Recent months have seen me develop a distinct fondness for Yorkshire, as the frequent entries here have no doubt made abundantly clear. So it should come as no real surprise that, mere weeks after a successful Sheffield jaunt, I was heading north again, back into the depths of said county. The location of this most recent excursion was somewhere considerably less well trodden and somewhere that, at first glance, might not appear to offer much for the intrepid beer explorer. Appearances are known for their deception however and there really is no real way to know a place without stepping foot there in person. The target of this exploration would be the town of Barnsley, somewhere that I sensed would potentially be a real contrast to the larger Yorkshire settlements but would also provide more of an insight into the realities of the area's drinking culture, and perhaps a different spin on things to what I had become accustomed to in places such as Sheffield, where the beer reputation very much speaks for itself. I would not be alone on this endeavour though. I would once again be joined by my good friend Dog but we would also be accompanied by a new member of this ever expanding cast of pub trip companions, namely Dog's friend John. Together, as a trio, we would all be visiting Barnsley for the first time, in search of good beer, good stories and much else besides. You might be wondering what there is to know about Barnsley. Allow me to enlighten you.
Barnsley is a market town in South Yorkshire. It is the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. The town's population was recorded as 71,422 at the 2021 census, while the wider borough had a population of 244,600.
Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Barnsley is located on the M1 corridor between the cities of Sheffield to the south and Wakefield to the north. Doncaster lies to the east, Huddersfield to the north-west and Manchester lies west across the Peak District, to which it is connected to via the A628 road.
Barnsley's former industries include linen, coal mining, glass making and textiles. Its culture is rooted in its industrial heritage and has a tradition of brass bands, originally created as social clubs by its mining communities.
The name Barnsley derives from the Old English Beornslēah meaning 'Beorn's wood or clearing'.
Following the Norman invasion of 1066, many abbeys and priories were built in Yorkshire. Norman landowners increased their revenues and established new towns such as Barnsley, Doncaster, Hull, Leeds, Scarborough and Sheffield. Of towns founded before the conquest, only Bridlington, Pocklington, and York continued at a prominent level.
Although settlements had been established in the Barnsley area for centuries prior, and was a well known centre to trade, the first reference to Barnsley occurs in 1086 in the Domesday Book, in which it is called Berneslai and has a population of around 200.
The town was in the parish of Silkstone and developed little until in the 1150s, when it was given to the Pontefract Priory. The monks built a town where three roads met: the Sheffield to Wakefield, Rotherham to Huddersfield and Cheshire to Doncaster routes. The Domesday village became known as Old Barnsley, and a town grew up on the new site.
The monks erected a chapel of ease dedicated to Saint Mary, which survived until 1820, and established a market. In 1249, a Royal charter was granted to Barnsley permitting it to hold a weekly market on Wednesdays and annual four-day fair at Michaelmas. By the 1290s, three annual fairs were held. The town was the centre of the Staincross wapentake but, in the mid-16th century, it had only 600 inhabitants.
From the 17th century, Barnsley developed into a stop-off point on the route between Leeds, Wakefield, Sheffield and London. The traffic generated as a result of its location fuelled trade, with hostelries and related services prospering. A principal centre for linen-weaving during the 18th and 19th century, Barnsley grew into an important manufacturing town.
The first passenger station to serve Barnsley was opened by the North Midland Railway in 1840. Barnsley station (later called Cudworth) was located some 21⁄2 miles (4 km) away at Cudworth. On 1 January 1850, the Manchester and Leeds Railway opened Barnsley Exchange station, close to the town centre. On 1 May 1870, the Midland Railway opened Regent Street station, a temporary structure. A new station was opened by the MR on the Regent Street site on 23 August 1873. As it incorporated the old court house in its construction, Regent Street station was renamed Barnsley Court House.
Barnsley became a municipal borough in 1869 and a county borough in 1913. The town's boundaries were extended to absorb Ardsley and Monk Bretton in 1921, and Carlton in 1938.
The town was the site of a human crush that resulted in the deaths of 16 children in 1908 at a public hall, now known as The Civic, when children were rushing to watch a film in the building.
Barnsley has a long tradition of glass-making, however Barnsley is most famous for its coal mines. In 1960, there were 70 collieries within a 15 miles (24 km) radius of Barnsley town centre, but the last of these closed in 1994. The National Union of Mineworkers still has its HQ in Barnsley.
George Orwell mentioned the town in The Road to Wigan Pier. He arrived in the town on 11 March 1936 and spent a number of days living in the houses of the working class miners, while researching for the book. He wrote very critically of the council's expenditure on the construction of Barnsley Town Hall and claimed that the money should have been spent on improving the housing and living conditions of the local miners.
Situated between major cities but also having the air of somewhere a bit more rural, we were intrigued to see what Barnsley had to offer. Would it be a hidden gem and a must visit destination for the beer adventurer? Or would it be a victim of industrial decline with nothing much to shout about amongst its many drinking establishments? We would find out soon enough but first, as ever, there was the process of getting there. Handily, Barnsley is situated on a major rail route and served by regular trains from Nottingham. The journey time is around an hour and 20 minutes, via Sheffield. We had chosen the 10.17 train to be our carriage of choice and we were deposited at Barnsley station within the predicted timeframe. We were eager to get exploring and get our bearings. Predictably, upon arrival, my phone instantly crashed, leaving us without a map until I got it rebooted. Hopefully this would not be a sign of things to come. Making our way out of the station, through the wrong exit it soon turned out, we turned right and followed some convenient signage in the direction of the town centre. My phone shortly got its act together and allowed us to figure out that we'd gone slightly the wrong way. However, this was easily rectified by crossing a nearby pedestrian bridge over the railway line. This bridge, fairly new and recently opened is dedicated to, and named after, Tommy Taylor, the locally born footballer who became one of the 8 Manchester United players to tragically perish in the 1958 Munich air disaster. Having successfully navigated this bridge, we arrived on the edge of Barnsley town centre. We took a right down an adjacent road, which actually curved around the frontage of the station entrance which we would have left through had my phone not had a funny turn. Now that we'd figured out where we were, we set about starting our day properly. Our first stop of the day turned out to be almost opposite, on the corner of Regent Street. Our first taste of Barnsley's pub scene would be at The Courthouse.
As can be guessed from its name, this impressive looking building was originally built as a court house in 1868, although it only served this function for two years before being sold to Midland Railway to serve as a station for a new line through the town. It acted as such until 1960, before the station closed and all services were diverted to the current station. In the intervening years, the building had many uses, including as a school of dance, a ballroom, and a pub called the Comedy Store before it was purchased by Wetherspoons in 1999. It operated under their ownership for only 4 years, and was actually the first pub of the chain in Barnsley. Wetherspoons relocated to a larger premises in 2003, and this building has had various owners since, with Punch Taverns currently holding that honour. Access to the pub is up a flight of steps to the front. The interior is large, with a bar central to proceedings. A split-level drinking area is directly opposite the bar. To the end of the main room is a dartboard and pool table. To the rear, is a plush drinking area and also a staircase that leads up to the toilets. These appear to be located in what may have been old holding cells as the cubicles are in the centre of the room with access all the way around. Downstairs the decor consists of carpeted flooring, wooden furniture, attractive wallpaper and old photos of the town. A large Barnsley FC flag hangs above the bar and sports TVs can be found throughout. This is clearly a football pub and no doubt popular on matchdays, especially given its proximity to the station. The bar is well stocked and primarily given over to keg products, though there is a single, rather impressive looking handpull, dispensing Wainwright. I opted for a half of this. Dog started out with a half of Murphy's, whilst John contented himself with a half of Alpacalypse. All told, the round totalled £6.60, which wasn't a bad start to proceedings. We made our way over to a table in the raised area and discussed our first impressions. Whilst there is no obvious trace left of their stint, you can see why Wetherspoons would have taken this place on, not least because of the distance to the toilets. All in all, it's a down-to-earth welcoming pub. There's nothing overly showy but nothing too off-putting either. Besides which, the Wainwright was in cracking condition. As opening pubs go, we could certainly have done far worse. We were made to feel welcome, even as obvious newcomers to the area, and that's the very least we could have expected.
With one pub already in the books, we were soon to immerse ourselves deeper into the centre of Barnsley. Leaving the Courthouse, we turned right and continued down Regent Street, crossing the road as we did so. We soon took a left onto Royal Street, which then continues around to the right. During this stretch of the journey, we came across some very cool, Art Deco architecture, which inadvertently foreshadowed our next couple of stops. Following Royal Street to the end, we emerged at the junction with Church Street, where our next location sits on the corner. Next up, the White Bear.
This large Grade II listed building dates from the late 18th century and formerly occupied a much smaller footprint. It was renamed the Royal Hotel in 1835, following an overnight stay by the then Princess Victoria. The royal coat of arms is depicted on the side gable, although this cannot be seen in the image above. In 1893, the building was extended into two neighbouring premises. In the late 1990s, it became the Fealty & Firkin and then The Assembly before it reverted back to its original name, which it still holds today. Inside, the layout has been divided into various areas, breaking up the internal floorspace. The large, main room is L-shaped and low-ceilinged. Raised areas can be found either side of the front entrance, one acting as a snug-like area, whilst the other acts a lounge. Steps at the back lead down to an area where a pool table can be found and which is more of a public bar in style. Beyond this is The Yard, which is semi-open to the street and occupies what was previously a hairdresser's. The decor is primarily dark grey but there are flashes of colour and touches of character, including illuminated signs and nods to the local area. The main area is primarily open-plan with the large servery wrapping around the central structure. Furniture is simple wooden tables and chairs but there are a few sofas scattered throughout. TVs are also prominent here and there is also a games machine. The flooring is mostly polished wood but black and white tiling fringes the bar area. We were greeted almost instantly as we entered and given a very warm welcome by a very friendly gentleman behind the bar, who seemed genuinely interested as to the purpose of our visit and was not afraid to offer some tips on where he thought we should go, as if we were unprepared amateurs who hadn't compiled a list. His joviality gave us time to peruse our bar options. There are two handpulls on the bar here. On the day in question, they were offering a choice of Hogs Back T.E.A. and Adnams Ghost Ship. John and I both decided on a half of T.E.A., whilst Dog opted for a half of Birra Moretti, at a total cost, for all three drinks, of £7.25. We spent a good few minutes here, enjoying the conversation and the quirky atmosphere. The White Bear certainly gives the impression of being targeted at a younger demographic. This is perhaps reflected in the quality of the beer. It wasn't awful but the T.E.A. certainly seemed like it was on the turn, which was a pity. Still the genuine friendliness of our welcome was worth the visit alone, and this would become a recurring theme throughout the day. The customer service we received at every location was second to none.
Once we were able to excuse ourselves from the White Bear and the genuinely scintillating conversation of Luke and his team (shout out to them in the unlikely event that they're reading this), we had a short walk to our next stop. Turning left out of the White Bear, we continued on for a short distance until we came across a passageway, or jitty, on our left. This took us into Barnsley's covered Victorian Arcade, which is lined with independent businesses. One such independent business was now in our sights. Our first Good Beer Guide 2026 listed visit of the day, would be to Spiral City.
A relatively recent addition to this part of town, Spiral City opened in November 2021. The Art Deco exterior is continued inside and enhanced even more to create an effortlessly cool ambience. The ground floor is split-level and continues the Art Deco theming, with a dark-tiled floor, two shades of teal blue walls and fittings in light wood. Seating is a combination of stools and leather banquettes along the windows and there is a small outside seating area on the arcade itself. The first floor features similar styling in two further drinking areas, one of which features a Rock-ola jukebox. The pub has recently expanded into the neighbouring unit, formerly a record shop called Vinyl Underground, which has moved opposite. There are multiple works of art on the walls, all the work of the owners Dean and Fiona. Dean is a renowned comic book artist, whose work gives the bar its name, whilst Fiona specialises in American style, 40s and 50s era pinup art. This place is really cool and we were all enamoured with the theming and style almost instantly, and this was before we'd even gotten to the bar. This is accessed up a short flight of steps at one end of the ground floor room. Amongst an intriguing range of options, including a really interesting keg range with a variety of styles, there are also 3 handpulls here. On the day, these included Tetley's Original and two beers from the local Acorn Brewery, namely Saint George and Most IPA. I went for a half of the Saint George, with Dog and John choosing from the keg selection. Dog went for a half of Anspach & Hobday's renowned London Black, whilst John went for an IPA called Inception from Beartown. The round came to £8.05 in total. We decided to make the most of the Spring sunshine and made our way to the outside seating. We were already thoroughly impressed with Spiral City. It was our favourite pub of the day thus far. This was more than backed up by the beer and confirmed that the bar's GBG status is well deserved. Saint George (4.5%) is a light golden ale with an orange citrus aroma. It's clean and refreshing with flavours of orange, earthiness and gentle spice. It's a great example of the style and the quality is no doubt enhanced by the feeling of Spring in the air. Our trio of pubs had already given us a glimpse into the range of venues that Barnsley had to offer. We were excited by the prospect of expanding that view.
As reluctant as we were to leave the excellent Spiral City, there was much more goodness to come. Our quest would continue a short distance away. Retracing our steps back up the arcade, we emerged on Market Hill, where our next destination can be found, virtually opposite the arcade entrance. Next on our itinerary was Old No. 7.
This longstanding pub reopened in October 2023 after being purchased by the Valiant Pub Company. For many years it was known as Carter's No. 7 after the family that operated it as a wine and spirits merchant from 1878 to 1936. Inside, the interior has not changed much from its original appearance. A single, long room in a split-level design features a bar in the top section that dominates much of the available space. Seating in this area is high backed stools and wooden tables opposite the servery. The lower level features more traditional wooden seating. The decoration is minimal, with bare wood floors and textured ceilings. Newspaper articles and photos detailing old Barnsley are displayed on the walls. Old No. 7 has developed a strong reputation for the quality of its beer, winning Barnsley CAMRA Pub of the Year in consecutive years from 2012-15 and again in 2020. The pub is also listed in the 2026 Good Beer Guide. We were about to put that reputation to the test. You will find 6 handpulls on the bar here, offering a wide range of choices. The options available at the time were Acorn Barnsley Bitter, Vocation Heart & Soul, Rudgate Citra, Bosun's Brew Down the Hatch, Milestone Raspberry Wheat and Milestone Honey Porter. Being unfamiliar with Bosun's Brew, I went for a half of Down the Hatch, with Dog opting for the Porter and John for Barnsley Bitter, to the total cost of £6.75. We retreated the short distance to a high table and took in our surroundings from our raised position. Old No. 7 is a gem. The unchanged nature of the building gives it a timeless feel and it really did feel, for a moment at least, that we were part of a bygone era. The beer was cracking too. Bosun's Brewery are based elsewhere in Yorkshire, specifically Wetherby. Down the Hatch (4.0%) is an easy drinking golden ale with Cascade hops, leading to a light refreshing taste with hints of citrus. The modernity of the style is a good contrast to the environment we found ourselves in but all the better for it.
Something altogether different was on our horizon. Leaving Old No. 7 in our wake, we took a right and headed down Market Hill, towards the central shopping area of the town. Our route took us down Queen Street and then left onto May Day Green. Our next location was right in front of us, at Nailmaker Tap 1.
Located in the new Glassworks development, this unit started out as a wine bar and opened in August 2022. It was converted into its current guise in November 2024 and is the most central of two bars in town operated by Nailmaker Brewery, named for one of Barnsley's most well-known trades. Internally, the layout is L-shaped and relatively small, with a bar in one corner. The overall decoration is minimalist with two walls covered in rust effect wallpaper and the others bare brick. The large glass frontage, as well as allowing for lots of natural light, affords a good view of Glassworks Square. Seating is a mix of long benches and high stools. A single toilet is to one side of the room. Industrial chic is the order of the day throughout. The bar features a selection of keg beers, alongside 4 handpumps, with most of the cask beers from the portfolio of the namesake brewery. On offer at the time of our visit were Cardinal Sin, Yorkshire Bitter and Clout Stout, all from Nailmaker, alongside Empire Golden Warrior. It made sense to try a Nailmaker beer. When in Rome and all that. I went for a half of Cardinal Sin whilst Dog and John both opted for a half of Vocation's Death by Cherries. Total cost: £7.75. We found space to perch on some stools with an accompanying drinking ledge. We had conflicting views on this place. For my part, I don't mind a more modern style of bar that marries contemporary features with old school values. I expected it to be bigger here. In general though, there just didn't seem to be much of an atmosphere but the beer wasn't bad. Cardinal Sin (4.4%) is a pale ale, brewed with Cardinal hops. This gives flavours or citrus, grapefruit and pineapple and hints of bitterness. Conversely, Dog and John really weren't impressed at all. We had originally intended to visit the sister venue, imaginatively named Nailmaker Tap 2, which is actually GBG listed but time and geography put paid to that, as will be revealed later. For now, it was time to move on again.
It's one thing having one pub that was formerly a Wetherspoons but Barnsley actually has two Spoons conversions and the second one of these was next on our route. Leaving Nailmaker 1 and turning left, we turned left again onto Cheapside and then took the next right onto Albert Street East. This crosses Albert Street and continues on, after which we took a left onto Market Street. A few yards down the road, we located The Kestrel.
This former Wetherspoons was reopened in September 2023, following purchase and refurbishment by the Mountain Pub Co. The name references the titular bird from the book A Kestrel for a Knave (later adapted into the film Kes), written by Barnsley native Barry Hines. A commemorative statue, depicting Billy, the central character, and Kes, stands a short distance away. Inside, the layout has been opened up considerably and is much less cluttered than its previous incarnation. The bar stands to the right of the entrance and there is much seating throughout, mostly traditional scrubbed wood but there are booths along the opposite wall. The overall dimensions encompass one room, with the toilets downstairs. TVs are located throughout and there are also multiple dartboards. The pub operates an over-18s only policy. The carpet is in keeping with that of a former Spoons. 8 handpulls sit on the bar and normally 4 of these will be in use at one time, such was the case on our visit. The options included a trio from Stancill, another local brewery, with Nightshift, Faberge and Blonde represented, alongside Timothy Taylor Landlord as a guest beer. Whilst I was familiar with some of Stancill's range, Faberge was a new one on me. A half of that for me, half a Blonde for John and half a Poretti for Dog cost us a suspiciously cheap £4.95. Either it really is that reasonable or a mistake got made somewhere. We weren't about to ask too many questions and scarpered to a booth at the back of the room instead. As it turned out, Faberge is a decent beer. Brewed with the Bullion hop, it's a golden ale with a nice zesty kick to it. And, at 4.2%, it's decidedly drinkable. The Kestrel isn't a bad pub all-in-all and it certainly fits in amongst the wide range of premises we'd encountered so far. At those prices, it's not hard to see why!
It was to be yet another very different kettle of fish at our next stop too. So far, we'd definitely experienced a whole gamut of different offerings. Now, at the half way point, it was yet another change of pace. Taking a left out of the Kestrel, we continued down Market Street until we reached the Alhambra Shopping Centre. Stopping briefly to admire the aforementioned statue at the entrance, we continued on, actually walking through the shopping centre and emerging on a ring road, partly served by Sheffield Road. Using subways to navigate the central island, we made our way up onto Sheffield Road, overlooked by our next destination, the Manx Arms.
The Manx Arms was very much a wild card decision for this trip but also added a bit of an extra dimension to our day. This blue-painted pub was formerly known as both the Cricketers Arms and the Legs of Man, before becoming the Manx Arms. It is believed to date from 1793 and underwent a rebuild during the Victorian period. During the 1990s, it brewed its own beers on the premises under the name of the Manx Brewery, which once occupied the cellar. A more modern extension was added around the same period. Entering the pub will bring you through into a roughly two-roomed pub. One side features flagstone flooring and a large fireplace. The other is primarily wooden floored, with a fruit machine, and a smaller space beyond. Furniture is a mixture of wood and soft furnishings. A pool table sits centrally to one room and the bar is tucked away to the back of the room, roughly central to both halves of the pub. This is the epitome of a football pub. Memorabilia is everywhere, predominantly, and unsurprisingly a shrine to Barnsley FC, with scarves, photos of famous players and framed and signed shirts. Other teams do feature, though nowhere near to the same extent and within reason, depending on the team. Away fans are allowed, depending on who it is. The weekend after our visit saw Bradford City visiting. That was a definite no. And don't even ask if you're a Sheffield Wednesday fan! It's a truly impressive collection of football merchandise from across the club's history, no doubt helped by the pub being only a few minutes walk from Oakwell. It's not just football memories from bygone years that linger here though. The Manx Arms also has a reputation for odd happenings. Drinks have a penchant for disappearing and old currency has been known to randomly appear without explanation. Several local paranormal groups have investigated, including one that counts former boxing champion Kell Brook amongst its members. Randomly. Back in the mortal realm though and we were deciding on drinks options. There is no cask beer here so Dog and I settled on a half each of Caffrey's Stout, whilst John went for a half of Aspall. The total cost was £6.30. The Caffrey's Stout actually wasn't too bad at all and just about made up for a lack of cask options. If nothing else, the Manx Arms is a fascinating place to visit, for the strange stories as much as the football history.
The day had warmed up markedly by the time we left the Manx Arms. The next section of our trip would include the most walking between locations of the whole day, around 15 minutes in total. Crossing over outside the Manx Arms, we followed West Way for a short distance and then bore left onto Upper New Street, continuing down this to where it becomes New Street. This road curves slightly as you progress and soon becomes Agnes Street. After a few minutes, our next stop hove into view, on the junction of Agnes Street and Spring Street: Heaven & Ale.
Good Beer Guide 2026 listed and multiple winner of local CAMRA Pub of the Year, Heaven & Ale is the result of a stunning conversion of a former Co-Op. Multi-roomed, this is a bonafide destination pub. The entrance opens into the largest room, with low wooden furniture and the bar, and walls decorated with music posters, primarily rock. A small lounge features leather sofas, guitars and more of the same wall decor. A corridor to the rear houses the toilets but also features a wall entirely covered in pump clips. The soundtrack is geared towards alternative and classic rock. The bar, with its 4 handpulls, beckoned us in. In short, this place is very aptly named. The beer options were certainly interesting: Abbeydale Moonshine, Woodforde's Wherry, St. Peter's Cream Stout and Dancing Duck Ay Up. A rock-themed micropub serving my favourite ale of all time? Yes please! Of course I went for the Moonshine. Dog went for the Cream Stout with John opting for Blue Monkey's Cinder Toffee from amongst the keg selection. A half for everyone came to £7.00. We made our way into the lounge, with its comfy leather sofas and took some time just absorbing everything. This place is bloody marvellous. The Moonshine was superb. More than that, this place has everything you could want. To say it's somewhat in the backstreets, that is not a deterrent. This is somewhere you have to visit. Let's go now! I'll drive. Heaven & Ale? Absolutely.
After our most recent stop, it seemed almost pointless to press on. But, press on we did. Given the amount of walking we'd just done, we decided on a quicker mode of transport to get us to our next stop. Dog summoned an Uber. With his phone. He's not a wizard, at least as far as I know. Our destination? Summer Lane, for here be the George & Dragon.
Another Good Beer Guide 2026 listed venue, the George & Dragon is Barnsley CAMRA Pub of the Year for 2025 and we were about to put it to the test. Following a thorough refurbishment, which included the reinstatement of real ale, the pub reopened in July of 2020. Entering through either the front or side door will convey you into the main bar area, dominated by an impressive servery and bar back. Up a flight of stairs, a smaller room has padded leather chairs and sofas. The lower level is more traditional in seating but also features leather settles, a striped carpet and decorative prints. We were given a very warm, jovial welcome by the landlady as we approached the bar, which boasts 4 handpulls, across a mix of styles. The choices here were Stancill Barnsley Bitter, Small World Spring Break, Chantry Gruntled and Small World Thunderbridge Stout. I'd yet to have anything approaching a dark beer so the Thunderbridge Stout took my fancy. Dog opted for half a Stella, with John returning to Aspall. A half of each, accompanied by a cup of miniature spicy rice crackers, came to the grand total of £7.30. Small World are based near Huddersfield and Thunderbridge Stout (5.2%) is a cracker of a beer. Dry and roasty, it also has hints of coffee and a sharp, dry finish. It's delicious, far too drinkable and generally fantastic! I'm always surprised with the depth of flavours you can get from even the most simple of stouts and this beer proves my point no end. The George & Dragon is certainly worthy of its plaudits. It's a comfortable and friendly place that serves excellent beer to boot.
We had a decision to make now. Uphill again to Nailmaker Tap 2 or back down towards the town centre. Given our underwhelming experience at Nailmaker 1, and wanting to preserve our legs and dignity, we decided that downhill was a better option. This meant we had two stops remaining but food would be required first. A walk down Summer Lane and a left onto Peel Place brought us to the other side of Market Hill. To save walking around the buildings, we took a shortcut through the local Spoons, which handily has a door at either end. We were now opposite the arcade again. Prior to visiting our final duo of pubs, we made a detour through the arcade to Mother Hubbard's, a nearby chippie. Fully satiated with various forms of spicy fish and chips, we were ready to complete our mission. Our penultimate stop was opposite Spiral City at Jolly Tap on the Arcade.
This Good Beer Guide 2026 listed venue was the first micropub in Barnsley and occupies what was formerly a cake shop. Originally opened by the owners of Two Roses brewery, it has been owned by Jolly Boys brewery since 2019 and operates as their brewery tap. Inside, a bar counter opposite the door serves a small open-plan room, with wooden flooring and a small amount of seating, including settles by the window. A smaller upstairs room provides additional drinking space and looks out over the arcade. Given the ownership, the beer choice, on 5 handpulls, should come as no surprise. All the beers present on the day were from the Jolly Boys range, featuring Collier Porter, Yorkshire Bitter, Supa-Citra, Barnsley Blonde and ?PA. I went for a half of the latter. John decided on a half of Aspall, whereas Dog went for a double gin and tonic, which he often does after eating. The total cost of the round was a reasonable £12.55. I am acquainted with the Jolly Boys beers but I don't think I'd had the ?PA (4.8%) up to this point. It was worth the wait. Well balanced and smooth, with a good mix of hop notes. The Jolly Tap is exactly that. A fun, enjoyable place for a beer, inside a Victorian shopping arcade. It's really nice to see units that may otherwise have been left empty repurposed into something that can help bring new trade and extra footfall to an area.
One stop left. Leaving Jolly Tap, we made our way up a jitty opposite. This brought us out onto Hanson Street, which we followed for a few seconds before taking a right onto Regent Street South, where we quickly located Bar Ruelle.
Originally opening in 2019, Bar Ruelle later became a restaurant before being converted back into a pub in 2024 following the return of the previous owners. Effectively a micropub, it consists of one long room, that widens at the rear, with a bar counter running down one side. Seating is stools at the bar or lower tables in the rear section, where you will also find the toilets. Minimalist decor, bare wood flooring and turquoise walls are the order of the day. You'll find beer here though. 4 handpulls serve beers predominantly from Yorkshire. On this occasion, those beers were Small World Secret, Harrogate Harrogate Pale, Truth Hurts True Blonde and Skipton Airedale Blonde. Whilst the choice of styles wasn't the most imaginative, the relative rarity of the featured breweries in my neck of the woods certainly gave me a quandary. In the end, I swung for the Harrogate Pale with both Dog and John deciding on the True Blonde. Three halves came to £6.00. A table at the back of the room was calling and we used this to plan our next move, whilst drinking our beers. The Harrogate Pale (4.2%) was a good choice. Light-bodied, it's brewed with Amarillo and Citra hops for floral notes and hints of citrus.
With a little bit of time to kill, we supped our halves and made an attempt to visit a nearby micropub, the Old Tailors, but this turned out to be closed. A final, fortifying half back at the Courthouse to bookend our visit ensured that enough time passed so that we could make the short walk to the train station without too much of a wait. This meant, of course, that it was time to depart and, also, time to reflect and analyse. Barnsley had been a roaring success. A town that is arguably overshadowed by its bigger brothers to the north and south had come up trumps. There's a lot of fun to be had here. The pubs are great, the town is easy to navigate and the beers were in great condition, for the most part. One of the biggest draws though, and one of the things that would warrant a return, is the people. Everyone was lovely. Not only did they display all of the best elements of hospitality but there was a genuine impression that it wasn't an act. People wanted to engage. They wanted to chat. They wanted to know that we were having a good time and, by extension, they ensured that we did. The art of conversation, the gift of the welcome, is becoming a lost art in a world of AI nonsense and doomscrolling. But, this is what it should really be about. Getting out and exploring, meeting people, discovering new things and new places and, at the end of it all, being able to say that you had a good time and maybe even made some new friends. After all, isn't that the point? Barnsley is certainly testament to that. It's an amalgamation of its surroundings. Urban and rural. Modern and traditional. Small but feels big. All the best bits of a big city with much less faff. You can be anything you want in life. Try and be like Barnsley.
Pub of the Day: Heaven & Ale. Speaks for itself.
Honourable mention: George & Dragon. Fantastic welcome, excellent beer.
Beer of the Day: Small World - Thunderbridge Stout. I was certainly thunder struck.
Biggest surprise: Spiral City. Unexpected Art Deco aesthetic.
