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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
11:17 AM 5th September 2020
lifestyle

Halfway House, Baildon - Not Doing Things By Halves

 
I always wonder how pubs get their names. There are plenty of Red Lions, Dog and Gun, etc but it is easy to see why the Halfway House at Baildon got it's name - it is Halfway between Otley and Bradford with both being 5 miles equidistant. They even have a roadside marker in an alcove inside the pub just to remind you of this.

The pub has been closed for a while but now with new owners it has had a refit and spruced up. The designers though have a wool trade theme running throughout with shuttles and loom bobbins on the walls including a poster of Carter and Parker Wools - the mill was based at Baildon.

It is a modern design with soft greys, blues and yellows coming together to create a relaxing atmosphere. The furnishings and the decor really shone, just like the serving staff who were very pleasant and welcoming. There are lots of separate areas including a snug area as well as more open plan areas.

The Snug
The Snug
We visited on a Sunday evening, the relaxed atmosphere appeals to young families, couples of all ages and older groups meeting up with friends which probably explains the playlist that was playing: the majority of the tracks were pre 1979. With it being a dog friendly environment you can even take your four legged friend along.

The pub is "pub safe" which means tables are spaced apart, they are cleaned throughly, hand sanitizer stations are placed throughout the establishment and the staff all wear face masks. Sanitised condiments and cutlery are brought to your table. It felt clean and we all were confident with the measures that had been put in place.

The weekday menu has all the pub classics you would expect like Hunters Chicken, Fish and Chips and Steaks. The Sunday menu is a mixture of traditional signature roasts and traditional roasts.

French onion soupFrench onion soup
Crispy salt and pepper squidCrispy salt and pepper squid
Red pepper and sweet potato koftasRed pepper and sweet potato koftas


My French Onion Soup - the chefs soup of the day was fiery and full of onions whilst the Crispy Salt and Pepper Squid my friend (who is a Chef) sampled was tasty but not crispy enough for his liking. My partner's Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Koftas were excellent.

It always seems odd eating a turkey lunch when it's not Christmas but my Roast Turkey Breast with pig in blanket, cranberry sauce and all the trimmings was tender, tasty and succulent. Served piping hot on a large plate it was well received after doing a day of manual work digging out the garden.

Roast Turkey breastRoast Turkey breast
Chef's mixed grillChef's mixed grill
Slow cooked belly porkSlow cooked belly pork


My partner chose the Slow Cooked Pork Belly which again was very tender. My friend decided upon the Chef's Mixed Grill which comes with rump steak, chicken breast, gammon steak, pork sausage, black pudding and a fried free range egg. It came with fries but was substituted with fresh salad although really there was too much of it and the presentation might have looked better with less salad on the plate he thought.

Salted caramel sundae
Salted caramel sundae
Yorkshire Puddings are hard to get right, for me it was not crispy enough.

It is puddings here as opposed to desserts with over a dozen choices. My Salted Caramel Sundae was perfection in a glass whilst my Chef friend thought that the Beechdean Sorbet seemed sharp and tangy.

We all enjoyed Halfway House, the prices are reasonable, the cleanliness was excellent and the food good.

Would we go back again? Not half.

Halfway House, 43 Otley Road, Baildon, Shipley BD17 7PY
https://www.chefandbrewer.com/pubs/west-yorkshire/halfway-house/book/