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Detail Pages
The Black Rock, Wakefield
Wakefield
WF1 1PQ
Pub Type
Punch TavernsReviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Black Rock
The wonderful tiled archway and etched glass windows of this pub's frontage effectively set the place up for a fall, as the hopes raised by such a fine exterior were unlikely to be matched by whatever was on offer inside. The pub has a simple L-shaped layout, with a good deal of banquette and low stool seating throughout and the odd drinking shelf here and there as well. The floor is a mix of carpet and some nice old tiles, mainly skirting the perimeter, but putting this aside, there wasn't all that much in the way of interesting features, presumably the result of one too many refurbs over the years. Music played fairly unobtrusively throughout our visit and there are a couple of large screen TV's towards the rear of the room.
There were four ales on the pumps - Tetley's Cask, Partners Aunt Agatha, Bateman's Rosey Nosey and North Cotswold Winter Solstice, the latter being close to undrinkable, whilst the Aunt Agatha was better, if not exactly earth shattering. The reviews below and the pub's entry in the 2012 GBG suggest that the bad beer may have been a one off, although equally it could be seen as a sign that standards are slipping.
This is a decent enough place to stop off for a drink, but I can't imagine wanting to spend a long time in here and would probably drop it from any future crawl of Wakefield in favour of spending more time in some of the town's more reliable pubs.
On 12th January 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
peter ashworth left this review about Black Rock
Decent pub situated in a prime position in the City centre,that has on offer quite a few guest beers at reasonable prices,with Sharp's Doom Bar being the pick of the bunch on my Tuesday morning visit.If anyone has ever attended an Abseiling course you will find the experience invaluable when attempting the climb down to the toilets.
On 31st July 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2318 recommendations about 2274 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Black Rock
A traditional styled pub amid the tawdry bars of Westgate, modernised but retaining a reasonably intact old interior. The walls are partly a shade of mustard partly plain white decorated with the pictures and pub list mentioned below, it has traditional brown wainscotting and the floor is part nice tiles part carpet. Five handpumps, two with Tetleys Cask the others with guests including a nicely kept Pale Rider. I lingered over that pint savouring its flavour and enjoying the quiet atmosphere. Not too busy on a Saturday lunchtime when I called in, a few old lads playing dom's and some regulars enjoying a drink and watching the sport, perhaps the lull before the storm of the “Westgate Run”. A sign warns of death trap stairs down to the Gents.
On 28th November 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3276 recommendations about 2982 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Black Rock
Old fashioned but neat town bar, appears to have had a refurb not too long ago & the soft bench seating looked new.
3 real ales, and the quality was superb.
A nice, traditional place worth stopping for a pint.
On 17th November 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
aleand hearty left this review about Black Rock
A famous Wakefield watering hole and GBG regular that appears to be going from strength to strength under the current landlord. Its attractively tiled (front) entrance is an absolute gem and perhaps it’s inevitable that the interior can only disappoint, when entering the fairly basic L-shaped room. However, I’m pretty certain the old girl’s been given a lick of paint since Roger visited, the décor now a mixture of pale mustard yellow, brown and cream. The benches, where I was sitting, also looking to have been re-upholstered fairly recently. My one small gripe would be that the floor space looks rather busy, what with carpeting, tiling and floorboards.
The last time I reviewed the ‘Rock’, I was quite scathing about the erratic guest beer policy, but fortunately there appears to be some real stability these days. Four pumps are usually on the go, two featuring Tetley’s Bitter and two guests. On this visit they were Kelham Island ‘Riders of the Storm, and Bradfield ‘Farmer’s Blonde’. (Listening in on a conversation with the landlord, he is hoping to permanently feature a Kelham Island beer at some stage). I tried both the guests and they were in good condition and served at a decent temperature. Service was friendly and attentive.
Reasonably quiet, but relaxed, when I called on a Wednesday afternoon, a few enjoying the World Cup on the two flat screen monitors. However, there was a steady trickle of trade, the clientele being mostly over forties, enjoying a post-shopping reviver. At weekends I should imagine the customer age range is a lot wider. It wouldn’t make my top six for the city, at the moment, but I’d certainly include it on any extended crawl. Definitely worth a punt.
On 29th June 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 583 recommendations about 565 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Black Rock
Situated just off the central Bull Ring, this narrow pub is quite inviting from the outside with its curved frontage and wonderful old tiling in the entrance. A blue placque on the exterior wall reveals that the building was home to John Potter, Bishop of Oxford, later Archbishop of Canterbury, who grew up here in the late 17th century. The interior is a bit bigger than you would expect but appears a bit worn around the edges and could do with a few splashes of paint here and there and a bit of spring on the upholstery front. That said I quite like its semi-scruffiness and the take us as you find us approach. 4 hand pumps, 2 with Tetleys and 2 guest ales (Harviestoun Haggis Hunter and Kelham Island Riders on the Storm on my visit). Quality and price were decent enough although the soft drinks were hardly of generous measures. A few old pictures of the town centre adorn the walls and near the entrance is a 1901 list of all the pubs in town at the time. I get the impression that this isn’t one of the first places that the beer tourists would head for but I thought it had enough character and a couple of decent enough ales to warrant more than a passing glance.
On 15th February 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Black Rock
Only serving Tetley Bitter on my visit (though clips from previous guest beers feature tantalisingly behind the bar, mocking the two unused pumps in front of them) which tasted fine and priced at £2.56. The interior is a basic 60's/70's old mans boozer, with a couple of drinking areas. There are two entrances, a lovely tiled one or a grotty one down a dingy alleyway (guess which one I used?). The landlord behind the bar was friendly enough but frankly I didn't find much to rank it on a par with Wakefield's better establishments - not really what I'd call a worthwhile trip (beyond the outside tiling) given the nearby competition.
On 3rd August 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5108 recommendations about 5091 pubs]