please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The beer and cider were good, but the staff were extremely rude and I have no intention of ever going back.
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I like it. Nicely done up inside, good food, good beers. Thumbs up!
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After visiting again last Saturday, I have to say that this is one of the best pubs in town - certainly on a par with the Purple Dog. Didn't eat here, but looking at the food that was being served I'd be quite happy to give it a go - especially at two meal for £7.50.
Well worth a visit.
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Pub Beer Festival here at the moment on until Monday 31st March. 24 beers available at the beer festival housed in the lower part, to the rear of the pub. Good to see a large selection of dark ales available at the beer festival. A branded glass was available without the year printed on it which was good. Entertainment has been held on all the nights of the festival so far.
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The postcode has been amended so the gmap is now indicating the correct road, albeit the marked location is a couple of hundred metres south of where the pub is actually positioned.
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Wouldn’t ordinarily have a 5-rated pub on a crawl but you’ve gotta take account of local knowledge and LGA has it on his list, also interested to visit the scene of victorian architectural vandalism – in 1843 they knocked a hole in the 2000yr old roman wall to enable patrons to view construction of the newly arrived railway to Colchester! A central bar serves a variety of satellite rooms, nice wood floor throughout, rugby on tv in one corner, cosy reading area in another (papers available nr bar), plenty of space at bar in both upper & lower (front & rear) ‘tiers’, there is some outside decking where a patio extension jutts out over the wall & road and some nicely shabby peeling wooden garden-style tables & chairs. Wyre Piddle Piddler on the Roof, Caledonian 80, Deuchars Ipa, Theakstons Coopers Butt, Joseph Holts 1849, blackboard also listed Sweet Lips (Springhead?) but I didn’t see that on pump. Winelist carries a few btls at less than a tenner and weekday food offers include 2 meals for £7.50. How?
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I'm on my way today, *** very glad I spotted that the GMAP address above is miles off! ***
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What an improvement since the last time I was at this pub. The interior is all smartened up and looks good.
The HITW has 4 hand pumps and the range of real ale was good. My personal favourite beer from last nights crawl around town was here 'Centurion's Ghost' from York Brewery. The only gripe would be with 4 hand pumps surely one could have been from a local brewery.
As previous review stated there are 2 outside covered areas for smokers, front & rear. The rear area also has one of the not so green gas fired patio heaters.
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Have been there a few times now that it's been completely cleaned out and smartened up since the Goth days. Now attracts customers across all age groups with decent areas for outdoor drinkers and/or smokers. Would now class it as one of the better pubs in Colchester (not that there's much of a decent choice)and is always a part of a weekend crawl.
Not a real ale drinker, but the Carlsberg was acceptable so worth a visit on a tour round town.
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This used to be my local 7-8 years ago. Went in a couple weeks back during a trip back to Colchester and found that it's being shut down and turned into a wine bar, like many of the pubs in or near town centre. Can't say I'm too surprised as it has surely seen better days. This isn't meant as a slight against the present management as I've known Xav for years and he is an OK bloke, he did all he could to turn the place into a decent rock pub but sadly was unable to prevent the druggies and other scum from converging there. Last April Guy Fawkes came early to the Hole when some lowlife types who'd been forcibly ejected came back and launched fireworks through the windows. Luckily no-one got hurt but it's not what you need on a Saturday night out. RIP the Hole.
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great pub! im a student and study round the corner from it, its a great place to go and socialise after a hard day, great atmosphere and music if you're into the alternative scene and at £1.20 a pint you cant go wrong.. and the bar staff are awesome, SHAY YOU ROCK!!!!!
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For students and stoners. Pretty good in that respect, and close to the Arts Centre. Good music, and usually a fairly wide selection of 'alternative lifestyle' people, which is always a good thing. Beer is pretty cheap. Strict on ID though, and the clientele have a habit of telling the bouncers that others are underage, even if they aren't (perhaps it is a bit insular in this respect).
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Great pub. Best in Colchester! Very chilled out atmosphere. Especially good if you are into your metal/indie/alternative music. Has a great DJ on Saturday nights and a cool jukebox. Reasonable priced beer. Just a stones throw away from the Arts Centre which is handy if you fancy a club night/gig after closing time.
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Ahh the good old days of being 15 and drinking in the hole in the wall!! Music is excellent, food in the daytime is actually pretty good, drink cheap, seem to be reasonably strict on ID. Is a bit dirty and manky but is a cheapo studenty goth punky type pub so it does what it says on the tin really. Good atmosphere, at least there's no fights!! Is nice to sit outside on a summer evening.
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Awful. One of its bars in used for storage and the owners make no effort to conseal it. They have 2 for one offers and did have "£1 a pint of Stella" nights which is now £1.20, so cheap, but groggy. Music good, but full of students and underaged kids. If you want a clean, friendly atmosphere, steer clear.
Drank there once - hated it. Gave it another chance, hated it even more.
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I remember this pub from around 1976-1980 and it was such a great friendly pub, ideal for meeting up or spending the evening there. Not now, such a dive and run down with unsavory customers.
I called in for a drink last summer before going to a show at the Art's centre, and was full of drunk/drugged up people. Moved outside onto the patio area to get away from them and finish my drink. Unfortunately they also decided to come out and started messing around. One of the girls fell off the table and cracked her head onto the concrete. Don't know how she walked away from that, but she did. Staff didn't seem bothered or cared.
Time for a quick exit. My worst experience in a Colchester pub everin 30 years!
anonymous - 29 Sep 2005 15:46 |
LOCATION LETS THIS LITTLE PUB DOWN ! NOT SURE ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT OR STAFF BUT HEY ! IF YOU WANT A QUITE DRINK THIS OUB IS UP YOUR STREET, WOULD RECOMMENED TO THE OLDER AGE GROUP ! SORRY !
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Dont quite know how new management would help when ultamitly it up to the company that own the pub what is spent to its apperance not the managers. Might not be everyones cup of tea but then name one pub that everyone is happy in?
Anyway if u like cheap booze is well worth a visit!
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This is a great location for a pub with loads of potential... so why did they decide to make it into such a dive! Bring on new management! It could be a great little spot!
Garth - 25 May 2005 17:22 |
bit of a seedy goth/student place, but nice and cheap and had a pretty cool time when I went here. Worth a go if you are passing but I wouldn't go out of your way.
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