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The Coopers Arms, Hitchin
Hitchin
SG5 2DY
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Coopers Arms
This is a very pleasant traditional looking pub tucked away in the older section of Hitchin a bit away from the town centre. Apparently a McMullen house since 1887, It is still a whitewashed exterior but the pub has recently reopened after being shut for an internal makeover.
I cannot comment on what it was like before as this was my first visit to this one, but I get the impression from previous pics that it was a traditional dark beams and Axminster carpet type of place. Well it’s certainly interesting inside now. Proof if I needed it that the McMullens interior design team is still smoking dodgy substances before putting pen to paper.
Still ostensibly two linked rooms one being the bar and one being more aligned to dining, but both with an interesting decor. A colour palette from the darker end of the range, someone clearly got fed up with pastel shades here. Now bare wooden floors , dark walls with a collection of interesting artwork and some impressive chandeliers. And good to see that the 17th century mantelpiece carving and ecclesiastic windows from when the building was the home of a wealthy merchant survived the makeover and are now prominent features.
The comfortable padded seating all looks new however, as does the well lit modern bar back. The bar front has lots of shiny keg taps on it, including a section with four of McMullens Rivertown keg brewery offshoot. Fortunately still a selection of Macs cask ales and can’t complain about the pint of AK I was served. I took it out into what I guess is a brand new made over courtyard garden with plenty of new light wood garden furniture.
Normally I like to slag off Mcmullens design teams for destroying the heritage of their pubs but actually I have to say I liked this one and I thought the makeover worked well and pays homage to the historical features rather than destroying them.
On 10th August 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Coopers Arms
The Coopers Arms is a nice looking pub that is just off Hitchin's town centre.
Once inside there is a smart looking room which is carpeted with the bar on the mid left side.
The pub is a McMullens tied house so i was well pleased to do it.
There are normal tables and chairs to the front,the rear left area is up two steps and is bare boarded with pew seats and and normal tables and chairs.
There were four real ales on the bar,i had a drink of McMullens AK,which was a very nice drink,the other MCMullens beers on the bar were Country Bitter,IPA and Citra Pale Ale.
There was decent background music playing.
I thought this was a very pleasant pub to have a drink in.
Pub visited 17/6/2017
On 27th August 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Coopers Arms
A traditional looking pub slightly away from the main pub/restaurant hot spots, it’s in a road that seems to be largely residential, but is nonetheless only a couple of minutes’ walk from the walk from the town centre.
It consists of two bars of a similar size, running either side of a central bar counter. The right hand bar is probably the cosier of the two, and this had plenty of black beams on the ceiling, a carpeted floor and a large walk-in fire-place to one side, although all it contains these days is a small wood burning stove and a couple of small benches, which must be a cosy spot in the colder weather. Old timber supports suggest that this may be quite an old building, and there is also some exposed brick partitioning, although possibly these don’t look quite so original. There was a fruit machine in the corner and a small TV above it was showing the football, although the volume was off so this was not too intrusive. Stripy furniture should as you might get in a Premier Inn completed the décor.
Food wise, the menu offered an extensive selection of “pub grub” dishes, with options such as lasagne, fish & chips, scampi and chips, pie of the day, sausage & mash, etc., as well as a selection of burgers and these were mostly priced around the £7 mark. My Chicken Tikka Masala was a generous portion and came with small pots of mango chutney as well as an onion salad to accompany the poppadom which is unusual in a pub. Taste wise, it was ok, certainly nothing special, and judging on the speed with which it arrived, clearly straight out of a packet. Sometimes it would be nice if they just pretended to make an effort in cooking it rather than delivering it to your table before you’ve even supped the head off your pint.
Beers on tap were all from the McMullen’s stable with their Country Bitter, IPA, AK and another whose name escapes me. Ciders were Strongbow and Aspall’s Suffolk. Overall this certainly isn’t a bad pub, but somehow it just didn’t quite hit the spot for me, although it’s difficult to pin down exactly why.
On 16th July 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Jacqui Roberts left this review about The Coopers Arms
Best pub in Hitchin. Great food. Kate and Mike are lovely as are all the staff. Welcoming log fire and beautiful historic surroundings. Cant recommend enough.
On 12th October 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Coopers Arms
Very comfortable back street pub with a large bar at the front with a very welcomming solid fuel fire and a small and cosy bar at the side.Good range of McMullen's beers on offer.
On 8th February 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nigel Sheppard left this review about The Coopers Arms
A McMullens pub. Nicely decorated inside very comfortable, especially in winter near the log burning fire. Beer is nice too!
On 1st June 2007
- rating: 8
[User has posted 192 recommendations about 192 pubs]