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The Sportsman Beerhouse, Huddersfield
Huddersfield
HD1 5AY
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Sportsman
Corner pub with high ceilings near the station, a bit basic and a real ale type boozer. There is a main room with a curved bar on the far wall and two smaller 'snug' type areas divided by curtains. Nice enough feel, warm, very good choice of craft beers on cask or keg & very good quality. Arty background music. Watch out for the large dog which is allowed to jump around.
On 2nd April 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Sportsman
Occupying a main road position close to Huddersfield station is The Sportsman, a fine traditional, golden/ honey coloured stone, street corner pub.
The main bar area features an unusual, quite striking, curved bar counter with glass shelving and fixed padded seating around the perimeter of the room, accompanied by rather more modern looking low backless wooden seats. Just inside the front door is a framed potted history of Hammonds Brewery, whose H logo is still evident on the windows. A collection of beer bottles occupy a shelf high up and, in one corner, is a framed Huddersfield Town F C football shirt, but the overall feeling is of a slightly spartan interior. Pleasingly, there’s no TV’s or fruit machines.
There’s two additional, traditionally furnished, smaller rooms, one at each side of the main bar area. The room on the left has some old black and white photos of Huddersfield and old architects plans of the pub. The room on the right has various old Double Diamond posters and Brewers Society adverts and a lino floor. Both these rooms can be curtained off for private hire. Note the unusual sporting theme tiles in the gents toilets and the 1950’s style mirrors and glasswork in the doors.
The pub is featured in the Yorkshire Real Heritage Pubs book.
Distractions include occasional music nights, Spanish tapas on Friday evening and, most notably, should you feel so inclined, you can sign up for Spanish lessons on Tuesday evenings.
A good range of pub grub is offered – on my visit, rather substantial and appetising looking brisket butties - £ 4.95p – were proving popular. A lively, but cordial atmosphere prevailed, with a number of groups of crawlers who appeared to be doing the Trans Pennine Ale Trail ( even though this pub is not one of the pubs on the official trail ) making the pub quite busy. .
A sandwich board in the doorway outside proudly announced that the pub would be holding its 5th Birthday Celebrations between 24-27 April 2014.
As well as its own on site microbrewery, the pub is a keen supporter of local micros with 8 beers in total available on handpump. On my recent Friday evening visit, only one on site beer was available – Hop Cotch – supplemented by two beers from Manchester’s Marble Brewery, 2 beers from Sheffield’s Brew Co, Timmy Taylors Best plus Mallinsons SPA. Small tasting pots on the bar counter, rather resembling those small individual jam pots that you find at breakfast in corporate chain hotels, allow you a taster and let you see the colour of the beer. The Mallinsons SPA - £ 2.50p – was in good form, as were the Marble beers. The pub has been a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular in the last few years.
The pub is also determined not to miss out on the craft beer bandwagon, with various pricier beers available in 1/3 pint measures. - eg Thornbridge Colorado Red ( 5.9% ABV ) at £ 1.55p for a 1/3 pint
Worth looking out when in Huddersfield – and its relatively central location makes it a good spot to meet up or to start or end a town crawl
On 24th March 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Sportsman
Less than 5 minutes from the station, this pub seems to have retained much of its original layout and 1920's/1930's features, such as the impressive curved bar and semi-octogonal banquette seating (at least, I assume they are original!). The place has clearly had a sympathetic recent makeover with some interesting additions such as the charming period mirrors. Eight ales available, two of which come from their own brewery. My homebrew mild was fine, if a little flat, but the stout was vile and had to go back as it tasted like a couple of sachets of vinegar had been emptied into it; changed without fuss by the friendly barman and the replacement Sheffield IPA was a lot better. (Later on some tall bloke who I took to be the brewer turned up and loudly defended it too all and sundry). Also some interesting keg - Sierra Nevada, Bitburger and Budvar were particular highlights. Surprisingly quiet given that prices are comparable to other nearby outlets. Enticing-sounding home-made food available, all for under a fiver as well as home-made chilli chocolate available for 2 quid a bag.
I think this is a decent place that is trying to do something a little bit different. Worth a look.
On 4th September 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5083 recommendations about 5066 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Sportsman
Having just watched my beloved AFC Bournemouth's play-off hopes vanish after a gruelling 120 minutes of football and penalties, it was a bit of a rush to get back into town for a final pint to drown my sorrows before closing time. Unfortunately, by the time I made it to the Sportsman, time had just been called and my misery was thus complete as I was turned away by the barman. Fortunately a couple of Terrier's fans took pity on me and had a word with the barman who then invited me back to the bar and poured me a rather satisfying pint of Summer Wine Diablo IPA. I spent the rest of my stay discussing the game with my new friends and didn't really pay much attention to the pub, so I decided to pop back again the following day in order to try some more of the excellent Diablo and give the place a proper appraisal.
The entrance takes you into a medium sized room with a curved bar counter and some retro looking decor and furnishings. There is a decent amount of bench seating and low, unpadded stools including a couple of booth-like sections. An upright piano stands at one end of the room and it appears that it actually gets a bit of use now and again. There are two other rooms leading off either side of the main bar, one of which was rather enigmatically behind a curtained doorway, but I didn't get round to exploring either of them.
There is a very good range of beer available, which on my visit comprised of Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Dark Mild, Summer Wine Diablo IPA and Teleporter, Kirkstall Pale Ale, Mallinson's Sarah's Sweater, Black Sheep Golden Sheep and Empire Rights of Man. Each pump had a small shot glass in front of it, filled with the corresponding beer as a means of helping you to identify, at the very least, each beer's colour. The bar staff were happy to talk through the options if you were still unsure which one to choose. Keg beers included Vedett, Frulli, Bitburger, Maredsous and Blue Moon and the blackboards listed at least four different ciders. Since my visit, the pub has started brewing its own beer and two new ales (currently brewed at the Golcar brewery, but soon to come in house) are now available. A board behind the bar explained that the pub sold 2167 pints last week, but with no frame of reference, I'm not sure if that's good or not.
I found this to be a very welcoming pub with a great beer selection and, in the evening at least, a good lively atmosphere. I wouldn't hesitate to call in here again, hopefully not so close to closing time as on this visit!
On 7th June 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
aleand hearty left this review about The Sportsman
Solid looking street corner pub, built in the golden stone that almost defines the town. The three roomed interior is tastefully understated, or rather subdued, depending on your point of view. The attractive semi-circular bar is a real eye-catcher and a fitting housing for the eight hand pumps on display. A nice touch is the shot glass, with a sample of beer, in front of each one, highlighting the colour and style.
During our visit the beers were: Timothy Taylor ‘Landlord’ & ‘Dark Mild’, Leatherbritches ‘Hairy Helmet’, Elland ‘1872’, Black Sheep Ale, Arran ‘Clyde Puffer’, Nottingham ‘Extra Pale Ale’ and Anglo-Dutch ‘Ghost Rider’.
The ‘Hairy Helmet’ was obviously well kept and thankfully a decent temperature, served by a friendly young barman.
Pub food is largely traditional fare done to a high standard. My home made chicken and mushroom pie was superb, just a shame the chunky chips were slightly underdone. However, no denying the excellent value for money.
There were several groups of drinkers present on the mid-week lunchtime we called, between Christmas and New Year, but the atmosphere did seem quite muted. Having also previously visited on a Saturday evening, when it’s been pretty rammed and had similar feelings, maybe it’s something to do with the layout / decor of the pub?
Still well worth a visit.
On 12th January 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 581 recommendations about 563 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Sportsman
A big corner pub beside the railway viaduct just outside the station. One large semicircular bar with smaller sitting rooms to each end in a vaguely art deco style. Eight handpulls with smaller brewery beers in good condition. The home made pies are also excellent. It belongs to a small pub group which includes the West Riding Licensed Refreshment Rooms at Dewsbury and the Cellar Bar in Batley.
On 1st January 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
James Joines left this review about The Sportsmans Arms
Real Ales from the same group as The West Riding Refreshment Rooms and the Celler Bar.
On 15th April 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 841 recommendations about 835 pubs]