The Three Cups in Newnham Street, Bedford, has been a favourite local watering place for many of us. A comfortable old Greene King house with many original features, the Cups has been one of Bedford’s key ale pubs for many years. An easy walk from the town centre and close to Bedford Blues rugby ground, which has for long attracted supporters before and after the match.

In recent years the Three Cups has changed its face several times, this time to a regular tenancy under landlord Finlay Eaton. At only 24, Finlay is currently the youngest pub licensee in Bedford. He has worked in pubs and restaurants since he was 18, beginning his career at Wells & Co’s Foresters Arms in Bedford before working in Hertfordshire and most recently, managing Mitchells & Butler pubs and restaurants in London.

Finlay took over the Three Cups in November 2023 and has certainly made his mark, painting the interior, sanding the floors and generally cleaning up after conditions had been allowed to deteriorate. New furniture and a new interior layout, lighting and music system were introduced. As Finlay himself said: “I wanted to put the Three Cups back on the map and make it a cracking local community pub for all. I believe it is incredibly important to provide a safe and friendly pub, not just for men but for women and families too. I’ve learnt a lot during my career and I want to create a pub at the heart of the community, and that is exactly what we have achieved.” Although the rear garden underwent substantial refurbishment several years ago, Finlay has put in a lot of effort here too, providing new outdoor furniture and creating a clean and tidy area for use in summer. A street food van in the garden operated by Cibo, a nearby Italian deli and kitchen, offers authentic Italian pizzas and burgers.

We certainly welcome the improvements and have already held a few branch meetings there. Finlay is keen on cask beer and has installed several features to ensure the bar delivers high quality ale. New state of the art cellar equipment helps reduce electricity usage and lowers environmental impact. Wines, spirits and soft drinks have also been updated to provide a premium range at an affordable price. Supply agreements with Adnams and Oakham breweries provide a great range of cask ales. Up to seven changing cask beers, mostly from independent breweries, ensure there is always a good choice.

Do call in and see for yourself. The pub is open from 4pm on Monday to Friday, and from 12 noon at weekends. For further details, visit WhatPub.com. For news of what’s coming up at the Cups, try the pub's Facebook page.