It's off to West Yorkshire on a Friday evening, so maybe not a huge Shrimper presence, but here are some of the best places to have a beer before the game, or even after if you're staying overnight.
First of all, it's been a long time since I went to Bradford, we lost 2-1, (oh God, it was 1991!), and I can't remember even grabbing a beer!So I'm very grateful to my drinking buddies at the excellent Yeovil fansite www.ciderspace.co.uk for pinching a couple of pubs they recommended the last time they were up there, and even that was a few years back!
They also tell us that, given it's a stadium in the city not stuck out on the edge, there are not many drinking places adjacent.
The Cartwright Hotel and Park Hotel are two of the closer, and they are ten minutes away.
Of course, if you like the British national dish, curry, Bradford is the place for you. There are over 300 curry houses in the city covering every style and region of the Sub-continent and wider Asia, and every price range.
Be aware that some don't sell alcohol for religious reasons. A few won't allow any consumption of alcohol on the premises at all, but others are happy enough for customers to bring in their own. You may find there's a small 'corkage' charge if you want bottles opened or glasses supplied in those circumstances.
Club Bar :
The Bantams Bar is at the home end. As far as we know this is not available to away supporters.
Corn Dolly; 110, Bolton Road.
Top notch hostelry and highly recommended. Long-serving landlord - first class fella - and friendly clientele, many say the best pub in Bradford!
Single bar, but the room is vaguely divided into a lounge and a games side. A few minutes walk from the city centre and Forster Square Station.
Regular beers are Black Sheep Best, Everards Tiger and Taylor Landlord, and an excellent house beer badged as 'Corn Dolly' from Moorhouses, with an additional four changing guests always available. The beer is kept superbly.
Fighting Cock; 21-23 Preston Street.
About a mile west of the city centre and just over the mile from the stadium, in industrial back streets, this is probably the real ale pub in Bradford. Local CAMRA Pub of the Year on numerous occasions.
Twelve real ales are on, with Greene King Abbot, Old Mill Bitter, Phoenix White Monk, Copper Dragon Golden Pippin, Taylor Landlord and Golden Best as regulars and the rest made up of guests.
Fine stock of Belgian bottled beer and a real cider.
[map] [gmap]
Castle Hotel; 20 Grattan Road
Close to the city centre and about half-way between Bradford Interchange and Forster Square railway stations, it's a mile from the stadium.
There are always a constantly changing range of guests, mostly from small breweries, with the newish one of Oxenhope Moorland (opened 2003) frequently featured.
For those looking for something better than a Travel Lodge to stay, not bad prices if you decide to stay overnight.
Go to their website here if you want to check them out:
www.castle-hotel-bradford.co.uk/
Stadium: Not on map but go up any road on the top left square off Hamm Strasse and you'll see the Valley Parade floodlights; Corn Dolly: Middle of top right, top of Bolton Road, next to Wharf Street; Fighting Cock: Well left of bottom left square, click on map below pub details above; Castle Hotel: Going down the far left of the bottom left square, Grattan Road is the top of what I think is Albi Street!
(Photos taken from www.beerintheevening.com)
