We all love our local boozer, don’t we?
And what better way to support them than by celebrating the 50th edition of the Good Beer Guide.
It’s Camra’s premier publication featuring the very best pubs to find a great pint – and in Bedford, the surrounding villages as well as nearby Ampthill and Flitwick, there are 17 no less (yes, 17).
Camra national chairman, Nik Antona, said: “For nearly five decades, the Good Beer Guide has been a comprehensive guide to the UK’s breweries, their ales, and the best outlets to find them in across the country.
“Whilst we experienced a boom in the brewing industry over recent years, it’s clear that the effects of Covid-19 and subsequent cost of living and cost of goods crisis has been keenly felt. I’d encourage everyone to use this guide to seek out the very best examples of pub excellence and support these locals by visiting them.”
1. The Castle, Newnham Street, Bedford
"Lively town pub with a pleasant walled patio garden, five minutes from the town centre and convenient for the Bedford Blues rugby ground," says the guide, which also mentioned there's a guesthouse behind the pub providing five en suite bedrooms Photo: Google
2. The Devonshire Arms, Dudley Street, Bedford
The guide called it a "pleasant late-Victorian pub in a residential area, a Wells house for 123 years". It added: "The front bar has bare floorboards and an open fire, while there is a separate rear bar" Photo: Google
3. The Pilgrims Progress, Midland Road, Bedford
Originally a furniture shop (many of us remember that), this building was converted into a pub before becoming a hotel. The guide made mention of the suspended trombones marked Glenn Miller’s time in Bedford Photo: Google
4. Three Cups, Newnham Street, Bedford
The guide called the Three Cups a "comfortable inn dating from the 1770s." It added: "Old wood panelling helps retain some of the pub’s original character. An attractive garden offers extra seating under cover" Photo: Google