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Image posted by Blackthorn _
Submitted on Tuesday, 1st July 2014
With picture contributions to 5202 other pubs
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Detail Pages
The Bear, Bedford
Bedford
MK40 1NN
The Bear Bedford
Beer garden? - Check
Sunshine? - Check
Able to be who you want to be*? - Check checkitty check check!
12:46 PM Jun 10th from Twitter Web App
Reviews of The Bear (Average Rating: 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]
View more reviews of The Bear (6)
No known official website for this pub.
- Twitter - The Bear Bedford
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Bear - whatpub.com
Bedford St Johns, 0.72 miles, 13 min walk (show)
Kempston Hardwick, 4.49 miles, 1 hr 26 min walk (show)
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 08 January 2016 by ROB Camra
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 08 January 2016 by ROB Camra
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 08 January 2016 by ROB Camra
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 08 January 2016 by ROB Camra
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 08 January 2016 by ROB Camra
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 02 January 2023 by Blue Scrumpy
- Hot Food : No - Light snacks are available - last updated 08 January 2016 by ROB Camra
- Live Music : Yes last updated 02 January 2023 by Blue Scrumpy
- Micropub : No last updated 08 January 2016 by ROB Camra
- Pinball : No last updated 16 September 2018 by Bucking Fastard
- Pool Table : No last updated 16 September 2018 by Bucking Fastard
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 08 January 2016 by ROB Camra
- Real Cider : No last updated 08 January 2016 by ROB Camra
