Wakefield CAMRA Homepage Wakefield Pub Food Reviews
The
Beverley Arms, Ackworth
When
I first visited the Beverley Arms at Ackworth many years ago it was notable for
having no real Webster's when all the other pubs in the village had no
real John Smith's. Since then the pub has reinvented and rebranded itself many
times; the low point was probably "Friar Tuck's Fatter Platter" when
"Steak and Smooth Ale Pie" was on the menu and "Maid Marian
Portions" were available for the faint-hearted.
Nowadays
Ackworth is awash with real ale and, thanks to enterprising new management, the
Beverley Arms has joined the party. It is owned by Marston's but that gives them
access to a pretty good portfolio of cask ales. Jennings Sneck Lifter and
Brakspear Bitter have been on sale recently and when we visited the two choices
were Banks's Original and Marston's Burton Bitter. I have always enjoyed
the latter and it was in fine condition, selling at a fair �2.30 a pint.
They are actively promoting cask and if you collect five stamps on a card (one
stamp per pint) you get a free glass or a free pint if the glasses have run out.
On the glass it says, amongst other things, "Beer is proof that God loves
us and wants us to be happy". I must run that past our local vicar.
As
is often the case, the pub is one large open plan room but there are a few
quieter areas. A selection of popular music was being played, none of which I
recognised but some of it could have been James Blunt. The food is branded as a
"Two for One" and a large full colour menu provides mouth-watering
descriptions of the fayre. I was delighted to note that "for every tree we
cut down to make our menus we plant another in its place" and I began to
imagine Marston's executives out on team-building exercises with spades and
green wellies.
Only
the main courses are "Two for One" whereby you order two and get
the CHEAPER (full marks there) one free. Starters are fairly reasonably
priced and feature garlic mushrooms and the like. There are sandwiches and wraps
too and I thought I might well enjoy "Blue cheese and rump steak wrap"
at �4.95.
So
we selected two main courses from the large selection on the menu plus a
specials board. There is a good vegetarian choice, the pick of which seemed
to be "Almond and Goat's Cheese Nut Roast" at �7.95. From a list headed
"Pie Society" featuring "Old Macdonald" (chicken and ham
pie) we chose the "Ale and Hearty", "slow cooked in a rich
Marstons Pedigree Ale and encased in shortcrust pastry". This was served
with chips, "garden peas" and gravy and turned out to be a good,
wholesome offering with some decent meat. Our other selection was "Beef
Stew and Dumplings". When this arrived we queried the apparent absence of a
dumpling. "It's in there somewhere", said the helpful waitress and on
closer inspection, sure enough, it was - our mistake. This too was a very tasty
main course. Both these meals cost �8.95 (it always pays to order two meals at
the same price) so at "two for one" prices they were very good value.
It has to be said that some of the main course prices look a bit steep (Sunday
Roast �10.95 and Giant Yorkshire with Sausages �9.50 for example) so my
advice would be to make sure you go in an even numbered group!
In
addition to the sweets from the menu some "limited edition puds" were
available. How
could
one resist the "Indulgent Chocolate and Raspberry Tart"? It was after
all a "sweet pastry case filled with chocolate mousse and raspberries baked
into a rich chocolate sauce and served with ice cream". The experience was
worth �3.25. Our other selection was a "Caramel Apple Granny" (also
�3.25) which, rather bewilderingly, came from the "Hot Puddings" list
and yet was served cold. After the dumplings episode it seemed best not to
enquire especially since it passed the taste test well.
At
last the Beverley Arms has got its act together and I was impressed enough to
want to return, probably for the Wednesday curry night where 2 drinks and 2
curries cost just �10. Yes, the offer does include "any draught ale"
and it's even cheaper than you-know-who's curry night in Wakefield!
The Beverley Arms, Ackworth at the junction of the A628 and A638. Bus 35
from Pontefract and 485 from Wakefield. 01977 615945.
Colin Williams