The Jubilee Refreshment Rooms, Sowerby Bridge

Visited on Saturday with a friend as part of the Calder Valley real ale trail. It is quite café like in style but happens to do alcohol, rather than feeling like a bar or pub. Well I say it feels like a café, it actually felt more like a library or dentist waiting room. It was unnaturally quiet. Service was not unfriendly but a little curt perhaps and you feel as if the owner is waiting to find an excuse to have a go at you. It just had a bit of a bad atmosphere. Perhaps it could do with a bit of piped background music to lighten the tone a bit. At any given opportunity the owner was "on patrol" adjusting the windows so they were all open by the same amount and straightening up menus and beer mats on the tables. That said there are lots of interesting artefacts on the walls, old enamel signs, posters etc, and an old clock above the entrance door. At the bar are six hand pumps but only three were in use when we visited. I had a Volk by Wishbone which had a bit of an unusual taste to it, but I think that was just the way the beer was rather than any quality issues at this establishment. Overall, not the kind of place that makes you feel comfortable or particularly welcome, and despite its handiness for the train station I would not rush to come back, and if I did return it would be to sit outside (where there are three picnic tables, probably perfectly aligned). I didn't visit the toilet so didn't get to experience the joy of asking permission to go.

A nice station side pub. 6 handpumps on the bar but only 3 on serving Salamander Auspicious, Geeves Dough Boy Vanilla Porter and Roosters Cogburn. A nice place to finish/start your day.