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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Bricklayers Arms
14 years on since my last visit to Luton, where my favourite pub had been the Black Horse, my return yielded nothing above average until my final pub of the day, the Bricklayers Arms. Finally my faith in pubs was restored.
The pub is sited very close to Luton railway station in the Hightown area of the town. It's a fabulous alehouse with a main bar at the front and two further smaller rooms beyond.
Locals were engaged in good conversation. Although a couple of elderly folks nearly came to blows during a discussion around Covid vaccinations. The landlord was on hand to make sure no punches were thrown!
The pubs has lots of character and seemingly loads of characters. As an onlooker, I quite enjoyed the free entertainment.
5 real ales were on - Oakham JHB, Deeply Vale Equilibrium, Leighton Buzzard Vimy Bomber, Slater's Amarillo & Muirhouse Magnum Mild. Two Weston's Rosie's Pig ciders were also available - Rhubarb Cider and Raspberry & Cucumber Cider.
My mild was my favourite drink of the day and this was my favourite pub in Luton by a country mile. When I'm next in Luton, I need to remind myself to head straight here.
On 29th September 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Bricklayers Arms
This is a great old fashioned boozer which on my visit sold five cask ales.
It's a small place with the bar and a wooden floored room at the front and another small room further back with a dart board that appeared to be blocked by a large sherry or wine barrel.
On my visit the beers were Bateman's XB, Tring Ramscoat, Oakham JHB, York Minster and Nottingham Rock Mild. I went for the Mild (£3.10) which was in great nick and went down a treat. On my Thursday lunchtime visit I don't recall seeing any TV screens but I may have just been wishing them away.
On 10th April 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Bricklayers Arms
The Everards beers that used to be regulars have now been replaced by Batemans XB, which can be found on the smaller bar in a drinking corridor between the front and back rooms. Four other hand pumps in the front bar have an interesting variety of guest ales, often from local breweries such as Tring. The front room is in bare boards ale house style, with a couple of upended barrels as well as the usual tables and chairs. Through the corridor there is an option (on the right) to take your drinks out into the yard (sunny and crowded days only), or there's the smaller back room, or (past the toilets) the smokers yard at the back.
The landlady and regulars take pride in a review which described the pub as "quirky", but apart from the fact that almost all of the people I have met here support Luton Town, I have seen little real evidence of this. It's always very busy here on Luton Town match days, and away fans may be turned away if they are wearing colours, even if they can get the door to open.
On 24th February 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3744 recommendations about 3481 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Bricklayers Arms
A destination venue for ale (though as mentioned below, the large solid exterior door does make you wonder if they are open and it requires a good shove to get through!). There were five ales on when I visited on Tuesday (Oakham JHB, Atomic Brewery Fusion and Crystal Tips, Crouch Vale Essex Boys and RCH Hewish Mild) which were in pretty good shape along with a couple of interesting keg choices as well as Stowford Press keg cider. The bar is to the left as you enter and to the right is a slightly mad souk area of books, television, fireplace, old whisky barrels and assorted nik-naks. I settled in at the bar and got chatting with a couple of the locals and the licensee which helped the ale go down easily but meant I didn’t pay much attention to the rest of the surrounds.
I liked this one and I’d make a point of coming back here another time. Combined with the English Rose, this is a good reason to come out to Luton if you fancy a short but enjoyable crawl.
On 27th January 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about Bricklayers Arms
Have to say the beer quality was struggling Mon eve, 3 of 4 beers tried were far from good. Let's hope it was just a blip (possibly the indecisive weather - atmospheric influence?). Further to my earlier comment, the HBs did look a little happier.
22 March 2009
Everards Tiger & Beacon, B&T Wembley Wobble, Milton Pegasus, Tring Royal Poacher– went, immediately replaced by Ramsbury Gold. Attractive woody look to the pub and warm ambience as you enter, bar to left of front room, wood tables&chairs, 3 tall barrels provide glass support & good view of plasma opposite bar (showing rugby ystdy), bookcase shelves either side give a homely feel. Further on to a second, smaller, room with a scattering of small tables and a tv quietly showing skysports news. Apparently gets busy pre-match if Luton are at home, but no sign of glass-backlog or anything when we arrived at 15:20. The £8.60 round (3pints) was the dearest of the day up here, and the exterior hanging baskets really need replanting to give a more cared-for look, but I very much liked the pub.
On 16th July 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Bricklayers Arms
One of the better real ale pubs in Luton. The Bricklayers is an above average traditional pub tucked away in a back street behind Luton Rail station. Its location and appearance from outside is not the most welcoming to the stranger, especially as the front door is very solid and unless you are 7 ft tall and can see over the curtains, no chance to see inside but have the courage of your convictions and venture in.
Inside it is a no nonsense, no frills pub with a front and rear drinking areas. Mainly wooden décor in crème and burgundy colour scheme decorated with lots of old books and pub memorabilia and uses several large barrels as tables in the front bar area. It is a Free House and supports five hand pumps dispensing Everards Tiger and Beacon and three guest ales, one of which was Batemans XXXB on my last visit. It also has continental lagers on tap for those who are of that persuasion and I recognised Leffe and Hoegaden. The beer quality is usually good but I know others who have experienced off nights here, but I usually stick to the Tiger, and that has always been very good for me.
It does not attract a lot of passing trade due to its location and the bar staff can appear to favour the regulars, but I have not experienced any great problems with the service here.
So if you are catching or meeting a train at the station I can thoroughly recommend the Bricklayers as a place to pass the time.
On 6th February 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Bricklayers Arms
This place has a very solid front door which makes it difficult to know whether it is actually open. However, once inside, what you get is a basic - somewhat old-fashioned - community pub (i.e. a thoroughly good thing). Had a pint of ?somebody's? Extra Pale Ale which looked slightly hazy but tasted just fine. Very handy for the station too.
On 30th January 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Bricklayers Arms
Part traditional,real ale pub, part Luton Town FC pub, bit of an odd combination, but this place seems to pull it off effortlessly. Decent selection of ales on offer (I plumped for the Yellow Snow - sucker for stupid names), the pub comprises of two rooms, both of which were fairly packed just 20 minutes or so after opening.
Thought it was clean and cosy with a good atmosphere. Points off for the fact that the pub sponsored the player who scored Luton's equaliser against my team last night!!
On 3rd December 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Bricklayers Arms
Busy and lively both yesterday afternoon and early evening, popular with football supporters with a large plasma in the front bar and a smaller screen in the little back room showing games. Very much a LTFC fans pub (even the tiles in the gents are in club colours) but absolutely no problems with our sizeable group of visitors setting up in the back room. The front bar has bookcases either side of the central chimney/ TV, whereas the back room has a homely feel with various pictures including an old map showing the pubs of the former Wm Youngers estate.
Efficient and friendly service, very good beer, Everards Tiger and Beacon are the house beers, supplemented yesterday by Milestone Plot and Treason, Slaters Premium, Burton Bridge Tall Order with something from Mauldons replacing the Slaters when it went. Recommended.
On 9th November 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Clive Thompson left this review about The Bricklayers Arms
This is a really nice old pub, well decorated, with old books and pub memorabilia adorning the walls and some large barrels that double up as tables. Good selection of beers including a couple of ciders and some continental draft stuff in addition to the real ales. A bit disappointing that although it was a good selection there were no real ales on over 4.3%. Good pub with a nice community feel to it and I can see why it is popular.
On 3rd August 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 777 recommendations about 697 pubs]