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Detail Pages
The Bear, Bedford
Bedford
MK40 1NN
Pub Type
Greene KingReviews (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 Bear
The Bear had slightly odd opening hours on New Year's Day. Whilst most pubs in Bedfordshire were open during the day and closing early evening, this one was not opening up until 6pm. As such, we left it until last having been glad that we'd phoned ahead with all of them!
It's a fairly basic town boozer with a small room at the front and a larger room stretching a fair way back at the rear. The pub has a fairly gothic feel to it. At first I thought that the Halloween decorations had been left up, but I suspect it looks like this all year round, with plenty of skulls and skeletons on the ceiling and on high shelves.
3 real ales were on - Brakspear Gravity, Hardy & Hanson's Rockin' Rudolph (at least some sort of nod towards Christmas here) & Fuller's London Pride. My Brakspear was surprisingly enjoyable. With a friendly barmaid also in attendance, I certainly wouldn't dismiss this on any future crawl of Bedford's pubs. Although there are undoubtedly better pubs in the town.
On 2nd January 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Bear
An odd layout here with a very long bar area and a room at the front with large, glass, shop like windows.
The place was virtually deserted on our midweek visit and I can only assume that it makes hay at the weekends.
Just the two beers on - B&T Shefford Bitter and a very decent Tring Tea Kettle Stout.
Worth a look to see what they have on.
On 12th April 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Bear
On the main drag,the side door is stiff and opens onto a glazed corridor with an even stiffer door to enter the bar room.This is long and thin,with the bar running most of the length of the left side,while traditional tables run along the other wall with some good original feature frieze windows giving much needed light.There is wood panelling ,while the room opens out at the end.There is an unusual front room that looks over the street.It's devoid of much furniture,carpeted but with a small book library.I suspect this may have been a disco area in a past life,it just serves as a non descript overflow area these days.
The are 4 handpumps ,but only two working on my Tuesday evening visit serving B&T Shefford Bitter and Tring Tea Kettle Stout (decent nick) .This pub has just got in the 2019 GBG ,so the lack of range was disappointing,maybe more ale arrives later in the week.
Aimed at a younger crowd,good muzak was playing quite loud but apparently the young drinkers section of the local CAMRA have voted this their pub of the year so it's worth a glance if you are crawling around town.
On 16th September 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ben Woodfine left this review about The Bear
Probably the last real pub on The High Street, local art work is displayed and for sale in the front pool room (there are three pool teams if you want to join up) while the main bar holds a mini library, pinball table and table football plus a top jukebox (not many of these left either!, there' also live music on a regular basis too. On the bar there are two hands pumps offering IPA and a guest ale plus a selection of lagers and ciders. Outside offers a good sized garden with a heated smoking shelter as well as more locall artwork decorating the wall..in fact even the toilets have been decorated by a local artist (and I don't mean the usual graffiti found elsewhere!). Overall a great place with a really friendly atmosphere, in fact name another pub on the High street without bouncers on a saturday night!
On 28th September 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Clive Thompson left this review about The Bear
Interesting pub with a pool table at the front entrance and a long narrow bar beyond which can also be reached via a side entrance. Friendly laid back sort of place where you're likely to be engaged in conversation by your fellow drinkers. Greene King beers, IPA and Olde Trip.
On 18th January 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 777 recommendations about 697 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Bear
Looked like a typical 'probably best to avoid' town-centre pub from the outside. Inside, there is a strange, brightly-lit area with a pool table at the front and a very long, gloomy bar further back. However, much to my surprise, there were two real ales on (including an excellent pint of Hydes Jeckyll's Gold). Overall, rather better than I was expecting.
On 25th April 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]