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Poll for date of Halifax crawl. with ROBCamra
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Detail Pages
The Gundog, Halifax
Halifax
HX1 1JB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ANDREA HUGHES left this review about The Gundog
This pub closed at the end of May
See Facebook page.
It was closed on our recent visit to Halifax
On 18th June 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Gundog
The first thing I noticed as I approached this place was the union flag on a diagonal pole just above the door. Why? It's a pub not the local Town Hall!
Inside it's a multi-room pub with mosaic tiles around the bar, a room to the left and two to the right. The room to the left contained an old bar billiards table but I'm not sure if it was usable. The room to the right of the bar was empty and had a giant screen with nobody watching the boring sport being shown. The other room on the right by the front entrance was quiet and also empty as all the punters present were hogging the bar on stools so I had no chance of seeing all the beers available.
I could see that there were six hand pumps and that one was unused. I went for a Bootleg Black Market Mild (£2.40) which was excellent and a very good price.
This is a nice old pub but the bar stools and giant TV screen are a pain.
On 12th October 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Gundog
Much altered since my last review when it was The Sportsman. The Edwardian frontage now leads into a pub that at least partially matches the exterior. The front room to the right has leaded windows and really looks the part. The staircase is now a major feature of the pub and the floor tiling which was hidden before, now looks great. A real transformation for the better. 6 handpumps on the bar of which 3 were on all serving Stod Fold beers. My Stod Fold Dark was in very good nick. Another surprise for me was that the landlady, Sharon, used to be a regular in the same pub as me in Rochdale many years ago. In fact her sister went out with a good friend of mine. She even remembered my name, which was a bit embarrassing as I couldn't remember hers. Ooops! Anyway, it's a refurbishment done very well and I wish her all the best. I'll definitely call in next time I'm in Halifax.
On 10th June 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Gundog
Formerly the Sportsman now completely renovated and all trace of the former bikers pub has gone. It has become a nice multi room pub with fairly unspoiled art nouveau features, one front room is on CAMRA's National Inventory of pub interiors. The relocated counter has six pulls of local small brewers wares in very good nick. There are two front sitting rooms, a large drinking lobby with the counter and a smaller back room which used to house the stage. There is still live music occasionally.
On 27th April 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Sportsman
The Sportsman, situated on the edge of the town centre, is the magnet for the local metal heads and rock fans.
The pub looks quite grand from outside and inside still retains much of its original multi-roomed layout albeit it has been opened up a little over the years. The entrance passage contains some fine tiling and leads straight to the main bar with, to the left, 2 rooms that are taken up by pool tables. A raised area to the right of the bar doubled up as a stage for the regular live music sessions and as a band was in full swing when I was there, I didn’t get access to that area. At the front of the pub to the right of the entrance is a more enclosed room and probably the most traditional part of the pub left with banquette seating and an original fireplace that has sadly been tiled over.
The pub proclaims itself as “Sport Free” and the live music is pretty much what attracts the punters although on my chosen night the crowd was, at best, sparse.
There isn’t much to report on the beer side of things with just 2 hand pumps both dispensing Tetley Bitter albeit reasonably priced at £2.50 and decent enough quality for what it is.
In short, unless you are here to see a live band, there isn’t much to be found beyond a curiosity glance and a quick pint.
On 27th April 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Sportsman
Every town needs a rock pub and this is Halifax's. Three small rooms and a bar area, pool tables in two of the rooms and a band setting up in the third one. They didn't even have their amps plugged in but they were already loud when tuning up. They have music of some kind a couple of nights a week. Two handpumps both badged with Tetley Bitter, so that's what I had. It was a decent pint too. Friendly locals and barman to talk to almost as soon as I entered. It's a good looking pub from the outside as well. If you want it loud and rocking with a decent pint of Tetleys this is the place for you.
On 15th November 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]