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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
aleand hearty left this review about The Hop
Still a relative newcomer to the Wakefield drinking scene, The Hop is a joint venture between Ossett Brewery and Embrace drummer Mike Heaton. It’s a multi-purpose venue on two floors, featuring regular music and comedy nights, as well as incorporating a dance studio. (Original promotional features also suggested The Hop was going to house a fish and chip restaurant! Fortunately, that seems to have died a death). Most important of all, it’s also a fine addition to the local real ale trail.
Situated down a side street, just off Westgate, it’s a fine old nineteenth century brick building that has been renovated and refurbished to a high standard, as one has come to expect from Ossett. The bar area is quite narrow, with a small raised stage at one end. It does feel as though it needs more seating, but I guess standing room is deemed more important when bands are playing regularly. The room behind the bar is all exposed brickwork, art-deco prints and a huge ornate mirror above the fireplace. It has a relaxing feel to it, but doesn’t quite work as a quiet alternative to the bar.
There are nine real ales on the go, usually four from Ossett / Fernandes and five guests. Beer quality is excellent, as in all the Ossett pubs I’ve been to. Two fantastic pints in Crouch Vale ‘Brewer’s Gold’ and Fernandes ‘Magnu’, on this visit.
Staff are predominantly female, young and friendly. It makes such a difference when you get a welcoming smile on entering a bar.
I’ve visited quite a few times now and The Hop usually has a good, chilled atmosphere. On the whole, it seems to attract an older, more mature crowd and Hallelujah to that. However, at the weekend it also attracts the younger ‘Westgate Runners’ and can get absolutely rammed.
The standard of the music acts, in the bar, does seem to have become a little more variable of late. (Although that could be a question of personal taste.) This raises the one real weakness of the venue for me: If a band’s not to your liking, there’s no quiet spot to escape to.
A paved area in front of the entrance caters for outdoor drinking, with a more enclosed area to the side. It’s particularly attractive when lit up at night.
Despite some reservations about the music, it remains one of my favourite Wakefield watering holes. Recommended.
On 20th May 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 582 recommendations about 564 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Hop
As my local pub guide for the night quaintly put it, “p*ssed wrist” was beginning to set in by the time I reached the Hop after doing a hefty round of Wakefield watering holes so events and surroundings are somewhat blurred for the benefit of this review. The Hop is basically a pub cum live venue but it must be said that the latter does not distract from its approach to offering an excellent range of Real ales. My scrawl mentions 8 pumps (the web site says 9) but the contents now escape be suffice to say that there just a couple of common names among the selection with the rest made up mostly from local brewers. The interior has been refurbished but not in a posey way and still has a traditional feel to it. The main bar is divided into 2 by a brick arch. A small stage occupies the section away from the bar area whilst the bar itself I remember being quite small and I could imagine it being a bit cramped when the place is busy. Upstairs is a larger venue and dance studio which is a fairly recent addition but I did not get a chance to check it out. The place is obviously a healthy focal point for local music/dance/comedy scene and I understand may be the start of an expanding empire. Certainly a place to keep an eye on and it is a worthy addition to Wakefield’s Ale pubs but if you aren’t interested in the live offerings, a daytime visit is probably your best option.
On 26th February 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Hop
Spread over two floors, with live music and comedy well-advertised, this pub offers a super selection of ale (9 I recall, including the sublime Rutland Panther on my visit) along with some Ossett brews and a good selection of continental beers, served well by friendly bar staff. Perhaps more a bar than a pub but don't let that put you off, it's an enjoyably mixed crowd here. Enjoy the paved area out the front for an al fresco pint (if the sun ever shines in Wakefield?). A most worthwhile visit, definitely put it on the 'to do' list if in town. I shall be back at some point.
On 3rd August 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
James Joines left this review about THe Hop
An Ossett Brewery House offering Beer, Comedy and Live Music.
Open 4- close Mon-Thu, 3 - close Fri 1200 - 1am Sat, 12-12 Sun.
On 16th April 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 841 recommendations about 835 pubs]