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The Sailmakers Arms, Hull
Hull
HU1 1NQ
Pub Type
Punch TavernsReviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Sailmakers Arms
We'd planned to have lunch at the nearby Lion & Key, but found it closed on our Saturday afternoon visit to the city of Hull. So, I quickly hatched a back up plan, which was this pub in the city's Old Town.
As has been said previously, entrance is through an alleyway which opens up into a courtyard. Inside is a single room, which luckily had one spare table. The menu wasn't impressive and with only the landlord and one other person in the kitchen, the food took a while to arrive, as the pub gradually started to empty out.
3 real ales were all from Sussex brewery Laine's - House Amber, Toby's Tipple & Breaker, whilst 3 real ciders were all varieties of Weston's Rosie's Pig - Original, Strawberry & Elderflower and Raspberry & Cucumber.
Children are tolerated, as long as they are quiet!
On 10th January 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2454 recommendations about 2453 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Sailmakers Arms
Accessed through a tabled courtyard in the Old Town Museum Quarter, this is a rather nice pub, if a bit touristy. The main room has bare brick walls and an iron column-supported ceiling and is liberally covered with assorted nautical, beer and other tut. The ale range seemed well kept, if not very adventurous, with Black Sheep, Tetleys, Adnams, Doom Bar, IPA and a house beer from Laine. Some Rosie's Pig ciders were also on handpump and food looked OK although not sampled. Bonus point for friendly staff and an even friendlier pub dog.
On 18th September 2020
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Sailmakers Arms
The Sailmakers Arms is a very pleasant pub set in a small, atmospheric courtyard off the High Street. The yard has quite a few benches and plenty of potted plants and must be a nice little refuge during the summer months. A porch takes you into the bar which has modern floorboards throughout and the servery along the right hand wall with a dark wood counter and exposed brick bar back featuring a series of arches filled with mirrors and shelves laden with spirit bottles. An open space opposite the bar, broken by a single pillar with a drink shelf around it, provides some standing room, with most of the seating confined to the left hand side of the room. Here, three separate seating spaces are formed by two brick partitioning walls, each with a tropical fish tank set into them. These spaces have been filled with banquettes, chairs and low stools and the first section was playing host to a group of musicians who were passing an acoustic guitar around and taking turns to sing folk songs. Each area has hop lined walls with attractive light fixtures set into small recesses whilst the rear wall is also bare brick and has arches similar to those on the bar back, this time filed with what looked like miniature pub signs, obscured somewhat by a collection of whisky boxes. Elsewhere, I noticed some old pictures of the local area, various beer related advertisements, a lion's head bust built into the wall and various nautical themed bits and bobs, as you might expect from a pub with this name. Dark wood beams cross the ceiling and are decorated with pump clips, a large key ring collection and a great many tankards, jugs and pint pots.
A friendly barman greeted me on arrival amid the various sea shanties coming from the opposite side of the room, and he served me a lovely pint of Robinsons Dizzy Blonde, which was one of seven cask ales available along with Sharps Doom Bar and Atlantic, Hardy and Hanson Rock On, Tetley Cask, Wells A Good Stuffing and Camerons Strongarm. Three ciders were also available on the long row on handpulls.
I didn't really know what to expect from this place but I thought it was a lovely pub that was cosy and welcoming in the winter cold but will no doubt be a draw in the summer too thanks to the pleasant yard outside. I found this a very good place to relax with a well kept pint, helped no doubt by the warm atmosphere generated by the fine folk singers. This was a great little pub and will be high on the list for a revisit.
On 1st March 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Sailmakers Arms
Reached through an archway, and passing a few wooden picnic benches in the small courtyard, this is a pleasant-enough pub with an unexpectedly semi-modern interior. The most notable features of the nautical-themed decor are the two fish tanks. The barman was also a helpful chap. Six real ales on handpump, including Bradfield Farmer's Blonde (£1.85 for a half, and in good form).
On 17th April 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Sailmakers Arms
A blink-and-you-miss-it place through an off-street courtyard entrance. Has not been a pub for that long, less than 20 years. Done out inside a bit like a smugglers cove, quite modern in style; a single room with plenty of undressed brick, the bar is to the right and there are three separate snugs to the left with two inlaid fish tanks. Maritime ephemera is built into walls and there hanging jugs and also an impressive collection of pocket watches above the bar. Six ales on and a relatively staid selection; Sharps Atlantic & Doom Bar, Bombardier Gold, Bradfield Farmers Blonde, Robinson Organ Donor and Moorhouse Pride of Pendle (very good nick), served up by a friendly barman. Not in the premier league of central Hull pubs but a good solid performer that’s worth a visit on an extended crawl.
On 12th April 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Sailmakers Arms
A pleasant stop off if not quite an outstanding pub,the barman was as mentioned below chatty and helpful, as also mentioned the beer choice did not particularly excite,I had a pint of Robinsons Organ Donor which was ( as informed by the barman before purchase) a re-badged Dizzy Blonde, it was perfectly drinkable and the short visit here was enjoyable but a bit off pace in regards to the previous few pubs visited, still decent though.
On 21st March 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Sailmakers Arms
A small and welcoming pub with a friendly and knowledgeable barman. The pub includes a variety of small features here and there, which included the Victorian cast iron stove near the front window. I also agree with Steve, that the Bradfield Farmers Blonde was in good condition. Disappointed now that I didn't get to try one of their pasties, maybe next time.
On 21st March 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Sailmakers Arms
This modern interior pub is well covered by Mr Fastard below so no need to repeat any of that. Yes I agree the ale range on offer was a bit pedestrian when compared to some of the nearby competition in this old part of town, but the Bradfield Farmers Blonde I took was spot on and how it should have tasted in the previous pub. I particularly liked the internal layout with the described seating booths and built in tropical fish tanks and any pub that keeps one fish tank going, let alone two, scores an extra point from me.
On 20th March 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Sailmakers Arms
A conversion from ,I assume ,a sailmaking workshop the cast iron supporting columns indicate the previous use.There is a lot of modern exposed brickwork and two unusual inlaid tropical fish tanks in the dividing walls of three seating booths along the lefthand wall.Nautical ephemera dotted about including two ship navigation lights but both with red lights.The Cornish barman explained that the missing starboard green light was because it gave an unflattering light for the young women who come in here for live music,so red was substitued .A collection of fob watches hang from the ceiling near the bar.There is a courtyard to the front,but the interior isnt that large although it wasnt busy on our Friday afternoon visit.There were 6 handpumps dispensing Sharps Doom Bar and Atlantic,Robinsons Dizzy Blonde clipped as Organ Donor for a charity,Bradfield Farmers Blonde and Moorhouses Pride of Pendle ,which had a slight tang.Besides Sharps beers ,the Cornish theme is carried on with a choice of three pasties.
Real ale competition is red hot in this Old Town part of Hull and I thought this pub came up a bit short compared with others nearby.
On 20th March 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about Sailmakers Arms
Well, it's fine enough, I suppose, but I left disappointed. The pub was pretty quiet on a wet midweek afternoon, but the decor and layout failed to create a great deal of atmosphere. The beer range was pretty mainstream in both lager and ale categories. Old pump clips suggested the guest ales may be more interesting on other occasions.
On 20th September 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]