Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with trainman
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Graham Coombs
Submitted on Sunday, 24th March 2024
With picture contributions to 5136 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (1 more image)
Detail Pages
The Arena Tavern, Letchworth Central, Letchworth Garden City
Letchworth Garden City
SG6 3BY
Served areas
Reviews of The Arena Tavern (Average Rating: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Arena Tavern
This shop conversion has been done very well ,there are lots of pub like featues. The furniture is traditional ,the central bar has a mix of brick and wood facings,the rear area is dark but atmospheric culminating in a darts board in a final alcove.Fruit machines are dotted about.The USP here is cheap alcohol leading to a 'spoons like custonmer base quick to engage in lurid tales while effing and blinding liberally,but that's what boozers can be like.
The friendly barmaid was quick to greet a strange ,the ale options were GK IPA and Abbot,Marston's Hobgoblin Gold and Woodfordes Albion Stout (looked ok,turned out to be a sour,NBSS 1) . Maybe I shouldn't complain of a half a vinegar for £2.10 .
Outside there are many pic nic benches,the shop conversion is well done ,it has a boozer atmosphere but shame about the ale.
On 29th March 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Graham Coombs left this review about The Arena Tavern
A great little bar, believed to be one of the originals in the 'dry' town and with much character and some good friendly locals for a bit of banter. A shame they feel the need to inflict more Abbot and IPA on us, but balanced by an excellent Albion Stout and an Adnams Lighthouse.
On 24th March 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Arena Tavern
Situated in a parade of shops on Arena Parade this one doesn’t look particularly appealing from the outside, giving the air of being a bog standard shop conversion and in normal circumstances wouldn’t have got a look in from me. But sadly the centre of Letchworth Garden City is not normal as far as opportunities to drink beer is concerned and, outside of a bottle shop cum micropub and a microbrewery tap room with limited opening hours, there is precious little else. Even the high street Wetherspoons was one of the poorest for beer choice I have come across.
However the inside of the Arena Tavern is actually quite a nice traditional pub interior with a wooden floor throughout, some exposed brick sections, an off white colour scheme and a low dark beamed ceiling. It is long and thin with two main sections. The bar fills the left hand side of the first section which also has seating in the front windows either side of the front door and along the right hand wall. Then the back section is darker due to no natural light and has additional seating with a dart board on the back wall and flat screen for the sport.
The bar has three ale hand pumps and I got the impression that Fullers London Pride and Green King IPA are permanent beers with a guest on the third. Unfortunately for me the guest was Old Speckled Hen so a bit of a pedestrian choice.
I went for the Pride, which was in good nick, and I found this a friendly pub for a lunchtime pint. It now benefits from some permanent external bench seating on the restricted road section in front of the pub, which I guess was allowed and installed as a result of the Covid pandemic.
On 10th November 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- Official site of The Arena Tavern - www.arenatavern.com
- Facebook - The Arena Tavern
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Arena Tavern - whatpub.com
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 12 April 2024 by Tris C
- Darts : Yes last updated 12 April 2024 by Tris C
- Karaoke : Yes last updated 21 December 2014 by Dave McNally
- Micropub : No last updated 12 April 2024 by Tris C
- Quiz Night : Yes last updated 12 April 2024 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 09 May 2014 by Dave McNally
