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Disappointment of the week with Tris39
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Pomfret Arms, Northampton
Northampton
NN4 8BS
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Pomfret Arms
This was supposed to be my first pub of the day on my crawl around Northampton, but they were a little late opening up, so I decided to skip it and return later in the day. What a result that turned out to be, as I came back in the early evening to find the place rammed, with a cracking atmosphere thanks to the large and enthusiastic post-work crowd (I wonder how many had decamped here after a day making dismal beer in the neighbouring Carlsberg brewery?). This place has a brewery of its own (Cotton End) based in an outbuilding out the back somewhere, although sadly none of their beer was available on cask on this visit. Instead, the handpulls were dominated by beer from the Great Oakley Brewery, with their Abbey Stout, Tiffield Thunderbolt, Tailshaker and Hot Little Biscuit available alongside Phipps IPA. I took a pint of the Abbey Stout at £4.30, as the stuff was absolutely flying out of the pumps, and thought it was a cracking pint in great shape. The staff were all incredibly nice and dealt with a never ending crush at the bar in a friendly and efficient manner.
The pub itself is dominated by the servery, which you encounter directly opposite you upon entering, with the room wrapping around three sides of its smart counter. This leaves limited space for seating, mostly arranged around the perimeter, although there’s a good variety to choose from, assuming it’s not already all accounted for. The place has been decorated in a fairly typical brewpub fashion, with plenty of breweriana on display along with traditional ale house decorations. Music was playing quite loudly, but not so loud as to impede conversation, but for those who preferred a quieter space, a sizable garden can be found to the rear, with seating across two levels, huge gazebos to shelter under, a bike storage unit and a serving hatch dishing out cheap food of the burger van variety.
I really liked this place, which is clearly hugely popular with the local community and offers a great selection of well-kept ales, with no fear of low turnover. Visiting on such a busy night meant that I got a bit of a distorted view of the place and had to head outdoors to find a seat, but I imagine this place would be a winner regardless of when you visit and it makes an essential double-headed with the equally excellent Malt Shovel Tavern just a short way up the road.
On 29th December 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Pomfret Arms
Nice brew pub with 3 areas on the edge of town. Traditional and with their own beer. Beer quality was a bit warm for my personal taste
On 20th October 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Pomfret Arms
A good laidback friendly brew pub, with eight handpumps serving four of their own Cotton End beers, brewed in an outhouse at the rear of the pub and four guest beers. The garden and patio area was of substantial size and an advertisement next month hosted a 19 piece jazz band that would be performing the garden. Beer wise I initially went for the Cotton End Aramis, but much preferred two of their guest beers, which were Great Oakley Marching In and Siren Undercurrant. We took our beers into the back room where we met the owner's Father and a couple of his pals, so stayed a little longer than anticipated. A good pub this one, so well worth a visit.
On 21st March 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Pomfret Arms
Fine traditional brew-pub, altered a bit but retaining two separate bars with a central servery. Mix of furniture in both parts, supplemented by a beer garden at the back. Also has the local form of table skittles in the rear section. Four of six handpumps in operation, including their own Cotton End Aramis single-hop (£3.50). A good atmosphere anyway, but my brief stop was enlivened by the start of some live music from a singer / pianist who started things off by rocking out to the most blistering version of Great balls of Fire I've ever heard (that's including from 'The Killer' himself).
On 18th December 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Pomfret Arms
The Pomfret Arms has long been closed so the recent reopening is to be welcomed. It's just far enough out of town to feel like a local but is close to both the Malt Shovel and White Hart making a trip to this side of town well worthwhile.
The pub has been well described so I'll only add that the two lit fires and friendly welcome make this a cosy and comfortable place to be. It's clearly frequented by regulars which also boosts the atmosphere and at around 8 the lights were dimmed and candles lit on each table. Not to everyone's taste but it adds again to the atmosphere.
As mentioned, the Cotton End Brewery now brews here with the six handpumps offering Cotton End Goldings Pale, Aramis and Standard Isn't it? alongside Hart Family Brewers House Beer. I'd guess that the latter is a regular with the rest changing with demand. Everything that we tried was in good shape and whistled down.
An excellent addition to Cotton End and makes this side of town very attractive to the ale drinker.
On 25th November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Pomfret Arms
Reopened after a long closure this is the home of the Cotton End brewery.It's a traditional town centre boozer but with some pleasant design features.The front bar with flag stone floor has a fireplace to both sides ,cleverly lit by an array of fairy lights running around mirrors above.There is bench seating below each front window,while the island bar also serves a much larger rear room which in turn leads to a good sized outside beer terrace.
The pub has a community feel with quiz nights and children welcome until 7pm and a very friendly welcome from the barstaff ,who include the brewer.I can forgive a faint smell of puke on entering as a result .On my visit there were three Cotton End ales on offer plus Hart brewed House Beer.I enjoyed both Aramis and Goldings Pale and felt that this pub is well worth visiting for both a chance to sample their good ale and enjoy drinking in a proper pub atmosphere.Not to be missed if crawling the town searching for decent real ale.
On 24th November 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Pomfret Arms
A white-painted building with dark bottle-green windows, a colour that is repeated internally to good effect. The floor is bare boards and there are fireplaces at either end of the one long room, in contrasting styles, one on a stone chimney-breast and the other brick. There's a Northamptonshire skittles table to the left in front of the bar. On the bar are six hand pumps, and these were offering beers from Phipps (Diamond Ale), Great Oakley (Wot's Occuring) and Hart of Wellingborough (3 and 9). There's real cider from boxed polypins. The soundtrack to all this was an eclectic one of blues, R&B and soul. Well worth a stroll out of town for this one.
On 30th March 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3470 pubs]