Pontefract - The Cobbler

The light and dangling liquorice flowers
Gave off the sweetest smells;
From various black Victorian towers
The Sunday evening bells
Came pealing over dales and hills
And tanneries and silent mills
And lowly streets where country stops
And little shuttered corner shops.
from The Licorice Fields at Pontefract by John Betjeman

Though I’m nearing the end of my 6th decade I’ve never been to Pontefract before, even though I’m South Yorkshire born and bred. However as my oldest son Andy and his partner Leah have recently set up home there, it was time for Mrs GH and I to head off ‘oop north’ for an epic day visit.

I didn't see any licorice fields, but then it was a whistle stop day visit so I didn't really look. Are there any?
We were planning to call in at the Haribo shop for some 'Pontefract Cakes' but didn't have time for that either as it seemed to close at 3pm on Saturday.  However the plan was for us to have a family lunch and I suggested we might try Pontefract's only GBG entry, the Robin Hood (Inn). We duly located it and parked erroneously in the back yard of the neighbouring hair salon. We needn't have worried about being clamped as our stay was a very brief.
There was no food on offer at the Robin Hood - so out we went - (Mrs GH didn't like the basic appearance of the place even if there had been food).  So the delights of the Robin Hood and it's real ales would have to wait for a future 'wet-led' visit.
As we had little time to explore other pubs in Pontefract we opted for the nearest one, to Andy and Leah's place, The Cobbler.

The Cobbler on a dull Saturday in January.

The Cobbler is a typical large estate type pub for families and it was well populated on this Saturday lunchtime. The food looked good and portions were generous (as is often the case in Yorkshire).  On the beer front - not so good - as there was no cask, just keg and even then only one beer with any semblance of real ale heritage - Black Sheep Best Bitter.

Shiny multi-tap do-dah with Black Sheep tap and pint of keg Best Bitter.

Mindful that there was a pub full of families and children I asked the lady at the bar if I could do the photo above.  I made the mistake of prefacing my request with 'You might think it a bit weird but..'.  Permission was granted and she duly obliged by giving me her best 'you're weird' look.
We'll it is Tryanuary so perhaps a good time to push the boundaries and try keg.  It was an attractive looking pint with all that 'smooth flow' razzmatazz of clouds of minute swirling carbon dioxide bubbles rising into the creamy white head - great entertainment.  Taste?  We'll it was ok, still some real ale flavour (unlike John Smith's smooth flow) but also a distinct metallic tang which I associate with sterilised, carbon dioxide filled keg beer.  Definitely an average/poor in cask terms.

Proof that I finished it (pint and a half actually) but don't let the lacing fool you...

I supposed you could get used to it (like I did with Stones (keg) Bitter in my youth in Rotherham), but you wouldn't drink it if there was any prospect of a decent cask real ale.

A completely new keg style lacing on the half pint glass

The Cobbler's interior is all pastel shades and not much else of note.  According to Whatpub, who's entry is several years old, it started life as a Hull Brewery pub of the same name, but says it is now owned by Halls No. 1 Pub Company.  Whatpub also suggests that it has a shoe-mender 'cobbler' theme not the correct local 'cobbler' who lays cobbled roads.  The pub co. must have taken that on board as it is now correctly themed with small (road) cobbler line drawings on the menus etc.

One of the few bits of wall art is this framed photo of the pub just after construction in the 70s (minus a few of it's later conservatory additions)

However there was an interesting sign stored in a side lobby possibly hinting of more interesting activities at the pub...

Sign presumably for use in the summer months.  It appears some of the Cobblers customers prefer topless visits to the pub - but gentlemen - surely not?

It's been a funny ol' day (as Arkwright would say) - no food in the real ale pub; no real ale in the food pub; no sign of licorice fields or Pontefract Cakes and a Yorkshire keg beer that didn't quite live up to it's glass....

Great Yorkshire beer glass.

Still - great day visiting Andy and Leah and their new home and more delights of Pontefract still to discover...