The Bird in Hand, Reading

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Quinno _ left this review about The Bird in Hand

The hamster squeaks and the wheel turns. Wadworth have sold it on to Liberation, so Butcombe brews are now here. Let's hope they make a better fist of the place than the Devizes dimwits.

April 2017
Has been purchased by Wadworth, so that's a cheerio to the local beers and the interior has been pretty insensitively molested as well. What a waste.

March 2015
Change of manager a while ago (last one had been in a good few years) a while back. Staff standards now leave a bit to be desired at times - uncleared tables and a general air of 'so what?' some visits. The ale remains generally good if somewhat less exciting in range (though encouragingly there is a regular turnover of local ale on at least two of the pumps.

January 2013
Excellent place, usually vying with the Nags Head and the Alehouse as Reading CAMRA Pub of the Year. Has a good selection of ale, often featuring a dark (David the landlord is a dark ale fan) which are kept extremely well and there is now a CAMRA discount available. Binghams is a regular alongside four others. Lots of history about the place, landlord also organizes some good theme evenings (excellent bonfire nights and beer festivals, for example). A big part of its business is selling food, however drinkers are always encouraged - you aren’t made to feel like unwelcome if all you want is a couple of beers and there’s usually a good atmosphere most evenings. Clean and tidy, with a real fire for the winter months and a tidy garden for the summer.

On 22^nd June 2021 - no rating submitted
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