A couple on a mission to drink in every pub and bar across the UK have given their verdict on a Bradford night out.
Dale and Holly, the duo behind The Great British Pub Crawl, have visited more than 2,500 venues across the nation in just under 700 days.
Ready to share their review, the couple stopped by 16 pubs and bars in the city centre on a wintry Saturday in January.
Followed by more than 23,000 people on social media, the couple had been told “don’t bother with Bradford” and “Go to Shipley instead”.
In response to the City of Culture’s critics, the couple said: “One of the reasons we like to explore different places is because we always go out with an open mind and look for the best a town or city has to offer, and I definitely think we found that in Bradford.”
The duo added: "The city is very easily walkable in a night, without ever having to venture far for the next beer. The door staff in the city all seem really friendly and professional and there is a real mix of age ranges all over the city, happily co-existing and mixing with each other.
"Thanks Bradford, it was a blast! We will be back very soon to take in the rest of your beautiful city."
Bradford at Night said it was good to see visitors from outside the city enjoying the venues on offer.
Harry Hall, of Sunbridgewells, welcomed the review, saying people like Dale and Holly “showcase our many great bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants”.
He has revealed plans to reinvigorate the site for 2024.
The 627th pub crawl got off to a good start with Dale remarking on the city’s architecture and friendly traffic warden with recommendations.
The Peacock
Heading straight to the heart of the city’s nightlife offering on North Parade, the couple’s first stop was The Peacock.
The duo described it as a “nice little introduction to Bradford” on their Facebook review.
The Brass Owl
It was then time to go next door to The Brass Owl.
The couple said: “Lovely guys running the place and a suave feeling little bar! No hand pulls but very good selection on the taps and in the fridges.”
The Record Cafe
One of the staples of North Parade’s real ale scene, The Record Cafe won over Dale and Holly.
Dale described it as “everything I look for in a place” and celebrated the bar’s “superb little Tapas menu that includes a host of Andalucian dishes such as octopus and squid”.
The review described it as a "little gem" that "feels like a cosy slice of heaven."
"10/10 place...hands down," the reviewers added.
Boar & Fable
The YouTubers hopped over the road to much-loved micro pub, the Boar & Fable.
They said there's a "beer selection to make your mouth water” - making it "another great example of a place doing everything right".
Rewired
The couple’s crawl led them to discover one of the city’s independent music venues, Rewired.
They said it was “a nice gaff with a good welcome that stays open until 1am and has live music regularly" as well as open mic nights.
Rumshackalack
Rumshackalack was the next popular haunt to visit.
The bar had “an extensive selection of rums to suit all tastes”, said the couple.
It was described as "a super little place" with plenty of options for people who don't fancy a rum.
The Silver Fox Bar
The reviewers kept an air of mystery around why people should visit The Silver Fox Bar.
It could be linked to the Guinness being served on a hand pull - a new concept to the Nottingham-based pub crawlers.
Dale described it as “a nice little bar” with a “good vibe”.
The Corn Dolly
After a number of recommendations throughout the night, the couple decided to see what The Corn Dolly was about.
The review read: “'The Corn Dolly' which is a true, old school, real ale pub with that beautifully old pub, musty smell, banging carpet and a pump clip selection that could put anywhere to shame, proudly displaying a wealth of old awards from across the years, it's very clear to see why this one is so highly regarded in the area."
City Vaults
Ready to get back into the action, the duo headed to City Vaults and fell in love with the stained glass windows and five hand pulls on offer.
It was described as an “absolutely banging pub".
The Exchange
Over on Market Street, the couple sat down for a drink at The Exchange.
The review described it as a “fantastic little craft beer house” offering a “super selection".
The review read: “This beautiful little place looks like you are sat beneath a railway tunnel with a stone floor and rustic aesthetic."
Sunbridge Wells
The couple had been looking forward to exploring the underground bars, restaurants and shops of Sunbridgewells.
It had a “mountain of potential”, said the duo, “but is not a patch on some of the market vibe places we've found in the last few months, mainly because most of it seems closed, even at 8.30[pm] on a Saturday.
“The bar downstairs is 'Wallers Brewery' and that, to be fair, is pretty cool.
“It's a real shame because, if this place was vibing with five or six different street food sellers and a couple of bars, it could be seriously brilliant.
“All the potential is here but the overall delivery and execution is severely lacking from a truly impressive underground gem."
Harry Hall, Sunbridgewells’ current owner and son of its developer, Graham Hall, welcomed the review as a way to “showcase our many great bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants”.
But he said some of the feedback was “damning”.
Harry revealed there are plans in the works for Sunbridgewells - including a new tapas bar and the return of one of Bradford's oldest bars.
Bradford at Night said the current challenges facing the hospitality sector has impacted venues like Sunbridgewells, but the team was not “sitting on their hands”.
Not Guilty
The couple then tried out 'Not Guilty', housed within the same building with its own standalone entrance.
The late night venue had “a nightclub vibe” and was a "top place".
There was high praise for owner Jay, who also runs 'Guilty Pleasure' and 'Guilty'.
Wine Lodge
Wine Lodge was described as a “party pub style venue with good door staff and service”.
It had good drinks deals - namely three VKs for £6 - “which went down very well” with the duo.
The Dubliner
The social media duo were fans of The Dubliner, describing it as a “classic, superb, Irish Bar”.
There were “lovely staff, some great tunes being played (they also had a bit of live music on earlier in the evening) and a top notch pint of Guinness”.
The Crown Sports Bar
The Crown Sports Bar was then recommended to the duo by a police officer who was out on duty.
“It's a damn good sized sports bar with a disco/party vibe going and plenty of screens to watch any of the sport,” said the reviewers.
The Turls Green
The couple had wanted to round off their alcohol-themed adventure at the Drum Winder, but it had closed by 11pm.
The reviewers decided to head over over to Wetherspoons.
In search of a kebab
Most nights out tend to end with food, but the duo felt more takeaways should be open in the heart of the action.
Locals may know that most late-night takeaway shops are found behind the Alhambra or on Leeds Road.
But for Dale and Holly, it represented a missed opportunity.
“Bradford is a city,” said the review.
“Bradford barely has a single kebab shop open at 11.30pm in the city at all and the one we did find had 'run out' of any kind of lamb/meat.
“We asked a few locals if there were any other places that might be open and they said there weren't, so we decided to head to the city centre McDonalds which was also closed... DISASTER!
“How on earth can a city be so lacking in takeaways at 1130pm? Madness...someone is missing a trick there and could make a killing by opening a late-night kebab shop.
“So, a large bag of Roast Beef Monster Munch from the garage was the only option.”
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