The Shepherds Boy, Dewsbury

My personal real ale trail began in Dewsbury back in the '70s when a pint of Tetley Bitter at the Market House was as good as it got - and believe me it was good - though I doubt it was ever just a 'pint'! Sadly the Market House is no more, betrayed by a generation of drinkers who attached more importance to gloss than substance - and as for Tetley's...well, we all know what happened there!
These days the town boasts four entries in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide offering local ale fans some serious choice. A fairly recent addition to that list is the Shepherd's Boy which reopened under the Ossett Brewery banner a little over three and a half years ago. Situated a little out of the town centre on the Huddersfield Road, the pub underwent a comprehensive refurbishment under it's new owners resulting in one of the most attractive hostelries for miles around.

Eight handpumps feature four beers from the hosts leaving plenty of room for an ever changing barrage of quality guests which always include a mild or stout. A good selection of single malt whiskeys are available and 'real' food is a recent welcome addition for those in need of more solid sustenance. New landlord Rob Allen, formerly of the Rat & Ratchet in Huddersfield, is knocking out terrific value for money quality from the pub's little kitchen, with Sunday lunches starting at just £5.95! There's a quiz every Tuesday evening and the possibility of another beer festival on the horizon.

This is indeed a far cry from the old spit 'n' sawdust, one beer (a mild if you're lucky) Market House but thanks to pubs like the Shepherd's Boy, drinking the real thing has never been as much fun as it is today - let's just hope that future generations treat this fine gem with a little more courtesy!