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Image posted by Quinno _
Submitted on Wednesday, 30th August 2023
With picture contributions to 5114 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (10 more images)
Reviews of Drayman's Son (Average Rating: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Blackthorn _ left this review about Drayman's Son
Located at the lower end of the High Street down towards the river, this might well be termed a micro-pub in as much as it has a decent beer selection, stripped back ethos and no TV, pool table etc., but there was nonetheless background music playing so probably doesn’t qualify in the strictest sense.
It’s split across two levels with a few steps up to the higher level at the rear. The bar counter is at the very back, although there are no pumps on the bar, you select your order from the chalkboard menu and then the barmaid would disappear in to the rear room to fulfil it. Décor wise, both halves are broadly similar with some old parquet wood flooring, plain whitewashed walls and ceiling with fairy lights and exposed filament light bulbs and various old metal signs on the walls, many food related such as Colman’s Mustard and Brooke Bond tea as well as several tobacco ones, but also Shell and a large “Engines not to pass this point” notice. A few other odds and ends were dotted about, such as an old radio up on a shelf and some old cine projectors in the window. There was also a stack of board games to play, and we amused ourselves with one called Logo which I’d not come across before. Seating was mostly red padded benches and chairs, as well as some fitted bench seating in the corners. The barmaid was proficient enough at her duties, but seemed to be lacking much in the way of any personality.
There were only three cask ales on when we visited, Three Blind Mice’s Old Brown Mouse, Papworth Session Porter and Artefact Ixworth. Keg options were more extensive with no less than seven from Three Blind Mice – Juice Rocket, Lonely Snake, Milk Worm, Pukka Up, Rocket Nun, The Confessor and Pirates in the Courtyard along with Papworth Kouba. Ciders meanwhile were well represented with Cockeyed Devon Jasper, Blue Barrel Thorn Perry and Barbourne Oak Cask along with a trio from Cromwell’s – Oliver’s Session, Oliver’s Extra Drey and Oliver’s Sweetheart as well as both Rhubarb and Mango from Lilley’s. Overall I quite liked it here, but I’m not sure I’d go out of my way to make a special visit.
On 28th May 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1960 recommendations about 1873 pubs]
Quinno _ left this review about Drayman's Son
Tidy two-tiered alehouse, which whilst monikered as a micropub isn’t really (if you use the Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s maxim for pornography, anyway). Basic alehouse interior but on the right side of austere with parquet flooring, enamel signs, railway memorabilia and some old bits of mechanical engineering. A substantial (and fairly local – Three Blind Mice seem to have a tie-in) drink selection with five cask including a mild and stout, six craftykeg, 14 ciders and nine Belgo-German bottles. Friendly young barmaid, presumably the music choice of languid modern Indie was hers. I went for a Papworth Mild Thing which came off stillage in a cold room, and very good it was too (NBSS 4.5). So I also had another one, Three Blind Mice Simple Stout (NBSS 3.5). Some grumbles below about pricing but I didn’t see anything to make me wince – and you get what you pay for here. Best pub in Ely for choice aligned with quality and quite possibly also the extended locale; make time for at least two in here. Naturally, it's Good Beer Guide listed.
On 13th September 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5220 recommendations about 5203 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Drayman's Son
As with my Southeast London crawl the day before, I'd started my day in the worst pub and graduated to the best at the end of the day (although I did still have one more to go back to that had earlier been closed).
The Drayman's Son is a micropub situated on Forehill that does not open until 5pm during the week. In fact, during the daytime it has a kind of derelict appearance. If it wasn't for the opening times posted, I wouldn't have known that it was a pub or indeed whether it was still open.
However, shortly before 5:30 pm, it was mostly definitely open and already quite busy. A steady flow of customers arrived during my visit.
There is an area of seating near the windows at the front, with a few steps beyond leading to the small bar area in the far right-hand corner, with a further low table and some stools placed alongside a shelf.
The efficient staff member took orders and after fetching beers or ciders from the cold room at the rear, brought them to your table.
Blackboards list the real ales and craft beers, as well as the real ciders. I was amazed to find a list of 19 real ciders, with 4 I'd never previously had.
There seems to be some kind of link to the Three Blind Mice brewery here, but they didn't dominate the beer lists. Real ales were Ampersand The Cap Bitter, Parkway Cheeky Money, Baker's Dozen Cryo at the Discotheque & Straight Outta Ketton, Crafty Beers Stout, Milestone Azacca & Three Blind Mice Juice Rocket.
Craft beers were Three Blind Mice Sour Pineapple & Lemongrass & IPA Galaxy & Simcoe, Lost & Grounded Keller Pils, Vaux Black Wave & Fallen Switch.
The 19 aforementioned ciders were Cromwell's Oliver's Session, Oliver's Choice, Oliver's Sweetheart & Cavalier Perry, Lilley's Strawberry Cider, Mango Cider, Rum Cider, Apple & Pears, Elderflower Cider, Rhubarb Cider & Gladiator, Thistly Cross Whisky Cask & Simon's Sweet P, Cox, East Meets West, Short Stirling, Dabinett, 5 Pear Perry & Vice Versa. In addition, there was a mead!
There is an abundance of railway memorabilia around the walls, along bizarrely with some car number plates.
I could have spent several more hours here, but my stomach was rumbling and Le Spice restaurant directly opposite was calling. But this was undoubtedly one of my favourite pub visits from the past years and I'd rate this pub as one of the best 10 I've been to in the UK. I have no hesitation to repeat the previous reviewer's score of 10/10 and hope to visit Ely again by train one day to spend much longer here.
On 8th October 2021
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2509 recommendations about 2508 pubs]
View more reviews of Drayman's Son (6)
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- Official site of Drayman's Son - www.draymansely.co.uk
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Drayman's Son - whatpub.com
Littleport, 5.96 miles, 1 hr 55 min walk (show)
Shippea Hill, 7.82 miles, 2 hr 30 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Beer Garden : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Car Park : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Darts : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Function Room : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Hot Food : No - Pork pies and other snacks - last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Jukebox : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Karaoke : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Live Music : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Micropub : Yes last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Pinball : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Pool Table : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- Wheelchair Access : No last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
- WiFi : Yes last updated 13 September 2023 by Quinno _
