Squirrel Licker's Arms in Central Bedfordshire

I went in here on Christmas Eve (after Carol singing - she's not bad !) and joined in "The Boar's Head Carol" by the fire as I warmed up with a tankard of warm mead. I explained (but not in verse - as I'm NOT a Poet and know it). "Landlord" I said "Pigeon Feet Pie all round, for everbody !" to which he replied "Nobody fancy a square one then ? Or one with a haunch of squirrel, wot licked me in the kichen this very morning ?" I took him up on THAT and it tasted "grand" as the Irish say; or "Champion !" as Bill Anderson said before he launched into "Ilkley Moor, bar T'at". Once the singing started, it was Bedlam. George Druce gave us "There was an old farmer, who had an old sow" which Betty Andersen sang with several Ladies from the Luton Girl's Choir. I ordered more mead, port and stilton cheese, before - bless my soul if wasn't Mrs Cratchit (flushed but smiling) with the pudding - like a speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half of half a quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with Christmas holly stuck in the top. And the bill was only thruppence ! I ventured to propose the toast "A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God bless us !" And Tiny Tim, who was sat on a small stool by the fire cried "God bless us, every one !"

T'was late New Years Eve ,dazed and confused. Trudging through the deep deep snow, A settlement I spied, I almost cried, As I came to rest in Totternhoe, There I met a man called Simon who was going to a fair, I asked him for my homeward path, "He said that way if you dare...." I stumbled on and soon I saw the low and burning light, That called from the Squirrel Lickers kitchen, on the dark and stormy night. I burst through the door, "Greetings" I called, A silence filled the room, A one eyed hag stared back at me, she sat aloft a broom, "I am confused" I did declare, "Are we not celebrating in the New Year"... " I am afraid you're not" she did cackle "Definitely not round here". I slowly took stock of the unfolding scene ,of darkness and gloom and despair, Pumpkins, carvings and skeletons, witches and warlocks everywhere. I spied in a flash the man they called Simon I said "Simon, help me out if you will?" He said "tis yourself, what's the crack? Since I saw you 11months ago at top of' the hill" Astonished I was, for that was today, "Simon, it was two hours ago squire, I implore".. But before he could say a yay or a nay his guts they spilled out cross the floor....... The Squirrel Lickers Arms, a myth or a dream? Afraid I cannot really tell. All I know for sure I that I got out that door, Running as if from the hounds of hell...."

Fangs to the The Lickers for a life affirming evening. A chance visit after we strayed down a pitch black lane following the closure of the bypass, we found ourselves on what we assume was a theme night. The rural pub filled with zombies, ghouls and other locals on a truly memorable night of terror. Eddie – all vamped up for the evening served us with couple of tasty bloody Marys. Mary said she enjoyed hers, but her sister Mary wasn’t so keen. The fleshpot pie was a little on the rare side for us and even rarer as they only had one left, but the maggot mash was literally a moving experience. After we ate we realised The Lickers was heaving, a feeling we were definitely sympathetic to following dinner. The local band, the Scoobies may have looked a group of clueless, meddling kids, but delivered a fascinating set which mainly involved them running around the place. Their best track mystery machine went down a riot, but this was quickly quelled by Eddie and his doorman Igor. When we were eventually allowed to leave we found it a quick run into town, but we returned next morning and successfully retrieved our car, strangely some distance away from where we thought we had left it the night before.

Love this gastro pub, it never fails to amaze us how somewhere so random and stay on top. Edd the landlord thinks it funny to take the signs down at the Harold turn off then plough half of the car park, then charge extra for muddy boots But it’s all worth it when you get the menu : we had the kazbeckenstan xmas special with muddy beer cocktails thrown in if you turn up in prison issue clothes Starter: 👹gently singed coffin bottom biscuits with isis chilli soup which is dangerously hot, nearly as hot as the napalm pate Mains : 🤖ford cortina ginger and sideburn stew with chopped elf infused roast potatoes with a side dish of genuine lumpy Wandsworth porridge , this could have been hotter in temperature, but is supposed to be authentic Pudding: 👾was supposed to be a surprise but I guessed it straight away when I saw Edd and Olger the new trainee waitress both sporting bandages on their feet , made obvious by their limping, nevertheless, it was good, xmas mince pies with chocolate covered toenails and toasted Parmesan cheese To finish up there’s a free bar which we made use of until we got the attention of the local dogs who are quite friendly but eventually caused us sporran rash Until next time, I can’t wait to get back there Pgeorgei

After an afternoon of kite flying on the rolling downs of Dunstable, just as the light faded the Leighton Buzzard night kite formation team ‘The Knight Kites‘ were starting to arrive. My tongue like the bottom of a budgies cage I ventured into the fading light to find a local hostelry. As I threw my National Trust beginners kite into the boot of the Ford Anglia I overheard one of the ‘Knight Kites’ say “did anyone bring a torch?” I had to snigger. Found the Squirrel Licker's Arms by pure luck after I asked a guy who introduced himself as Eddie (who was walking along Dunstable High Street picking up used cigarette butts) for directions to the Nags Head. The Salvadorian Food was all you could expect of it and the pint of the ‘Discontented Remoanar’ washed it down a treat. Disappointed that I had to leave early as the landlord (who strangely looked a bit like the gentleman who directed me earlier) said the ‘Knight Kites’ were coming in for their Christmas Bash and had booked all the tables. A must if you are in the area.

This place has gone off the radar recently, probably because the council closed the road it's on last year, so the only way to reach it is to trek across fields, down ravines and through gorse bushes. I was determined to find it however, and after a couple of weeks of Bear Grills type hiking, there it was in front of me. I had to pop in for a pint and some medical attention. I said to Eddie the Landlord that the last review on here was 9 months ago, and he replied that he'd wondered why he hadn't had any customers. He just thought times were hard and put it down to austerity and Brexit. Being the first customer for 9 months I was treated like royalty, but the beer was a bit off (he gave me a pint that'd been sitting on the counter since March as he hates wastage) and there was no food as it was the Salvadoran chef's night off, although quite where he went, and how, was open to conjecture. Said I'd pop back when I can get another month off work.

My favourite place in the world to lean on the bar and explain to the barman, and anyone else who will listen, what is wrong with the world and how it should be put right. Always well-received, I think. Food-wise, the pie with the chicken skeleton on top made of pastry looked as delicious as it tasted. Atmosphere couldn't be bettered now that Farage and Trump have been barred.

wife swapping open nudity rude barman beer crap and food not to my taste.apart from that a great place will revisit in bleak midwinter

They had a fireplace that was so big. It looked like you could comfortably stand up and walk around the hearth. When they brought my Ploughman's Lettuce, the server told me it wasn't a toy, and that I shouldn't play with it. She said it was actually the oldest example of a central hearthing system, and that the pub was essentially built around it. What a find! The Lettuce was delectable, and the pickle clearly not from a jar. Who can say fairer than that?

Having become bored with the flesh pots of Dunstable, my wife & I were en route to sample the hedonistic joys of Leighton Buzzard when we found The Lickers (we did literally stumble across it due to the poorly illuminated threshold). It was a Monday evening & we discovered it was quiz night, the first question asked by the regulars was "what are you looking at??" . However, the courtesy & distinctly individual charm of the licencees made up for this. Eddie furnished me with a superb pint of Badgers Danglers and swiftly offered my wife his sausage & plums surprise which she said left a very unusual taste in her mouth. I rather fancied the Spicy Salvadorian, but wasn't allowed a taste sadly. We did notice the wide range of clientele that are catered for, swingers night, come along nude evening, grab a granny night etc etc To summarise lovely hosts, unusual food, nice ales & feisty regulars. Well worth searching out this little beauty.....

Great food and drink, pleasantly surprised to find that Friday night is swingers night So stayed a little longer than expected

An amazing find. Quite tricky to locate this spectacular place but once you do, it's like a whole new world has been opened for you. The Salvadoran concept is genius. The pub itself is tardislike, so much larger on the inside. Love the indoor monorail to take you from the Bar to the restaurant. I'm amazed that the new blind Austrian head chef has adapted so well to the Salvadoran menu. His guide dog Wolfgang, is now a regular feature in the bar and things are much more settled since he stopped attacking the Alpacas. The barstaff are very welcoming and the cocktail making exploits of the Siamese twin head bartenders José and JosB are unrivalled outside the Dunstable area. The menu itself is a journey into tastes and flavours with standout dishes like the Sauteed Salvadoran Albino Cave newt served with traditional Salvadoran breads. Definitely a must visit if you are in the area.

I visited this gem of a pub last week and was blown away by the quality of the beer ,the exceptional food and service levels I haven't experienced since my trips to Thailand. The voluptuous duck breast with larks vomit mash I sampled was absolutely superb and Eddie's Cumberland sausage was very satisfying for my wife. Four well kept ales available and my pint of Old Scrotum's Scratchings was the best I have experienced this side of Doncaster. And the service offered by the landlady could not be faulted and the special service provided in the Gents toilet came as a pleasant surprise. Will not hesitate to return if Priory FC get drawn against Tottenhall in the cup again

I can't believe no previous reviewers have mentioned this is a nudist bar on Thursday nights! When we arrived the barman was sporting a waist band of pickled eggs with a charming carrot necklace with only a pair of red and white striped socks to protect his modesty. Once we had adjusted to the unusual atmosphere we joined in with the locals enjoying a spectacular frog in Orange sauce main course and pigeons feet and lime pie for desert. We were happy with the buffet style approach but would suggest the table should be slightly higher to avoid dangling disturbment.

Bit hard to find,but worth it in the end... Had mixed local hedgerow stew with fresh veg and antler truffle £12.50 is a bit steep, but if you drink a lot the free bar makes up for it !! Some noisy locals with dogs in restrante spoiled it for us with prams carry cots and high chairs, just because they spend every night in there they think they should have preference over us twice a year grockels, When we complained the landlord told us to go play in the outside loo Not good for a first visit but the grub was still good.... Pgeorge

Well, I been around the world, and I.....found my baby here at the SL's! I couldn't believe it! And to be fair, I had left the little monkey there in the first place! Having initially been recommended to try this place from Facebook, my fb friend knowing that I have a series of NVQs in Salvatorian cuisine, I found myself quite near to Dunstable while en route somewhere else. The pub is easy to find, being not far off the main drag though Harold village. It looks good both outside and in, and I strongly suspect that the designer was strongly influenced in the Artaudian school of design. It feels very safe, with a police presence, but it is the food that is peerless. If you like your Salvadorian food hot and dirty (and not a little Artaudian,too), this is definitely a place to try. And there are plenty of locals there. The bar keep, Eddie, I believe, is knowledgeable on the local beers and I think he has a micro brewery out back, at least that is what I thought he said. After 27 bottles I found it hard to keep up! Definitely yummy. And yes.....the juke box is retro too! Lisa Stansfield and all sorts. In short, strongly recommended for singles and family alike. There are a number of attractions in the village too. If you find yourself in dunstable twiddling your extremities, take the bairns and get along to Harold and the Squirrel Lickers.

The title is meaningless unless you grew up with my mum. All journeys were measured this way when I was a child. As a Luton girl it's how she measured distance. So, when I would ask, "How far is it?" she'd say, "Luton Dunstable and back". Actually I can now see that this was meaningless to me too, as I had no idea how far it was. Oh well, on that nostalgic note I proposed that my new husband and I honeymooned nearby, so I could finally understand how far it was. I had figured that Dunstable was somewhere special and would be well worth going the distance (whatever that was). We live in France, so I had quite a long correspondence with Eddie via email to make sure we had a honeymoon to remember.Sadly and with much regret, we ended up choosing somewhere else, in Blackpool of all places (I cannot afford to write a review of the Blackpool place). Our decision was mainly due to Eddie insisting that the hidden cameras we wouldn't notice in the Honeymoon suite were only for security reasons. We just felt that if he was going to hide cameras, what else would he be hiding from us!I have given 3 stars as we didn't stay in the end, but Eddie's communication with us over a period of a few weeks was very thorough, and he has promised to refund our deposit just as soon as I have written a review with more than 2 stars.I have heard they do lock ins which may be of interest to others.PS. If Freda was your mum too, then you'll know this saying like I do.....etched into my memory.

Eddie's latest specials board had me salivating so I went for the Toad-in-the-Hole and so did my tavelling partner. Recommended, however my companion, who is an esteemed Saudi oil trader, was upset that the toad wasn't halal slaughtered and so ordered the Supreme of Tench on a bed of pureed turnip with wilted sugar beet leaves. The Sneezing Hen ale was not on as it had been confiscated by DEFRA the previous day which was disappointing as this is what I really wanted to wash down the main course with. All in all it was very good except that when we left to get to the car PC Flegg had wheel clamped it and we had to pay a release fee of a round of drinks in the bar and also buy a tombola ticket too.Would I go again? Most emphatically yes. Would I go by car? No! Next time I'll walk for the skittles match

Squirrel Lickers Arms in Harold offers a truly unique fine dining experience. That is to say, mine host fines diners who do not show their appreciation of the cuisine by licking their plates clean. With cries of "What do you think I am, made of money, expecting me to wash up after you?" Eddie can be expected to descend upon unsuspecting diners who have not eaten their order after being seated for over an hour. The only exception to this is salad, because after careful market research in nearly Dunstable and Gdansk, Eddie noted that blokes never eat salad. He therefore serves all food with a generous salad garnish. That is, one salad garnish because Eddie has found, by popping the uneaten salads back in the fridge he can make one garnish last through at least ten meals or three days, whichever is longer.While the entrance to the restaurant is inviting, the door does not open from the inside so one must leave via the bar, rather like exiting a stately home via the gift shop. That is the only comparison that could be made between the ' Lickers and a stately home, unless one classes Fawlty Towers as a stately home. The bar sports a wide range of beer pumps, but if one takes advantage of an untied shoelace to peck through the gaps under the bar it can easily be seen that all are fed from a single line. The Baileys is, however, to be recommended as the resident High Priestess of the Green Goddess gets through a bottle every couple of days so it, at least, is always fresh.As it happens, the bar does, in fact, do double duty as a gift shop. Here you may purchase souvenirs such as squirrel pads - like mouse pads only bigger and made of genuine squirrel skin; ice-buckets bearing the Squirrel Lickers Arms arms; squirrel collars and brasses - like those for horses only smaller; and stuffed squirrels for the licking of.All in all, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Unless you are stupid enough to go back.

I happened upon the Squirrel Licker's by accident. I'd just ran over a villager & needed a place to lay low for a while when I was bundled in the door by a gentleman named Eddie who proceeded to regal me with a list of fine 'unique' ales & local delicacies. I settled for a pint of 'Coughing Badger' & what was described on the menu as 'Pie'. This came with chips & a salad or so it said on the menu, mine came without due to 'shortages'. However the pie was excellent & apparently complimented the Coughing Badger for reasons best left unknown.Eddie was unusually good with keeping the police away & even the locals were friendly with the way they kept telling me to 'keep to the path'.Unusual but highly recommended.

A local pub should be the heart of the community and a haven of bonhomie for both locals and irregular passers by. As a single female you can imagine my distress when traveling from the south coast to Cornwall ,relying on my map reading skills ,when my car developed a strange squeaking noise just outside the village near Dunstable. I got out of my car , and a local told me to pop in and see Eddie in the lickers as he was very hands on and was well known for being able to give any lady a quick service . the pub looked a little gloomy from the outside , but I was met by Eddie who was behind the bar , rubbing his hands warm and he said see its cold out!. I asked if he had anything hot and in a trembling voice he said the kitchen was closed as his Mrs was shopping but he could offer me a sausage and some nuts on the bar and kindly diagnosed a ball joint problem ,I didn't even know my car had them! Eddie kindly poured me a drink and slipped out the back to warm the sausage ,and that was where his service went badly wrong. He appeared 10 minutes later , hot and bothered , mumbling something about the sausage had gone off quicker than he'd expected. So I rang the RAC and it appears after all that the squeaking noise in the car was the new one direction tune on my radio. Would I recommends the lickers ,sadly no , the landlord is decidedly strange .

We stopped in for brunch because we were hungry. It was too late to think of breakfast and clearly lunch was some way off. It seemed the best option. Eddie, the landlord of much repute, was welcoming after his fashion and brushed aside several of the regulars as he guided us to a table.We ordered food to eat. And drinks.While we waited for the food we were offered an array of bar snacks, some savoury, but mostly quite unsavoury.The décor is somewhat dark and the nicotine stained windows do resemble the broken teeth of a wizened hag from a distance. but the ambience, if French is allowed in such a place, is favourable, even if Edwina the landlady isn't.All in all I would recommend a stop at the SLA if you ever find yourself in the vicinity of Harold. It far outclasses the Fiddler's Rest in Rotherham and even manages to make the Puffin and Swallow in Lowestoft seem like a 2 Michelin star gourmet's paradise.

We stumbled across this lovely place last weekend even though we only live 2 miles down the road. On entering the Squirrel Lickers, there is a big step. I tripped on this. After sampling Eddie's frog suprise as a starter and his dish of the day 'rat supreme', a trip (excuse the pun) to the ladies' was very much in order. Watch out for the high wooden threshold strip going into the loos. Unfortunately I didn't.Overall, a good trip experience. I will definitely return if I can find it again.ps I didn't come across the squirrel licker or his arms which was a little disappointing.

The lark's tongue in aspic was particularly good as a starter. The main, tripe and onions, could have fed an army. A wide range of artisan beers that seemed extremely popular with the pugilistic locals are available too. Cheap, overall.

An imaginative menu made up from a variety of traditions with 'mine host' Eddie's extra twist. We missed out on a starter, having been warned about the size of 'mains', and were not disappointed.Eddie's signature dish 'Frog Surprise' was followed by 'Gooseberry, Fool!' and we ended with Blue Cheddar and biscuit and an unusual chicory coffee.

Its the regulars who fill up the space rather than making the place. Unfortunately I arrived a bit later than I said, due to the Aberdeen ferry being lost at sea, but I wont bore you with that unless I meet you when clearly I shall have a good time.After a frosty reception I found very little space at the bar and the restaurant closed. I was offered a roll but clearly I was not in the mood. I later found that I had been deemed, 'irregular'.After what I had gone through I would like to know how well your bowel movements would have stood the strain.

I was amazed when I first stumbled into the place a few years ago and I keep coming back. They've had several renovations over the past couple of years, and the landlord, Ed Grudgingly keeps the ambience refreshingly free of pretension. The service is appalling; Rebecca the barmaid is easy on the eye, but very distant. I was trying to order but she was miles away. But it's the regulars who make up this place.

As has been said before, the Squirrel Lickers Arms is an amazing establishment. Situated on the edges of Dunstable in the village of Harold, it is easy to get to from the high street. On the day we visited, Eddie, the landlord, was butchering that day's special in the kitchens, so we were served by his wife, Edwina. When we asked what the special was, she said she wasn't sure but it was either a pigeon or rat. The feathers sticking out of our pie makes me think pigeon. Our only issue was the bill. We were 50p short and our only option was to leave behind our only son to make up the difference. We agreed as it was either that or washing up, and my wife is allergic to fairy liquid.

It's hard to explain how The Squirrel Licker's Arms is made up. The owner, Eddie, is a unique individual with a unswerving opinion of what constitutes a good pub. We stopped by, following a car breakdown. The menu was limited but still lingers in the memory, although I'd steer clear of the 'rana sandwich'. I had a pint of mild that was very well kept, served in a weirdly insulated glass.The atmosphere was highly realistic. Tense, ribald and rooted in local issues, it's clear that this is the very hub of the community.And that's perhaps the only issue we had. It was hard to fit in with some of the in-jokes and I might have been a bit paranoid, but felt some were at my expense. The Squirrel Licker's Arms doesn't take any prisoners, Eddie assured us.If I'm ever in the greater Dunstable area again, I will stick my head round the door. You should too.