North Beds

Campaign for Real Ale

Campaign for Real Ale

CAMRA LocAle

CAMRA LocAle is a national scheme to support pubs that offer locally brewed real ale. The scheme builds on growing consumer demand for quality local produce and increased awareness of “green” issues. The benefits of selling locally brewed beer include:

  • Pubs – stocking local real ales can help build customer loyalty
  • Consumers – enjoy greater beer choice and diversity
  • Local brewers – gain from increased sales
  • Local economy – more local money is spent locally
  • Environment – fewer “beer miles” on deliveries, reducing road congestion and pollution
  • Tourism – increasing a sense of local identity and pride. Celebrate what makes our area different!

Many CAMRA branches have launched LocAle schemes to encourage local pubs to offer locally brewed beers. The North Bedfordshire Branch scheme includes all real ales brewed within 25 miles of Bedford. The North Beds branch scheme currently includes 40 active real ale breweries, including 9 brewpubs, that brew mainly for their own pub, within the five counties of Beds, Bucks, Cambs, Herts and Northants. The scheme currently accredits over 30 pubs and clubs selling LocAle beers within the North Beds branch area.

All pubs and clubs accredited to the branch scheme are identified in WhatPub and listed below. CAMRA can provide point-of-sale material and pump clip crowners to promote beers from breweries within the scheme. If you run a local pub or club and think it should qualify for LocAle, please contact Peter Argyle at ku.gro.armac.sdebhtron@sngiapmacbup

LocAle Breweries. Real ales from breweries listed on this page currently qualify for North Beds LocAle.

  • Bedford
    • Brewhouse & Kitchen Bedford 115 High Street Bedford MK40 1NU Telephone(01234) 342931

      A former bank then Wetherspoon pub re-launched by the Brewhouse & Kitchen Group in 2016. The microbrewery is located within the main bar area alongside different seating areas separated by half-height dividers that are features in themselves. Orders can be placed at the table or at the bar, the menu includes an extensive list of drinks as well as food. Seasonal and special ales are available but only in KeyKeg.

    • Brewpoint Taproom Cut Throat Lane Bedford MK41 7FY Telephone(01234) 244444

      Modern taproom bar with restaurant and beer garden attached to Wells & Co's new Brewpoint brewery, serving a range of cask and other beers brewed on site. Breakfast is available from 8am, bar nibbles from 12 noon to 10pm. A pizza garden menu is available on Thursday evening and Friday to Sunday. The main bar is also the brewery shop and off-sales counter. CAMRA Pub Design (New Build) Award 2022.

    • Burnaby Arms 66 Stanley Street Bedford MK41 7RU Telephone07923 140210

      A traditional street-corner pub with a single bar at the front and a step down to the larger drinking area. It is in the increasingly popular Prime Ministers (formerly known as Black Tom) area of Victorian terrace houses and acts as the centre for various community activities throughout the year. A variety of board games and a book swap are available while a good range of spirits is also available. With changes to Wells / Brewpoint ales in recent times, only London Pride is currently available as real ale.

    • Castle 17 Newnham Street Bedford MK40 3JR Telephone(01234) 353295

      Lively town pub with a walled patio garden, five minutes from the town centre and convenient for the Bedford Blues rugby ground. Pizza and Thai food can be ordered from local restaurants for delivery to and eating in the pub. A guest house behind the pub provides five en-suite bedrooms. Open mic features on Monday evenings and a local Irish folk music band plays monthly. Monthly quiz night. Local CAMRA Pub of the Year 2016.

    • d'Parys 45 De Parys Avenue Bedford MK40 2UA Telephone(01234) 340248

      There is a welcoming bar area immediately insidfe the main entrance that does not fel like simply a hotel bar or the adjunct to a restaurant. The change from the previous eclectic decor is to be welcomd as being more appropriate to its setting and the intended clientele.

    • Devonshire Arms 32 Dudley Street Bedford MK40 3TB Telephone(01234) 301170

      Pleasant late-Victorian pub in a residential area, a Wells house for over 125 years. The front bar has bare floorboards and an open fire, while there is a separate rear bar. The garden has a gazebo for smokers and a non-smoking paved area covered by a marquee in winter. Beer and cider festivals are held twice a year. A range of wines is sold by the glass or bottle. North Beds CAMRA Pub of the Year 2020-21, Town Pub of the Year 2022 and 2024.

    • Embankment 6 The Embankment Bedford MK40 3PD Telephone(01234) 261332

      Attractive mock-Tudor pub and hotel with a front terrace overlooking the River Great Ouse and a rear patio garden with a smokers’ kiosk. There are 20 ensuite bedrooms. The Embankment is leased by Charles Wells to local pub-restaurant group the Peach Pub Company.

    • Foresters Arms 41 Union Street Bedford MK40 2SF Telephone07973 573112

      A corner pub across the road from the redeveloped university site with a single bar and two separate seating areas, one doubling as the function room up a few steps. There is an attractive enclosed garden with two sheltered seating areas.

    • Gordon Arms 118 Castle Road Bedford MK40 3QY Telephone(01234) 348668

      Reopened August 2021 following extensive remodelling to give an extensive bar area with distinct areas. Three Brewpoint cask ales and a good range of Brewpoint keg beers in a range of beer styles. Some tables have taller chairs for those who prefer them. Extensive outside seating front and back. Food pizza, burgers, etc.) and drink can be ordered from the table, helpful for those on their own. A small selection of board games is available. The Ent Shed provides a separate reasonably sized function room. AwardsLocal CAMRA Most Improved Pub 2021 and Community Pub of the Year 2022.

    • Park Pub & Kitchen 98 Kimbolton Road Bedford MK40 2PA Telephone(01234) 273929

      A large single-bar, mock-Tudor pub-restaurant near Bedford Park. The emphasis is on fine, home-prepared food, using local suppliers where possible, but casual visitors are welcome just for drinks. It is advisable to book for meals beforehand. The large restaurant is partly housed in a conservatory/garden room. The TV is normally on only for rugby internationals. The pub is leased to Little Gems Country Dining, a regional company with about six pubs.

    • Pheasant 300 Kimbolton Road Bedford MK41 8YR Telephone(01234) 262300

      Comfortable, refurbished modern pub serving a large suburban area north of the town. There is a comfortable, open drinking area with TV, with a large patio. Separate eating area serving home-cooked lunches and evening meals. Booking for weekends is advised.

    • Ship 102 Bromham Road Bedford MK40 2QH Telephone(01234) 409303

      Large one-bar pub with a nautical theme and a rear garden, just west of the town centre. Regular quiz Thursday evening, karaoke Friday evening, live or disco music Saturday and poker players on Sunday. May stay open later on Friday and Saturday if busy.

    • White Horse 84 Newnham Avenue Bedford MK41 9PX Telephone(01234) 409306

      Three seating areas, all with their own style, are served from a single bar. The regular Tuesday quizzes are popular. Musical events are advertised on Facebook. Food is freshly cooked to order, with a choice of roasts on Sunday, but it is wise to book ahead for Sun and Tue eves. The beer and wine selection is complemented by a wide choice of gins.

  • Bletsoe
    • Falcon Rushden Road (A6) Bletsoe MK44 1QN Telephone(01234) 781222

      Large, 17th Century coaching inn offering a variety of freshly cooked meals, daily specials, home-made desserts and a long wine list. Enjoy the large, riverside garden and marquee in summer, and crackling log fires in winter. With a variety of rooms holding up to 110 seated guests, it can cater for corporate and private functions including weddings and anniversaries. The magnificent, oak-panelled restaurant was once a local court room.

  • Bromham
    • Prince Of Wales 8 Northampton Road Bromham MK43 8PE Telephone(01234) 822447

      Family-friendly, modern community pub with a single long lounge seating up to 80 people. Outdoor drinking areas include a rear garden with children's play equipment and a covered patio at the front. Traditional, home-cooked pub meals are available, with rolling daily specials.

  • Carlton
    • Fox High Street Carlton MK43 7LA Telephone(01234) 720235

      A charming, thatched community pub with a warm welcome and an attractive garden popular with families. Guest beers are often from local microbreweries. Good value, home-cooked lunches are served (daily except Monday) and evening meals from Tuesday to Saturday. There is a regular quiz on Thursday evenings. Spring and summer bank holiday festivals are held, plus a sausage and cider festival in April and a one-day gin festival in June. Local CAMRA Country Pub of the Year 2016-17 and 2020-21, Branch Pub of the Year 2022 and Community Pub of the Year 2024.

  • Clapham
    • Fox & Hounds 1 Milton Road Clapham MK41 6AP Telephone(01234) 340114

      Two-bar community pub with a neat garden and children's play area. Wheelchair ramp access to the lounge, darts and pool in the public bar. Occasional live music and karaoke. A quiz is held on the last Thursday of the month to support Macmillan nurses. Meals are no longer served.

  • Clophill
    • Stone Jug 10 Back Street Clophill MK45 4BY Telephone(01525) 860526

      Originally three 16th-century cottages, this popular village local has an L-shaped bar serving two drinking areas. Excellent home-made lunches are available Tuesday to Saturday. Changing beers are usually from varying microbreweries. Picnic benches at the front and a rear patio garden offer outdoor drinking space in fine weather. Parking can be difficult at busy times. A good refreshment stop for the nearby Greensand Ridge Walk. CAMRA North Beds Country Pub of the Year 2023 and North Beds Pub of the Year 2024.

  • Felmersham
    • Sun Grange Road Felmersham MK43 7EU Telephone(01234) 781355

      Pretty, thatched community pub with a family-friendly rear garden, convenient for visits to the historic parish church and a nature reserve just across the river. Guest beers are often from local microbreweries. The creative food menu includes rotisserie-cooked chicken, hand-cut chips and seasonal ingredients from local producers. There is also a monthly food and drink theme night. The refurbished dining room can accommodate up to 40. Local CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year and Lockdown Hero 2020.

  • Great Barford
    • Anchor Inn High Street Great Barford MK44 3LF Telephone(01234) 870364

      Busy inn next to the church, looking over a medieval bridge across the River Great Ouse. At least two guest beers are usually available from an extensive range offered by the pub company. Good home-cooked food is available in the bar and restaurant, as well as a fine selection of wines. The pub is popular with river users in the summer. Occasional themed food nights are held, mainly during the winter months.

  • Harrold
    • Oakley Arms 98 High Street Harrold MK43 7BH Telephone(01234) 720166

      Attractive, popular 400+ year-old village inn with a bar and large lounge. There is no car park, but street parking nearby is not usually difficult. There are various seating areas including a private dining room for up to 10, and board games are available. The menu varies daily according to what is in season. Food is prepared to order with a preference for locally sourced ingredients. The staff are proud of an ever-changing selection of ales, including at least one from Tring and the other usually from a local microbrewery.

  • Houghton Conquest
    • Knife & Cleaver The Grove Houghton Conquest MK45 3LA Telephone(01234) 930789

      A smart pub and restaurant with accommodation, now leased to a small regional operating company. The food is of high quality and prepared using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients wherever possible. Thursday is steak night and special events are organised occasionally to showcase local produce. Nine en-suite bedrooms are housed in a separate block behind the secluded, family-friendly rear garden. A good base for walks on the nearby Greensand Ridge.

  • Kempston
    • King William IV 56 High Street Kempston MK42 7AL Telephone(01234) 400292

      Attractive, oak-beamed old inn with a large modern restaurant built at the rear. Good-value meals use locally sourced ingredients where possible, with separate bar and restaurant menus. There is a monthly quiz night, occasional live music and there will be summer events in the garden. A convenient stop for popular local walks by the River Great Ouse just a short distance away.

  • Little Staughton
    • Crown Green End Little Staughton MK44 2BU Telephone(01234) 376260

      A modern pub built in the 1970s after the original thatched building burnt down. The pub sits back from the road behind the car park, with a large garden to the right. The main bar is L-shaped with a wood burning stove. The fireplace is the only part left of the original building. A small room to the right of the door is used for dining and functions. The pub now has its own microbrewery with a range of beers usually available on the bar. The brewery is located in a building behind the pub and has a capacity of 300 litres. The first brew was produced in June 2017. There are two standard beers. Beers are brewed exclusively for sale in the Crown. Production is governed by the demand in the pub, at present brewing takes place weekly. All beer is put into casks, normally 7 firkins per brew. Two Saxby's ciders were available on handpump at the last visit.

  • Oakley
    • Bedford Arms 57 High Street Oakley MK43 7RH Telephone(01234) 822280

      Large village inn refurbished as a smart pub/restaurant. The single lounge with side seating areas and a conservatory offers dining throughout. A new food menu offers creative British dishes, prepared with locally sourced ingredients where possible. There is a choice of roast lunches on Sunday. Booking a table online is advisable. Small groups are welcome to meet in private, while large parties can also be accommodated by arrangement.

  • Old Warden
    • Hare & Hounds The Village Old Warden SG18 9HQ Telephone(01767) 627225

      Pub-restaurant in a charming thatched village. The car park entrance leads into the main bar and dining rooms beyond. Follow the corridor or enter through the front door to find the second bar and cosy rooms harking back to village times past. Good quality meals include light bite lunchtime options, traditional roast on Sunday and evening meals with daily specials. Spring bank holiday beer and music festival. One mile walk to the Shuttleworth aircraft and vehicle Collection and Swiss Garden.

  • Riseley
    • Fox & Hounds High Street Riseley MK44 1DT Telephone(01234) 709714

      Originally a 16th-century farmhouse and attached cottage, converted into a beer house in the 19th century. Refurbishment in the 1990s revealed a priest's hiding hole. A more recent facelift brought a new look butcher's counter, steak flame grill, bar and restaurant. The Riseley Room to the right of the bar can be reserved for parties. The large, lawned garden includes a covered patio with heaters. Changing beers have recently included Brewpoint's Popsicle and In-Bloom, plus Eagle IPA.

  • Shefford
    • Bridge 50 High Street Shefford SG17 5DG Telephone(01462) 546391

      A corner pub next to the site of an old railway bridge modernised to a high standard. It caters for all ages, a large rear bar having three TV screens while the smaller front bar is quieter. Wednesday is quiz night. New licensees have introduced a choice of changing real ales. Food will be available in future. Local CAMRA Most Improved Pub 2020.

  • Wilstead
    • Red Lion Bedford Road Wilstead MK45 3HN Telephone(01234) 305102

      Village pub with a friendly atmosphere serving home cooked specials and bar snacks. Occasional beer festivals and fun days are held throughout the year.

  • Wootton
    • Cock Inn 2 Bedford Road Wootton MK43 9JT Telephone(01234) 930034

      Friendly, traditional village pub with an attractive garden, offering something for everyone. Live bands monthly, acoustic evenings every other Tuesday. Large meat raffle on Sundays, fun days held to support causes. Free use of the barbecue and garden. Private functions can be accommodated and buffets provided if required.