please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
My earlier comments were a bit harsh. The new people have settled in rather well after all, and have restored lunchtime food as well as keeping the Fullers beers in good nick. Also some of the old regulars have started to return, which must be a good sign.
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Well I visited this weekend and although it started out quiet it had a really friendly and welcoming atmosphere it seem like a nice family run place and i look forward to our next trip over there. Lets just hope the new team are here for the long haul coz i think they'll do wonders for the place
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Another new team has taken over. The pub itself is still recognisable, but all the old customers have gone and the atmosphere has changed for the worse. A beer-bellied bloke lurks menacingly by the door, and the barlady's customer service skills leave room for improvement (to put it mildly). Shall give this one a wide berth for the foreseeable future.
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Oh dear, my initial enthusiasm has waned. Not because of the beers or food, but due to a serious lack of punters. On my last 2 visits I've been the only customer. Where's everyone gone? I feel sorry for the barstaff.
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Yes, and another reason why the Gari has improved is that the new managers have banned the appalling Radio Verulam, which used to be on all the time and was buttock-clenchingly awful. But now it's gone - does it have any listeners left? Happy days are here again. Bliss it is in this dawn to be alive etc etc.
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I don't know the history of this place, but I popped in yesterday and it was totally fine. Full selection of Fullers ales and good service.
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Four days in, and the new team at the Gari have already proved their worth. We're back to good beer, a friendly welcome and a clean environment. Long may it last.
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Aha, this sounds much more promising! I'll be in the queue on 3rd June! Good luck to the new team.
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This is about to reopen under the management of David, from the White Lion, and Martin, from the White Hart Tap – both of whom know how to run a good pub. At long last, things are looking promising for the Garibaldi…
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This pub will open under new management next Tuesday the 3rd June. It will have been thoroughly cleaned and tidied and the beer will be great. Promise.
Saucy - 29 May 2008 01:10 |
This pub used to tick a lot of boxes for a wide range of clientele. A fine back street boozer which has fallen on really hard times. There is no reason this pub cannot become the hive of activity it used to be in the not too distant past.
Fullers need to get behind this once fine establishment.
St Albans without the Gari is a poorer place indeed!!!
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What has happenend here is really sad. When I moved to St Albans 8 years ago this was my favourite pub anywhere. I still believe it has the potential to be the best boozer in the city without a huge amount of work.
If Fullers do have any intentions of selling to developers then they will have go through the planning process for change of use.
I am sure that there will be loads of people prepared to fight this for as long as it takes and ensure the Garibaldi is restored to its rightful place on the St Albans pub circuit.
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An astonishing and depressing collapse. Has the Gari hit rock bottom, or is there worse to come? The phrase "Pride (geddit?) before a fall" comes to mind. And to think that when I moved to St Albans I thought this would be my favourite "local". How wrong I was. Fullers, what are you playing at???!!!
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I'm going to change my name to ExitBlueblottle. At least, that's what I did last week in this pub: walked in, walked out again. All the comments below are spot on. What is happening here is a tragedy. The Garibaldi has operated since the 19th century, and suddenly Fullers seem intent on wrecking it. They must be crazy.
On a kinder note, I trust that the delightful Katie will be OK; I've already seen her in another pub (not a great one, to be sure) and she fully deserves to find a fresh start away from the rathole that the Garibaldi has become. So does the other nice lady who works here in the afternoons.
But back to ranting .... Can we apply any pressure on Fullers? Could Punch Taverns buy the pub and staff it with one of the good managers that are in this part of town?
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On Friday, 9 May 2008 I probably had the last drinkable pint of Pride served here. The next order was on the way out and the following one opaque. That was it. No other beer on draught, no Guinness, no lager, no cider - in other words f**k all. The place was shut the next day and has remained so ever since.
It has been sad to see this decline through falling standards, disinterest, and an obvious departure of regular clientele to alternative establishments close by.
I have cherished the excellent Pride here over many years. On that last evening there young Katie was embarrassed to find there was nothing to offer. Always a friendly smile and pleased to be of service - I hope she finds some other place to look after her customers in such good style.
This hostelry is likely to be yet another doomed as a pub.
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Hear hear, lordnewt. If Fuller's really intend to keep this pub as a going concern then they are going about it in a totally demented way. More likely that they are out to flog the place to property developers, as they did with the Swan at Park Street. At the very least they owe us an explanation!
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What on earth do Fullers think they are playing at here? Once a fine pub, the Gari has been shut for the last 5 days without a word of explanation. Over the past month it has often run out of beer, and is in an increasingly shocking state of repair. Either Fullers should get a grip or sell the pub on to someone with the talent and ambition to do the job properly.
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Good grief, what's happened to this place? Used to be a good locals' pub, but is now grubby and they had no beer!!! Someone needs a kick up the backside.
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Went here on a pub crawl recently. Was tempted to ring Environmental Health - the place is filthy.
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Unusually for a Fullers House this is a local style laidback backstreet pub not a brash cavernous place on the high street. Nice friendly atmosphere, comfortable seating, unobtrusive TV and a good outside seating area. The ESB was in good condition but ridiculously expensive, I’d had a few by the time we arrived but I’m sure I got charged more than £6 for two pints. Well located to pop in whilst on a crawl around St Albans excellent real ale pubs. Quite handily, right opposite the pub is the back entrance to the beer garden of the White Lion.
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This is the only place I've heard Radio Verulam on 92.6!! Some of the drinkers here listen quite intently, which only adds to the rather strange atmosphere.
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Should really be called the Gayribaldi: I'm sure a lot of the blokes in here are repressed homos. Worse, it's getting grubbier and grubbier: bits of rubbish on the floor sometimes stay there for days. What a shame. Despite everything the beer is still good, but for how long?
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A real ale pub frequented by the beared and jumper brigade...if you like that sort of thing.
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This seems to be the plan... run the place into the ground... apply for de-listing... sell-on to property developers. Scandalous. F**k Fullers.
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Worse than awful. The sooner it is turned in to a house for some yuppie city worker the better. And I have never seen a more miserable looking bar manager.
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Pub food? Nope not any more. Went to check it out this Saturday lunchtime. Used to be busy, This time, we were the only two in there. AND NO FOOD. So with no smokers now where is the future for this once fine Fuller's pub.
anonymous - 7 Jul 2007 17:24 |
You can't beat the Gary on a St Albans crawl. This is what pubs are all about. Great beer, friendly people, shame about the smoking but I normally sit outside with the dog, although it can smell a bit like piss and poop (Is dudley still with us?) Sounds a bit wrong does it? - well consider no teenage townie chavs or chavettes will be seen dead in a place like this (no offence John if you're reading - that green tracky suits you, honest - fancy some arras some time?)
anonymous - 25 Jun 2007 22:37 |
Rumour has it that the owner is trying to sell the lease, and went ahead without even informing the manager! No wonder this pub is suddenly on the skids. What a shame.
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Oh dear. It's not just the gents that is disgusting, have a look at the carpet. There's a layer of cigarette tar on everything. Ordered a pint, the glass didn't look clean (greasy), bought it back and had to argue the toss about it. I'm not sure what the future hold for it, I think the smoking ban will finish it off because everyone in there chain smokes (including the dog). Sadly, in this state it will be no loss.
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I don't want to get too alarmist here, but this pub is slipping a bit. The beers are as fine as ever, but there seem to be fewer and fewer customers. Twice this week I've trundled in to slurp some Fullers ales and do a bit of exterminating, but I couldn't because there were no other customers. The bargirl was delightfully pleasant, even to a dalek like me, but otherwise the place was like a desert. What's going on?! 6 out of 10 and falling.
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One of my favourite pubs, it has; good beer / crisps / dog / darts / staff / locals / atmosphere / name / garden / location. I love it.
The deer head in the corner always freaks me out a bit as its kind of going mangy. Also it can be quite smoky ( but not for much longer heh heh heh! )
anonymous - 29 May 2007 16:01 |
Laid back pub makes enjoyable evening. An excellent alternative to the Sopwell Lane pubs. The beer is great; ESB at 5.5% will bang your head, or three lighter ales on offer too. Selection of delightful 'hand-made' crisps which includes Parsnip and Parmesan flavours. The decor looks like it was last done in 1982 and so it is a bit like stepping into the past. The best sort of place to drink Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry! hahaha.
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The beer's really good, the service OK, but the Gents' toilets are absolutely disgusting.
I might venture here again but not yet.
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Tired. Could badly do with a lick of paint (or a bulldozer). Good Guinness.
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Great atmosphere in here yesterday during England's alleged World Cup match. The usual excellent Fullers ales were in the pumps, crisps were crunched, and there was some brilliant commentary about the game being shown on the TV. Why do television stations pay ££££ to morons to talk gibberish, when they could just stick a microphone in a pub and broadcast the witty, well-informed and incisive commentary that flows freely?
anonymous - 16 Jun 2006 08:40 |
Shame on me for not noticing this before. But this pub has a FANTASTIC selection of crisps with which to accompany one's drink.
Yes, all right, nobody goes to a pub solely to eat crisps, I certainly don't, but I thought the crisps factor was worth mentioning.
Meanwhile the various Fullers ales are kept in GREAT condition in this pub! There are a few better pubs in St Albans (IMHO) but not many, and the Garibaldi is still really good.
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Good drop of ESB in here...Needs to bring the price of its beer down as other pubs have a bit more in comfort...Still a nice pub.........Mitch
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Reliable, friendly Fullers pub with a fine selection of beers. Doesn't try too hard, but isn't complacent either. I always find myself drifting back here. It's good!
anonymous - 30 Jan 2006 13:38 |
Excellent back-street Fullers local which makes a welcome change from the lager-dispensing glitz-bars of the town centre. Football-free TV, used judiciously, merits an extra couple of points. Smokers not treated as 2nd class. (I have given up myself but dislike the Wetherspoon attitude.)
A proper pub.
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Not as good as the WHTap up the road, but a good pint of ESB. Wine a little limited. Lots of nooks and crannies. Food OK but not sure if there is room for another Thai in St Albans.
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Remains a rock-solid locals' pub, serving Fullers ales and others, and providing a relaxing atmosphere. It's also worth mentioning that the restaurant has reopened as Thai Tom's, and they even provide take-aways. What more could you want? If all there was to life was eating and drinking, I would happily drift between the Garibaldi and White Horse until I drop!
anonymous - 28 Jul 2005 16:22 |
Ace local. Good beer (& music from time to time)
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Over the past year this has become one of my favourite pubs in St Albans. It's very strong on real ales, and there's a new food area out the back. Don't go there if you want a boisterous, noisy evening, but for a pleasant few hours drinking or eating with friends it's ideal. The barstaff are excellent.
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Real ale old men's pub, pretty friendly bar staff but locals non too forthcoming. Ok for a crawl, not one to spend the day in.
Dave - 30 Oct 2004 12:27 |
