The Winchester: A terrific homage to the ‘80s in Hebden Bridge
Walking through town the other day I stopped in my tracks. A new bar has opened – but is it new? The signage suggests I’ve stepped into some kind of time warp. Who remembers The Winchester Club, the iconic members-only bar frequented by Arthur Daley, Terry McCann and various dodgy associates in Minder?
I bet you’re humming the theme tune, right now. I did, when I walked in, expecting to see Dave Harris (played laconically by Glynn Edwards) behind the bar. He must have been down the cellar changing a barrel, because Ben Adey was pulling pints instead.
Adey is no stranger to running bars. He was behind the Alexandra Beer House in Halifax, then Barbary’s in Mytholmroyd – and now this terrific homage to the ‘80s in Hebden Bridge.
The interior is as genuine as the signage. Adey is a vintage collector as well as a bar keeper and he’s put a tremendous effort into setting the stage for a true walk back in time, with bench seating salvaged from a Working Men’s Club in Tadcaster, red Formica-topped tables, Artex on the ceiling and contemporaneous film and music posters on the walls.
At the back there’s a snug with swirly Axminster, a cigarette machine (which prompts a conversation with strangers about the only thing missing is a nicotine ceiling and tin ashtrays on the tables) and of course a juke box.
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On the pumps there’s Allsopp’s India Pale Ale – another fabulous historic beer – Kirkstall Pale Ale and – joy of joys – Draft Bass. The sight of that red triangle on a pump triggers waves of nostalgia: I pulled a million pints of it at my parent’s pub, and it’s as good today as it was back then. There’s a decent wine list, the right number of spirits (I don’t know about you but I’m over 100 gins) and Guinness.
The Winchester isn’t a theme park, far from it. It’s not grafted-on whimsy, it looks and feels absolutely real. Sitting in the back room with a pint of Bass, a packet of pickled onion Monster Munch and The Bangles on the box – I’m in old-school heaven.
The Winchester, Albert Street, Hebden Bridge HX7 8EH
Welcome5/5
Atmosphere5/5
Drinks choice5/5
Prices5/5