WE didn’t like the Armytage Arms that much on our previous visit and made no bones about it in the review.

The minuscule portion dished out on one of the main meals was a mickey-take at £9.99 and throughout our time there the staff gave every appearance of struggling against adversity.

We discovered later that the place was in its last months as a Brewers Fayre outlet, having been sold by the chain.

The owners, it seemed to us when we thought about it later, had largely given up (although strangely, they were still taking customers’ money).

It seemed only fair to go back now it has been taken over by Mitchells and Butlers and given a rebrand as a Sizzling Pub Co, one of 200 under this name in the UK.

What a difference this committed operator has made in the year since we last ate there, completely revamping and restyling what had been a tired, tired pub.

Inside it doesn’t look too dissimilar from any normal pub and you can just go there for a drink.

But most guests seem to go there for the grub. Indeed, it was bustling with diners; always a good omen, we believe.

We found a menu bursting with options which took me some time to plough my way through and left me feeling what I always feel: Why can’t they have just two or three things for me to choose?

Still, that’s me. Others might not think the same.

The unique selling point seems to be centred, not unnaturally, around the pub’s sizzling skillets, which, according to the blurb, add excitement to favourite dishes such as mixed grill, rump steak and steak and chicken combo.

All well and good, but this was Sunday and we fancied a traditional roast. Sure enough, they do that all day if you get there before 6pm.

There are two choices of meat for this, beef or turkey. With adverts for Christmas starting to hit us with a vengeance I opted for my first turkey meal of the year. For variety, my wife decided on beef.

Now, here you can have a regular size roast for £5.49 or a kingsize at £6.99. Our stomachs were empty as we had missed breakfast, so we decided to big it up.

Our daughter had been worried that a business which ostensibly seemed so based on meat might not be the right place for a vegetarian. She was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn’t and ordered a Mediterranean vegetable and mozzarella burger salad at £4.25.

There’s many a place that tries to make up their money on expensively-priced drinks, but not here. I couldn’t argue with £1.70 for a pint of Black Sheep or £2.15 for Timothy Taylor’s Landlord.

The set-up here is that you go to the bar to order your meal, return to your table with your drinks and wait for the grub. When our food turned up, about 15 minutes after it was ordered, it was piping hot and the portions were plentiful.

Our plates were piled high with potatoes and vegetables and meat on a giant Yorkshire pudding, although my wife found that a little extra gravy would not have come amiss.

Our daughter was equally pleased with her vegetarian option, which came attractively presented and was polished off with relish.

We were so full that choosing one of the tasty treats from the pub’s dessert menu was not required.

Most of the other diners in the pub seemed as least as happy as I was with the food, although you have got to remember that it is of the pile it high and sell it cheap variety. But, of its ilk, I’d certainly recommend it.

Our visit to the Armytage Arms was a pleasant one; we’ll definitely go back.

Venue Armytage Arms, Towngate, Clifton, Brighouse.

Phone 01484 712882.

Children welcome Yes. But they have to leave by 9pm.

Disabled access Smooth.

The bill £24.93 for three, including three drinks.

Would you go back Definitely.