I did not investigate this but could see a pool table and darts board in there.

Beers on tap were Abbot Ale, Black Sheep and a very pleasant Smokestack Lightning which was the guest on this occasion. Ciders were Thatcher’s Gold and Weston’s Traditional, the latter served up from a box on the end of the bar. All in all, I thought this was a decent enough pub and worth popping in if you’re in the area.

On 1st October 2014 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1937 recommendations about 1850 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Thuck Phat left this review about The Red Lion

The Red Lion is well described below and we only had a beer in the lounge on our visit. It feels like someone's front room with myriad knick knacks and ornaments making the place feel cosy and cluttered, a fish tank, various sofas, a friendly dog and Emmerdale on the large screen television. Nothing modern here.
The atmosphere is friendly with various regulars around the bar and sofas all willing to chat.
Beer was Abbot, Banks and TT Landlord. Not an inspirational selection but the Landlord was the best pint I had in town all evening if the best pint of Landlord ever.
A safe bet for a beer in Buzzard.

On 6th March 2013 - rating: 7
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Bucking Fastard left this review about The Red Lion

ORIGINAL REVIEW March 2012
A really old building with a pleasing exterior,the entrance leads to a public bar to the right and a small parlour to the left beyond which is the lounge .Both rooms have bar access,and the barmaid was kept busy shuttling between the two areas.The public bar is the larger ,with a pool table,flat screen and a banquette in one corner.The other side is more quirky with strange soft furnishing yet very trad copper topped tables and coal affect fireplace in the parlour,with a step down to the carpeted lounge with a very vivid fish tank,another flat screen,flock wall paper and a long L shaped banquette with tables.
Quite a few locals were pertched on bar stools and the low ceilings created a good atmosphere where banter rules the roost.
There was a very good selection of single malts and the traditional feel was maintained by a large jar of pickled eggs with chilli but I was underwhelmed by the ale choice of Black Sheep,GK Abbott and guest Hooky Dark,which at £3 for a 3.2%er felt pricey .
There is a large placid pub dog who inhabits the parlour and punters are warned to ask before bringing their pootch inside.
I liked the authentic interior ,a more interesting ale range would have been rewarded with a higher rating and would have made this about the best drinking option in the centre of Buzzard.

UPDATE
Glad to report that there is a more interesting range of real ale on in here now.TT Landlord and Mordue Howay in a Manger(£3.20) were guesting along side the regular Banks's Bitter and GK Abbott.Would have been nice to have the heating on,but an upgrade on the basis of a better ale range,and well kept.

On 17th December 2012 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]