Crewe Station - twenty years on - still nothing worth drinking

[yorksrob]

I first used Crewe station over twenty years ago, changing trains on my way to university. At the time, there weren't many retail outlets to speak of and certainly nothing to drink.

Fast forward to now and it's notable that there is still nothing worth imbibing. The so called "Hero" is a dingy hole with nowt but undrinkable lager and nitro-keg rubbish. In this era when we have the glory of the Sheffield Tap, or the local charm of the Huddersfield Head of Steam, it seems a travesty that a junction with the importance of Crewe can still be saddled with such a lousy bar.

Will anyone ever break the turgid SSP's cold, clammy death grip on the station, I wonder.

 

[cactustwirly]

I first used Crewe station over twenty years ago, changing trains on my way to university. At the time, there weren't many retail outlets to speak of and certainly nothing to drink.

Fast forward to now and it's notable that there is still nothing worth imbibing. The so called "Hero" is a dingy hole with nowt but undrinkable lager and nitro-keg rubbish. In this era when we have the glory of the Sheffield Tap, or the local charm of the Huddersfield Head of Steam, it seems a travesty that a junction with the importance of Crewe can still be saddled with such a lousy bar.

Will anyone ever break the turgid SSP's cold, clammy death grip on the station, I wonder.

If you want a decent pub, walk to the town centre.
Railway stations are for catching trains, not going to the pub, as a passenger I couldn't give a toss about a pub, but a decent expresso bar on the other hand...

That said I do like a good pub, but I don't see the point in one at a station.

 

[Mag_seven]

The so called "Hero" is a dingy hole with nowt but undrinkable lager and nitro-keg rubbish.

Station bars have generally always been real ale deserts.

 

[Aictos]

Station bars have generally always been real ale deserts.

I can’t agree or disagree but there is a Wetherspoons less then 18 mins away which does offer decent beverages.

 

[yorksrob]

If you want a decent pub, walk to the town centre.
Railway stations are for catching trains, not going to the pub, as a passenger I couldn't give a toss about a pub, but a decent expresso bar on the other hand...

That said I do like a good pub, but I don't see the point in one at a station.

That's a lovely theory of yours, however I had half an hour between trains. A pint while watching the Pendolino's go by would have been ideal.

Plus, have you ever actually walked from Crewe station to the town centre ?

Station bars have generally always been real ale deserts.

This has generally been improving over the years, but West of Manchester seems to be stuck in the 1990's in that respect.

Haywards Heath down side, by contrast, had real ale in the 90's, but seems to have become a Pumpkin.

 

[Mag_seven]

I can’t agree or disagree but there is a Wetherspoons less then 18 mins away which does offer decent beverages.

But we are talking about facilities at the station - there's probably loads of things XX mins walk from the station but I don't think that's the point of this thread.

 

[yorksrob]

But we are talking about facilities at the station - there's probably loads of things XX mins walk from the station but I don't think that's the point of this thread.

Indeed. 18 mins is quite a trek between trains.

I would have thought that Crewe would be ideally suited for a decent station bar - lots of people change there, and the town centre is a comparatively long way away.

 

[Mike99]

If you want a decent pub, walk to the town centre.
Railway stations are for catching trains, not going to the pub, as a passenger I couldn't give a toss about a pub, but a decent expresso bar on the other hand...

That said I do like a good pub, but I don't see the point in one at a station.

Its quite a walk into town from Crewe Station, and the other couple of pubs closer aren't too good, mind you I haven't had a beer since the 28th June 2006 but I understand yorksrob point, not much doing in or around the station.

 

[Ianno87]

Indeed. 18 mins is quite a trek between trains.

I would have thought that Crewe would be ideally suited for a decent station bar - lots of people change there, and the town centre is a comparatively long way away.

1) How many stations nationally do have a "decent bar" on them? Very few. Usually as a "destination" in itself (e.g. York Tap) rather than specifically aimed at folks chsnging trains.

2) Most people changing at Crewe won't be there for 30 minutes - an hour tops, with the standard hourly timetable. Hardly time to enjoy an alcoholic drink for most people (given what it would cost). People just want to grab a coffee and get on the next train.

 

[PHILIPE]

I notice there is mention of Wetherspoons in Crewe but The Gaffers Row closed in January 2018 and subsequently demolished for re-development of the area

 

[yorksrob]

1) How many stations nationally do have a "decent bar" on them? Very few. Usually as a "destination" in itself (e.g. York Tap) rather than specifically aimed at folks chsnging trains.

2) Most people changing at Crewe won't be there for 30 minutes - an hour tops, with the standard hourly timetable. Hardly time to enjoy an alcoholic drink for most people (given what it would cost). People just want to grab a coffee and get on the next train.

I admit, we are somewhat spoiled in Yorkshire, but would it kill them to get in a couple of bottles of TT Landlord for example ?

Perhaps I'm unusual in that I don't think I'd find it particularly onerous to see off a pint of ale in 30 - 45 mins.

 

[Cowley]

Perhaps I'm unusual in that I don't think I'd find it particularly onerous to see off a pint of ale in 30 - 45 mins.

You take that long!?

 

[yorksrob]

You take that long!?

Alas, these days it's a marathon, not a sprint

 

[Cowley]

Alas, these days it's a marathon, not a sprint

Fair point Rob.

 

[cactustwirly]

I admit, we are somewhat spoiled in Yorkshire, but would it kill them to get in a couple of bottles of TT Landlord for example ?

Perhaps I'm unusual in that I don't think I'd find it particularly onerous to see off a pint of ale in 30 - 45 mins.

Well I can do lager in less than a minute if I really tried
That said that's on an evening out, during the day between trains, I wouldn't want to drink, if I had time I'd rather drink coffee tbh

 

[yorksrob]

Well I can do lager in less than a minute if I really tried
That said that's on an evening out, during the day between trains, I wouldn't want to drink, if I had time I'd rather drink coffee tbh

That's some drinking

To be fair, there are plenty who enjoy a beer between trains, hence the various nitro-keg abominations on offer.

 

[cactustwirly]

That's some drinking

To be fair, there are plenty who enjoy a beer between trains, hence the various nitro-keg abominations on offer.

What's a nitro keg?
In terms of lagers, I like stuff like Hoegaarden, Peroni, Blue Moon, Moretti, Starmopramen, Nastro etc
But not rubbish like Stella, Carling, Foster's etc

I've been living in Europe for a few months where ale isn't really a thing, it's mostly all pils style beer, which is also quite nice.

 

[yorksrob]

What's a nitro keg?
In terms of lagers, I like stuff like Hoegaarden, Peroni, Blue Moon, Moretti, Starmopramen, Nastro etc
But not rubbish like Stella, Carling, Foster's etc

I've been living in Europe for a few months where ale isn't really a thing, it's mostly all pils style beer, which is also quite nice.

It's beer kept under a layer of nitrogen to make it easier to dispense through taps.

 

[cactustwirly]

It's beer kept under a layer of nitrogen to make it easier to dispense through taps.

Doesn't that also keep it cool?
Pils/weiß/lager tastes a lot better when it's cold.

 

[47271]

I often have to change at Crewe in the evening and you could do worse than the bar of the Crewe Arms, all of a 90 second walk from the front door of the station. Right at the front of the station, 50 yards, cross the road and down the steps and you're there. I'm not sure if I'd actually stay in the hotel, it's a Best Western not exactly in its first flush of refurbishment, but the bar is a perfectly pleasant place to sit for an hour or two.

I prefer a glass of wine myself so can't speak for the beer selection, sorry.

 

[yorksrob]

Doesn't that also keep it cool?
Pils/weiß/lager tastes a lot better when it's cold.

Cooling beer tends to serve to surpress the taste. If the beer is poor in the first place, that probably helps.

A nice beer can be enjoyed at room temperature.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Durham has a good station pub as do most London Terminals

 

[E759]

That's a lovely theory of yours, however I had half an hour between trains. A pint while watching the Pendolino's go by would have been ideal.

Plus, have you ever actually walked from Crewe station to the town centre ?



This has generally been improving over the years, but West of Manchester seems to be stuck in the 1990's in that respect.

Haywards Heath down side, by contrast, had real ale in the 90's, but seems to have become a Pumpkin.

Only one pub in Haywards Heath, Lockhart Tavern. Ten minute walk from the station

 

[d9009alycidon]

I often have to change at Crewe in the evening and you could do worse than the bar of the Crewe Arms, all of a 90 second walk from the front door of the station. Right at the front of the station, 50 yards, cross the road and down the steps and you're there. I'm not sure if I'd actually stay in the hotel, it's a Best Western not exactly in its first flush of refurbishment, but the bar is a perfectly pleasant place to sit for an hour or two.

I prefer a glass of wine myself so can't speak for the beer selection, sorry.

Stayed in that hotel in February this year, and I would agree that the hotel is in need of some improvement, the first night I was there they put me in room 103, if you are ever staying there and they give you that room politely tell them you want another! It is the ultimate torture as a railway enthusiast, the window looks out over the road that crosses Crewe Station with no view of the tracks, but if you stand on the toilet bowl and open the droplight you can just about see trains going in and out of the station. Unfortunately you can clearly hear every announcement made in the station, and if anything moves in or out of platform 1 you not only hear it, you feel it! Thankfully they moved me to another room at the other side of the hotel the second night an I got a nights sleep

 

[AndrewE]

I agree that it's a shame that so few stations have real ale available (and where you can watch the trains and keep an eye on the departure board) and personally I wouldn't consider walking into Crewe for a pint between trains either. As has been said above, the 'Spoons in the town centre closed over a year ago, but it certainly hasn't been demolished yet (It was still there yesterday, anyway.)
Use Whatpub,
https://whatpub.com/search?q=crewe+station&t=s&p=1&lat=53.088001251221&lng=-2.4303998947144&_token=Qfr2GE7MfbGvWLQhpZbri3gVlmXrxGPn7efDWYiy&features=PubClub,Open,RealAle
a CAMRA service to us beer drinkers, which tells you that there are 5 pubs serving real ale within half a mile of Crewe station (but not including the Crewe Arms.) Of course the beer on offer might not tempt you, but it might be better than nothing...
In fact Whatpub pointed out to me that the Brocklebank has 3 worthwhile real ales and is almost adjacent to the Weston Rd exit from the station, which I had overlooked.

Only one pub in Haywards Heath, Lockhart Tavern. Ten minute walk from the station

I take it that is your preference based on local knowledge. In fact whatpub says 1 pub is closer.

 

[yorksrob]

Only one pub in Haywards Heath, Lockhart Tavern. Ten minute walk from the station

If I'm ever changing there again, I'll try it.

Mind you, last time was about 1995

 

[ChrisC]

Stayed in that hotel in February this year, and I would agree that the hotel is in need of some improvement, the first night I was there they put me in room 103, if you are ever staying there and they give you that room politely tell them you want another! It is the ultimate torture as a railway enthusiast, the window looks out over the road that crosses Crewe Station with no view of the tracks, but if you stand on the toilet bowl and open the droplight you can just about see trains going in and out of the station. Unfortunately you can clearly hear every announcement made in the station, and if anything moves in or out of platform 1 you not only hear it, you feel it! Thankfully they moved me to another room at the other side of the hotel the second night an I got a nights sleep

I stayed at the Crewe Arms for 6 nights last year in August. Not the most modern hotel but I had a very large and comfortable room well away from the railway. They do have some quite nice refurbished rooms on the opposite side of the hotel to the railway. Although a bit old fashioned I found it a pleasant change from modern hotel chains like Premier Inn. The staff were friendly and the breakfasts were good. I used it as a base for a 7 Day Heart of England Rover and it was great to be so close to the station. I didn’t see much if the rest of Crewe but I wasn’t very impressed with what I did see. I would definitely use the Crewe Arms again. I was told that they do try to put people staying for longer stays in quieter rooms.