please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Huge pub very impressivley refurbished - staff are good, beer is good although standard Youngs fare with only Deuchars or Tribute making guest appearances. Service in the Restaurant is fantastic and you should order from the specials that are offered separately from the standard card menu.
Well worth a visit although possibly worth keeping mind that the pub is frequented mainly by 20-30 year olds...........not that there is anything wrong with that!
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The old Hand and Spear has very much gone to be replaced by an ultra modern styled gastro pub.
Its not the sort of place to go for a good drinks sessions really.
I'd suggest it attracts an upper class of people in general.
Very busy for Saturday night, perhaps that was something to do with a private party that was going on.
Strikes me as a type of place someone would take their other half to for a romantic evening meal, rather than a place someone would go out with their mates.
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Very intimidating door staff.
jac77 - 19 Mar 2008 10:02 |
Went there early Monday evening so fairly quite. Good looking place in a wooded location a stone's throw from the station. Inflated Weybridge prices apply: £3.95 for a pint of Peroni and £3.05 for a pint of St Austell. Also serving Young's Special and Ordinary. Menu looked inviting but didn't eat.
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A major improvement on the pre Youngs days. Expensive? About average for the area. The ale is always well kept and you get a full pint, not the more usual half litre (in a pint glass). Service generally pretty quick.
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A favourite of mine, great atmoshere, very trendy and quite noisy in the bar but a great restaurant area with no music. I would like the menu to change more regularly and my husband bemoans the uninspiring ales however they are perfectly well kept
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Myself and 5 friends went here this afternoon for lunch,& a leisurly chat, What a spectacular pub! Last time I was here (about 15yrs ago) you could stick to the floor & it was just another grotty student pub. I didn't even recognise the inside, it was elegantly set, but not OTT, & as clean as a whistle. The hygine in most british eateries leaves a lot to be desired, so this was a refreshing change. Good menu, well priced, the only thing I'd change was the strange coating on the tuna steak (nicoise) it just didn't need it, not with salad!! drinks a bit on the pricey side, but the staff were warm & welcoming & the service was great. Well DEone!
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Found this by chance the other day and popped in for lunch. Good menu and the food we chose was excellent with huge helpings! Pricing is average for a Youngs pub but good atmosphere and would most certainly be going back. Clean, enjoyable and welcoming.
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went a few months back, ok yeah, quite pricey, pleasant enough
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I've been in a couple of times now, and every time the staff have been very friendly (even on a busy Friday night) and there's been an amazing atmosphere. I've yet to try out the restaurant properly, but the home-made chips and the garlic bread with cheese are Really good! Have recommended it to friends and will definately be back!
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Youngs should be proud of themselves for recreating the H & S in a very similar fashion to it's early '90's incarnation(something they conveniently forget to mention in their "History" framed for all to see as you walk thru the front door!).....nice food and ambience....Only goes to prove how much ahead of it's time it was when it was originally developed in 1990!
anonymous - 24 Jul 2007 12:42 |
From the reviews I'd read, I expected somewhere quiet, and only patronised by older clientele. How wrong could I be. The place was absolutely heaving with a very young crowd on a Friday night. It took a long time to get to the bar and if it hadn't been a warm night, so that we could go outside, I've no idea what corner we'd have found to stand in and 'enjoy' our drinks! The beer was good (Youngs Ordinary, Bombadier, etc.), the whole place was clean and the toilets were immaculate, so I guess one can hardly blame the pub for being just too successful!
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A lot better than the grungy place I knew from a couple of years ago. Obviously now a lot more food orientated, but a nice cold bottle of London Special Ale went down nicely on a hot evening.
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Very expensive beer, I did not sample the food.
Staff were friendly, but under employed, as there were very few customers. Probably put off by the prices!!
In this location, this could be a very good pub, but what a missed oportunity.
anonymous - 6 Jun 2007 10:12 |
This pub has been redecorated and redesigned recently and looks very good for it!
The selection of Beers/lager is also very good.
DO NOT eat here - the food is shocking - the only thing they can cook are chips. I have eaten 3 times here (each time thinking it couldn't be worse than the last) but it just gets worse - SORT IT OUT
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Horrible staff!!! so rude and really clueless
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AWFULL food and surly staff, what a ripoff
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I went to this pub on my birthday and I won't be going back next year. This is a pity because it's a beautifully appointed (and vast) premises in a lovely secluded location set back from the car park alongside the station. I regretfully agree with the anonymous previous poster: I encountered staff who were surly and unhelpful to a point verging on Little Britain's "Computer Says No" character. Less than a quid change from a tenner for a pint of lager and glass of (decent but not spectacular) wine; and a tenner for a deli board containing food that can only be described as bonsai. Seriously. Bread and oil were fine though. Must do better !
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I visited this pub over one month ago,it was new and they were obviously trying to iron out new staff and teething problems. The food on that occasion was ok. However,last weekend,the food was very poor,with very unfriendly and surly waiting staff.
anonymous - 31 Mar 2007 21:17 |
An impressive edifice from the outside, the inside isn’t too bad either with a new and modern look, although a bit dark on sunny days.
Lacking a little on the handpull front, but the Winter Warner I had was excellent, best of the season.
Worth a visit if waiting for train.
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£2.85, that's allright then isn't it, miles away from being a rip off 3 squid.
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Y0ungs Bitter is £2.85 a pint:-)
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Recently refurbished to amazingly high standards. The question now is, is this a pub or a restaurant with a bar area. I would say the latter. Beer is over £3.00 a pint (youngs bitter) and you have to wait an age, even at less busy times due to the newly hired staff. This place is more aimed at corporate market than the serious pub heads, food is thus very good. All that glitters is not gold!
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Not the best experience I have had in Weybridge - but the vodka was quite alright!
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Cool pub! check out The New Assassins who are playing there on 9th June 06. They kick ass!
anonymous - 27 Apr 2006 16:34 |
It has always been a student pub, it IS right next to Brooklands College after all! In the 90's they had some great bands play there Lush / Super Furry Animals / Catatonia etc. That was before the re-fit and change of owners. Being totally bored in the disaster that is "that" bar next to the station I popped in one evening for a drink. Wow, a rocking band on stage and a great atmosphere. If you are a 30 something who can't remember what it was like to be 18 then avoid. I however still love to see a live band and don't feel intimidated at all by sharing drinking space with "the kids".
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Live Music this Saturday night, a rather lively place it seems. Certainly seems to be more of a young persons place, didnt stay long enough to get a real feel of what this place is like. I'd say its worth a visit, did cost 3 quid to get in for the live music however
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This pub is definately run into the ground and looks like it could fall down at any second. Its also full of students. But this pub also has a fantastic atmosphere and the locals and bar staff are incredibly friendly. I havent seen trouble in here for over a year now, its so easy going. Yeah if you dont like students or want a roaring fire and leather sofa to sit on this certainly isnt for you, but for a good atmosphere and a reasonably priced pint in Weybridge then give it a go. Its also a good place to check out local bands. For those that are interested the company who own it are supposed to be giving it a refit early next year, if it hasnt collapsed by then
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In the early 90's the Hand and Spear was a great pub to go to.When the bar used to be in the middle of the pub and the bands used to play on the left of the pub as you walked in.Saw Stan Webb,Otis Grand,Larry Garner,The Hoax and The Hamsters and many other great bands.Today however it is a shadow of what it used to be.it's dirty and in need of repair.As for the punters....students....say no more!Change of management is due,as is a bloody good clean up.If that doesn't happen then cherish your memories as they put up more flats in its place.
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I agree with Steph, this pub used to be THE place to go in Weybridge through the 90's. I am really upset to hear it is going to be pulled down. We CAN'T let it happen. Lets start a petition! Firkin have ruined it...whoever owned it before...the tall spiky grey haired man with hippy hat...please come back!!
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This place used to rock bk in the 90's and we entend on doing the same again starting 10th and 24th August 2004 ,its all to do with the launch of KANE FM WWW.KANEFM.COM the areas new legal radio .so get ready for a rerun
dj bones - 5 Aug 2004 15:43 |
The hand and spear pub may again be turning into the premier venue for live music. A rumour has it a group of promoters called fuzzy logic are looking to bring the best live acts around on a saturday night.
chris morris - 24 Apr 2004 13:48 |
My dad used to drink at the Hand and Spear too. I spent many heady summer nights there, had my first date with my (still) boyfriend 11 yrs ago there and now live just opposite. It was such a great pub and Firkin should be sued for ruining it. Apparently it is going to be knocked down which is an absolute tragedy and if I had the money I would buy it. Please, someone with some money, save it!
Steph - 13 Apr 2004 09:18 |
I drank here from 1977(my dad drank here since 1970 ).It was a great local pub,we had a crap footie team,used to have a function room out the back.The lager was always a bit dodgy,not sure if they ever cleaned the pipes.I used to love this pub,went back a year ago and it was awful! Sad really...it was a great pub
dave - 5 Mar 2004 23:29 |
my father-in-law is Tony Deller.His Aunty Madge bought this Pub in 1936.I will try to find out more details.
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I used to work here when it was the Old Hand and Spear and it was a great pub - busy all day and made a mint. Then they Firkinised it and left for the underage fraternity. Its gone downhill a long way. They 'refurbished it' and remove the lovely octagonal bar in the middle - crying shame. Now they don't even serve draught beer because its not studenty enough - what a criminal waste of a once superb establishment. Avoid like the plague.
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It was a Firkin pub which is being changed back to the Hand and Spear. It has had a lot of hard work put into it with the reintrodution of live bands. Many great bands have played there in the past. It was also an old coach house then a hotel where Robert Lewis Stevenson stayed and proof read Traesure Island. We are having a Treasure Island party on bank holiday Monday to selebrate this.
Kelly Jackson - 1 Apr 2003 00:59 |
