The Magpie Inn was built in 1933 to serve the housing estates to the east of the city (photo 1). It was in State Management Scheme architect Harry Redfern’s favoured Arts & Crafts style and featured a public bar, a smoke room and a tea room. The pub interior had been opened out but in 2010 Samuel Smith’s Brewery won Camra’s Best Refurbishment award for restoring the original rooms, and in 2011 it was Grade II listed by Historic England.
The interior photo shows the restored smoke room with wood and glass screens, oak panelling and the original 1930s tiled fireplace (photo 3). The brewery also restored the bowling green and it is now the only one of Redfern’s five bowling greens to still be in use (photo 4).
I visited on a quiet weekday afternoon and the friendly management were happy for me to eat the sandwich I’d bought locally in the pub along with a bottle of the brewery’s excellent Oatmeal Stout. At busier times it’s a popular community pub with pool table and an active bowling club. There is no food or real ale.
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Nice and pleasant local pub, beer is top class and served with a smile. The pub has a bowling green, the only pub in Uk to invest in this popular sport since Adam was a lad. Good luck with this venture and we'll done for beating my team in the Carliol league last night. I wish you luck in your future games, you deserve it for standing out and taking a chance on your new venture.
Every estate should have a Sam Smiths pub - good beer, cheap, tidy, traditional. People talk to each other. A genuine community asset.
THE MAGPIE, A HIDDEN GEM Staying in east Carlisle for a couple nights while doing the Hadrian's Wall Walk, we found the Magpie, off Warwick Road, and what a magnificent hidden gem of a pub it is. 10 minutes off M6 J43, with car park. I've never seen a pub with a Crown Bowling Green before and can just imagine how much of attraction this could be if promoted correctly, with their outside rear terrace and space for more benches around the sides. Owned by the Samuel Smith brewery, we tried all 4 of their lagers, which range from 5% to 3.4% abv. We liked them all. Exceptionally good prices too. £7.50 for two pints of different lagers including a 50g packet of crisps. £6.40 without the crisps. One of the lagers was only £3 a pint! There's a pool table in the saloon with enough seating in the bar, so you're not forced to be a spectator. There's a separate lounge bar too, which was equally popular when we visited on the evening of the Thursday Jubilee Bank Holiday. The tenant landlords have only been there 2 months but are very friendly and said they want to start putting on food soon. The only negative thing is the selection of spirits on their optics, appear to be the brewery's own brands too. My friend likes gin, while I prefer whisky, but there was nothing either of us recognised. I thoroughly recommend the Magpie, especially if you're only visiting Carlisle for a few nights.
We went there to play bowls this afternoon. The pub has a lovely friendly atmosphere. Prices are very reasonable for both bowling and drinks with a lovely outdoor seating area too. A lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Great for away fans, good value quality burgers and very decent beer. Very friendly, just mind your P's and Q's.
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Botcherby, Carlisle, CA1