The Beer Triangle and Real Ale in Reading
The Retreat, a real ale pub in Reading, first opened its doors in 1875 and is part of what locals call the Beer Triangle or Pub Triangle. As with many of these given names, the first use is not clear.
The Beer Triangle refers to three pubs in close proximity: The Lyndhurst, The Retreat and the Weather Station (formerly The Eldon Arms). All three are in the Eldon Square Conservation area of Reading which is known locally as The Village.
The Lyndhurst, part of the Beer Triangle 
The Retreat, part of the Beer Triangle 
The Weather Station, part of the Beer Triangle
Many beer lovers and pub-goers have enjoyed being able to flit between the three pubs during an evening. Over the years, the landlords of the three pubs in the Beer Triangle have got on well and appreciated the flow of customers between the pubs.
More recently, the Beer Triangle pubs have jointly run The Village Easter Festival, a festival of Beer and Live Music. The music schedule was programmed so that as soon as a band finished in one venue another was ready to play at the next venue; festival-goers would move from pub to pub for non-stop entertainment.
>>> real ales available at The Retreat
>>> the history of The Retreat
>>> what’s on at The Retreat
The Beer Triangle became complete again on 20 September 2019 when the Weather Station (formerly The Eldon Arms) launched. All three pubs have a friendly atmosphere, as you would expect in The Village. But, they differ in their offering:
- The Lyndhurst: a pub and that serves a full menu of food
- The Retreat: a CAMRA listed pub that specialises in well-kept real ales or cask ales
- The Weather Station: a new craft ale pub
If you’ve not yet visited all three of the real ale pubs in the Beer Triangle, why not make a plan to do it soon.