please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Crown & Thistle is a hotel in the centre of Abingdon. It seems more suited to residents and diners than drinkers. However if you want a civilised drink in pleasant surroundings, it is a decent option. The Stocks Bar and a restaurant are amongst a number of areas surrounding a central courtyard. Ales are from Fuller's. They had London Pride & Oliver's Island on my visit in both the bar and the restaurant. The prices are eye-watering. I rarely moan at pub prices. But this really does take the biscuit.
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Purchased last year by Oakman Inns and refurbished at a cost of £1.8 million apparently.
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Oh dear, oh dear. What is going on with this place!! How can a pub that was in the good beer guide only a year ago slide down hill so badly!! Very poor selection of ale, apparently the new managemant don't care much for the stuff and can't be bothered, even though it still has 7 hand pumps!! Such a shame!
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Stopped for Sunday lunch recently - the place felt a little confused. One one side, it had great real ale, good food, and a historical building and ambience. One the other side, the toilets were grubby and gratified, lots of TVs, gaudy signs promoting cheap alcopops, and notices warning people that they would be banned if caught using drugs on the premises. For Sunday lunch, it was perfectly pleasant, and I would return - but it just felt you could get a totally different experience at another part of the week (say later on a Friday night).
Oktup - 16 Apr 2011 13:17 |
This pub is an absolute dive. Popped in one Saturday early evening on our way to somewhere else. Will never return! Used to be good for footie matches, but I am talking about Euro '96 - looks as if nothing has been done since well before then. The loos are disgusting and the staff were pretty non-plussed at having to serve someone. The decor is dated, grubby and just nasty!
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Landlord has moved on. I only hope the new person is equally real ale minded. I have my fingers crossed!!
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I think the new manager should be very proud of what he has acheived. He has filled a very obvious gap in Abindgon as it lacked pubs with proper beer. Very good selection of ale and friendly staff. Only draw back is that it can be very busy and loud on a saturday night, so if that's not your thing then its best to avoid.
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This is a lively bar with a predominantly young local clientele. There are three large screen TVs' showing all major sporting events. Although invariably busy and noisy this is a welcoming and friendly place where everyone just seems to be enjoying themselves. There are 8 handpumps with usually a choice of 6 ales and 2 ciders (with another 5 ciders available direct from barrels behind the bar). They always seem to have a Dark Mild available and there is usually a selection of ales from local microbreweries. The bar is set at the back of the courtyard of the Crown and Thistle hotel which is a lovely rambling old building. I only wish that when I stay at a hotel I could find one with a bar half as good as this one.
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Best pub in abingdon for real ale now, 6 real "real" ales on tap. Seems to have alcopops and good beer side by side. The beer is well kept, not watered down and a refreshing island of non green king beers. Manager is really trying to improve the place, good beer fest, discount for camra members too. Was so impressed I decide to vote and register. Dowsnside is make sure you avoid footie match time, unless that's your bag.
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Meh, bit impersonal. The bar is very much for locals (no bad thing - no-one's unfriendly), the lounge is okay as long as there's not a football game on. Very well stocked bar.
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I feel this is the best pub in town and with out any doubt has the best selection of ales by far and at such a great COMPETATIVE price!! Can't wait to go to the beer festival sat 27th september until sunday 28th september 2008!! more people should give this pub a try, you won't be left unhappy!!
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The bar through the back of the courtyard is friendly and comfortable. A good selection of well-kept Ales (Wychwood, Burtons and Batemans), and very reasonable prices.
start - 11 May 2008 08:48 |
Excellent. Good choice of 4 real ales (if a bit cold at the moment). Friendly bar staff. Good bar food. My favorite pub in Abingdon at the moment.
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The Stocks is an excellent pub, i go there regularly with my friends. The drinks are cheap and it has plenty of room with great extras such as pool, a jukebox, 2 Big screen tvs and leather sofas! The bar is run efficiently by Bar manager Kane who does more work than he should, the bar staff are friendly and helpful and i couldn't say a bad word against any of them! I find the stocks a refreshing break to the normal dark and depressing pubs you find around abingdon and it has a large following of not just the over 30s generation but the early 20s as well.
Best ADVICE - Don't miss out...
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One of the best places to drink in Abingdon. Totally disagree with the last comment. It also now has a license til 1am on friday and saturday nights.
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This bar is somewhere to be avoided, with very unfriendly locals and warm flat beer.
best advice - stay away
dom - 2 Nov 2004 18:33 |
This is a livrely bustling pub set in the traditional grounds of a 17th Century Coaching Inn. Popular with all major sporting events being shown on 2 BIG screens and many more tv's around the pub. This pub offers REAL ALE aswell as many lagers, bitters and ciders which are all really REALLY low prices. A refurb is slowly underway making more relaxing areas with the pub with large leather sofa's, mood lighting and varied music from Abingdon's ONLY best internet jukebox. A Pool Table & Darts Board, ITBOX, various other AWPs are also available. The pub also boasts an excellent bar food menu that's served 7 days a week.
Will - 28 Aug 2004 12:29 |
