Northamptonshire & Bedfordshire Day Out

Our social diary continues to offer Saturday’s out, we visited five class pubs on 6^th May.

For a change, we were given a lie in as we didn’t leave until 10.30am. We left as always ON TIME with what had all the promise of good weather for the day.

We arrived at our first port of call at 11.30, The Malt Shovel, Bridge Street, Northampton, where we were allocated an hour and a half. This has been the Northampton Branch’s “Pub Of The Year” for many years as recent as 2005. This is a large open plan pub, with a comfortable lounge area at one end and a dining style layout at the other. The beer range was quite extensive, including a selection of beers from Great Oakley. This Brewery is in Corby, owned by one of the pub’s joint owners. The pub also surprisingly sells Tetley Bitter. The reason given for this was pointed out over the road. (Carlsberg’s Factory is on the opposite side of the road).

An Illuminated neon sign hangs outside from The Northampton Brewing Company (NBC) dating back to the 50’s & 60’s. Rumour has it that his was acquired some years ago from Barry Lount of The Cow & Plough in Oadby, who specialises in breweriana.

As we left Northampton, sure enough, it began raining. Our next stop was The Engineers Arms, Main Street Henlow, Bedfordshire. This pub has two rooms and is full of CAMRA and brewery trivia along with football memorabilia plus a range of beers from small Independent breweries. This pub is a well-deserved winner of “Pub Of The Year” three times, including the 2006 award, The awards are proudly displayed in the pub as well as various other awards acquired over the years. 

The Wellington, Bedford was our next stop, after a winding journey through the town centre, we eventually spotted the pub. This was the smallest pub on our tour, we packed it out within seconds, this being the reason that the trip was limited to 35. This Banks & Taylor pub had a good range of other beers on as well. It was so popular that Keith extended our visit to an hour and a half. Pump-clips from breweries from all over the country adorned the walls, with various breweriana as well. 

The next pub was The Locomotive, Finedon Road, Wellingborough. Situated close to the Midland Main Line, another pub with a good range of independent breweries beers and railway memorabilia throughout the pub. A model train runs across the shelf above the bar, nameplates and old advertising posters from a bygone age adorn the walls.

Our final pub for the day was The Alexandra Arms, Victoria Street, Kettering. This free house is currently Northampton CAMRA Branch’s “Pub Of The Year” and most of us could see why. This two roomed basic local caters for everyone with a friendly atmosphere and a good range of beers from micro-breweries and a house beer from Nobbys Brewery, which is located in one of the pub’s cellars.

By 8.00, we were setting off home. We had all been well oiled and the regulars had the usual sleep on the way home. As always, thanks go to Keith Satterly for organising another superb day out and to Dennis of Alantis Travel for a safe and pleasant journey.

K Williams.

This page last updated: June 3, 2008

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