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Disappointment of the week with Bucking Fastard
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The Free Press, Cambridge
Cambridge
CB1 1DU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Free Press
This is a cosy, traditional back street boozer with a typical two bar layout. The corner entrance takes you into the smaller of the two bars with a centrally positioned servery opposite. Limited fixed bench and standard seating runs around the perimeter, supplemented by a row of bar stools. A small fireplace stands in front of the bar with a collection of craft beer bottles on the mantle and some framed pictures, plans and articles all relating to the pub, displayed above. The day’s papers are available from a rack near to the door and an acoustic guitar hangs on one wall, whilst there is one of several display units with numerous tiny compartments, each filled, presumably by customers, with little trinkets such as bottle caps, tiny drawings, stamps, plectrums, business cards and the like. To the rear, next to a couple of fold down chairs, there is a very small snug with a ‘Free Press’ etched glass pane above. It’s a tight squeeze through the doorway and once inside you’ll find a single L shaped bench and a single table, with access to the bar at one end. The walls and ceiling here are decorated with old newspaper articles – a nod to the pub’s name which derives from an unsuccessful local temperance movement newspaper which only survived for one issue. The second bar has a good deal more seating including more fixed benches and standard chairs. Black and white pictures of the pub line the walls and there are more of those display cabinets to poke around. A small fireplace stands on one wall and from the rear you can access the beer garden and outdoor toilet block. An article in the Gents toilet explained how this pub became the first in the city to operate a smoking ban way back in the early 1980’s. A decent soundtrack played throughout my stay, presumably from a streaming service, as the barman took requests from some of the punters.
This is a Greene King house, but thankfully one which has been given a degree of autonomy where beer choice is concerned. As well as Greene King staples IPA and Abbot, their rare XX Mild was also available alongside guests Vale VPA, Wadworth 6X and Hook Norton Hooky, with Weston’s Old Rosie cider on the final hand pump. The keg range looked to be fairly standard but craft beer bottles could be spotted in the fridges. My pint of the VPA was absolutely spot on.
This is a great little pub and a credit to Greene King who would do well to encourage pubs of theirs in areas with less competition to adopt a similar model. I found the staff friendly and engaging, the beer in great condition and the pub the sort of place you could relax for a few hours. It’s another back street Cambridge gem.
On 17th September 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about Free Press
Greene King's Cambridge pubs seem willing and able to not only offer guest beers, but also put XX Mild on the bar. Add in a charming unspoilt interior and you've got yourself a great little pub. Appropriate to the pub name, a selection of newspapers are available to read.
As noted in other reviews, 3 Greene King beers (XX mild included) sit on the bar alongside 3 guests and a cider. The tiny snug is well worth a look-in (but mind your head on the way in!). So long as you can work around the afternoon closing, highly recommended to anyone touring the city's ale houses.
As a final note, they need to sort out that website of theirs: it's chock-full of dead links right now.
On 15th September 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Free Press
A small back street pub with an interesting interior especially to the left of the front door where there are settles,a snug with an L shaped bench,table and it's own door,and also it's own access to the bar.Outside this snug on the dividing wood panneled wall are two tip up type wooden seats,not the most sturdy looking but useful no doubt as the pub fills.The central bar serves both sides of the open plan interior and there is a charming courtyard.On my trip there were three GK beers in the form of Abbott,IPA and the rare XX Dark Mild,so good that it is hard to believe it is brewed by GK;a very fine MILD.The guests ales were Wadsworth Boundary,Coach House Farriers Best and Nethergate Growler with a real cider also on handpull.
The food extends from sandwiches to pub grub staples,it all seemed prepared with some care ,a touch on the pricey side,but I guess you have to pay something for the atmosphere.During the week the pub closes from 2.30pm to 6pm so plan accordingly.Given the XX Mild and guests beers ,well worth including on any real ale crawl.
On 14th September 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Free Press
Tucked away in the back streets (albeit with a couple of decent neighbouring pubs that make the walk worthwhile) the Free Press has been a pub since at least the 1880’s and was at one time used as a printers for a free local newspaper that despite closing after a solitary issue is commemorated in the pub name.
During development of the area in the 70’s the pub was closed and faced demolition until it was bought and reopened by Greene King in 1978. The neighbouring houses weren’t so fortunate. A study of old photos shows that there have been very few alterations to the exterior although the pub does appear to have been extended into the adjoining cottage at some stage.
The interior is quite basic, simply furnished and a little frayed around the edges in a homely sort of way. The smaller main bar area has a tiny snug screened off at one end that once housed a pub record 62 students. Sadly they all got out again unscathed. The far side is larger but just as basic with pew seating, bare floors and a small service hatch to the bar. At the rear is a small patio area. The décor includes several framed newspaper covers in keeping with its press theme. There was also a selection of traditional board games.
Whilst the Greene King tie may be a barrier to many discerning ale drinkers, it should be pointed out that apart from the GK regulars Abbott and IPA, the selection on my visit included the rarity of XX Dark plus 4 additional guest ales (Nethergate Growler, Holt Maple Moon, Holdens Buffalo Soldier and St Peters Best) which make the place a lot more palatable than the normal Greene King establishment. Quality was very good although prices were a bit higher than I experienced elsewhere.
This comes across as a well run and civilized place with quirky charm that will appeal to a broad range of customers. “Come once and we’re sure we’ll see you again” proclaims the pub website. I would imagine they’re usualy right
On 30th August 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Free Press
We searched this one out because it was not far from our accommodation but primarily because a colleague had bet me that, although a GK tied house (like most of the rest of Cambridge City area), it would be a pub I would choose to return to for the Ale choice. And that was a challenge I just had to follow through on.
The pub dates back to 1823 and is named after a local temperance newspaper of the same name which had lasted one issue. The walls are adorned with front pages of old newspapers to commemorate this.
Internally it is quite small, but now one open space with a part set as a dining area, with the exception of a very small separate snug room which retains the original wood panelled décor. Apparently local students entertain themselves by seeing how many they can squeeze in the Snug room. The current record stands at 62.
Then there is a decent sized secluded garden space with wooden tables and chairs and a couple of bench tables out front of the pub.
And I have to say my colleague won the challenge. As well as three GK brews, which includes the excellent but rare XX Mild as standard along with the ubiquitous IPA and Abbott, there are three guests on offer. The XX Mild was top notch as was the St Peters Bitter guest ale.
With the excellent Elm Tree just around the corner its very good to see a GK tied Landlord fight his case to be able to compete and offer his customers some choice and move more GK beers as a result. If only the bean counters in Bury St Edmunds could show this initiative on their own.
So, will conclude I can recommend this GK house for a visit due to the beer choice.
On 2nd June 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Free Press
A small and cosy Greene King house which nonetheless is of interest due to serving up XX Mild and (on my visit) a lovely guest in the form of St Austell Proper Job in oversized glasses. There are two small rooms and a traditional feel to the interior, enhanced by the use of the traditional ceramic GK fonts on the handpulls. Situated in a residential side street, barely a stone’s throw from the fabulous Elm Tree, this is worth a visit.
On 10th October 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Free Press
Pleasant friendly and well preserved traditional old town pub. We sat in the small snug area behind what I believe was once called a "snob screen"? Fairly bland ale selection, ie GK but they did have XX Mild which is new to me. A nice touch on leaving the staff gave us a boxed pint glass each. Another very enjoyable Cambridge town centre boozer.
On 4th November 2007
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]