please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Great traditional backstreet pub, a little out of town, but well worth the walk.
10 hand pumps on, apparently 5 are usually available:- Dark Star Hophead, Ringwood Fortyniner, Andwell Gold Muddler, Hopback Summer Lightning and "Fullers" London Pride!!!. Guest beers today are Weltons Swing Low, Weltons Broadwood Wassail, Hopback GFB, Broken Bridge Red Alert and Plain Ales Inncognito. Also Thornbridge Jaipur as a "craft" keg. Bar staff offered a taster, with a smile.
Hum of groups of people eating curry (Monday's only) and drinking, with a gas fire blazing away in the main bar.
Well worth its reputation.
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Great traditional backstreet pub, a little out of town, but well worth the walk.
10 hand pumps on, apparently 5 are usually available:- Dark Star Hophead, Ringwood Fortyniner, Andwell Gold Muddler, Hopback Summer Lightning and "Fullers" London Pride!!!. Guest beers today are Weltons Swing Low, Weltons Broadwood Wassail, Hopback GFB, Broken Bridge Red Alert and Plain Ales Inncognito. Also Thornbridge Jaipur as a "craft" keg. Bar staff offered a taster, with a smile.
Hum of groups of people eating curry (Monday's only) and drinking, with a gas fire blazing away in the main bar.
Well worth its reputation.
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Went in for the first time in years last week. Still quality. Great ale selection.
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Great to see that a pub where it all about the beer can still be a viable business these days.
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At the time of writing this pub has a 7.4/10. I am rather shocked by this. Fantastic range of real ales in great condition. Proper pub that's been in the Good Beer Guide for over 30 years. 9/10 for me.
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Been visiting this place (admittedly irregularly) for over 10 years - still a gem that I'd be more than happy to have as my local! Excellent choice of ales at all times, with friendly staff and locals to boot - keep up the good work!
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Visited on Saturday 13 August. Regular beers were pride, Summer Lightning, Youngs Ordinary, Ringwood 49er and Hophead. Guest beers were Downton All Rounder, Youngs Special, Bingham's Ginger Doodle Stout and Surrey Hills Ranmore with Andwell Gold Muddler listed as a session beer at �2.80 a pint. Others were generally �3.20 - �3.50. Decent boozer, welcoming.
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I attended the POW on Saturday 2nd July 2011 on my way to my children's school summer fete (terrible parent I know!) and enjoyed a pint of Ringwood 49er and the great Hop Back Summer Lightning. Also on offer was a pint of youngs plus two others which escape me at present plus thatchers cider a fine Somerset brew!
Whilst there I noticed the all day breakfast being brought out which looked fantastic!
I love this pub, everything is right about it. No wonder it is being awarded Hampshire pub of the year on Tuesday 12th July 2011. Apparently there is morris dancing in the street! I can't wait.
Brilliant boozer, lovely drinkers and great beer. 10/10
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I wish this pub was my local, a real cracker, solidly traditional, 10 beers available, some local some from farther afield. Friendly staff and landlord, comfy interior, good lunchtime food trade too, warm and confortable interior and newspapers to read, always a tick in the box for that. 5 mins walk from Farnborough North, the complete opposite of the pub outside the station which looks like a derelict toilet, but still appears to be open.
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Brilliant pub. Ticks all the important boxes. Decent pint, homely demeanor and, the true sign of a quality boozer, the occasional friendly dog knocking around.
Best pub around by a long way, the only thing missing is a dartboard and an eclectic jukebox but i split hairs here
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Visited at lunch time on a Friday. Quite busy but qucik and friendly service. Excellent pint of Ringwood Forty Niner and sausage sandwich and chips. Will return again when next in the area.
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Unquestionably this has much to commend it, and I assume it is regarded by many as the best pub in this locality?
A true local, where the emphasis is on good beer and cheer, the Prince of Wales accommodates its customers across 4 main areas: the central bar; seating on the right (seemingly more for drinkers); seating on the left (possibly for diners), and the room at the back (didn't go in - maybe a games room?). It is surprisingly capacious, and happily, it needs to be, as it was awash with punters last Saturday evening when I made my maiden visit following a tour of Ringwood brewery. Although said jaunt was informative, beer consumption had been limited in both quantity and variety terms, and frankly, emerging in a classic cask ale outlet such as this was a real tonic. Some 10 ales were on draught, and each one sampled by me and my acquaintances was served impeccably. Most offerings are local but across a variety of styles. Even the rarely-seen Art Brew range featured - a real couple of gems from that stable. Around 4 pints were guzzled before, sadly, we had to ship out. But a return visit surely can't be far away.
I should add that the service here was with a smile and great efficiency, be it from the licensee or his 2 female bar staff. Also, the place was in acceptable decorative order inside and out, and favoured the more traditional, front-parlour approach. I wasn't persuaded that the large mirror behind the bar was a sound idea, especially for those who are less vain and/or who have tendency towards body dysmorphia. I know I didn't really want to see my distended beer-gut staring back at me! Nevertheless this was a minor criticism and one can always turn the other way and talk to one of the seemingly friendly locals. Or stare down to the bottom of one's pint glass, where as we all know, solace can usually be sourced.
An absolute winner for those of us in love with solid, unpretentious yet welcoming local pubs with an accent on ale quality and variety, as opposed to a middle-class diner with indifferent beer and atmosphere.
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One word for this pub, Fantastic!
A great REAL pub with good food and of course fantastic ales well kept with good prices. Popped in the other day and had only meant to have a pint of Ringwood 49'er. In fact it was soooo good that had about five and had to get a taxi home! Told the wife that I had a couple!!!!
I no longer live in Farnborough and I wish I did. I miss this type of pub there are few left like it. This pub is so easy to get to as well. You can get a train to Farnborough North train station or a little further away is Farnborough Main train station. All in walking distance.
Be warned though, don't drive. You can not leave these fine beers alone. Cracking pub.
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great ale
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Another visit, another 1st class lunchtime session, another chat with the lovely Vicky, another scrumptious lunch of black pudding & bacon and another taste of a superb ale never tried before - Ballards Golden Bine. It all makes life worthwhile!
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GarmischP has written a similar review on 24 Apr 2010 to the one he wrote on 2 Jun 2009. On the earlier date he said he would never visit the PoW again. Did he really make the same mistake twice or is there a hidden agenda. Maybe he suffers from amnesia. On both occasions he also wrote a review praising The Rose and Thistle. Very mysterious.
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Visited this pub with the family.
Excellent range of cask conditioned ales which just had to be indulged.
Ordered for myself and wife and 3 cokes for the children
Placed a food order, had the money taken and then told sorry no children allowed in the pub you will have to sit outside
Very annoyed that they waited until they had taken the order and money before telling us
Disappointed in the cleanliness of the pub, bar and most tables were sticky, fire was a pleasant touch but they need a cleaner who will dust with a fire and they certainly haven't go that.
Might go back if I am alone but a most unfriendly pub not a family pub
Food was Okay, nothing special but good enough and as I say the ales were well kept and worth going in for if all you want is a good beer.
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An absolutely superb gem of a pub I visited on Good Friday afternoon for a pair of cheeky halves. The fire was lit and the welcome was warm. An incredible 10 ales on and the Downton Quad Hop was superb as was Hop Back Hop Medley. My good lady friend had Dark Star Hop Head which trounced them both!
A clean and well-maintained pub with the care and devotion all pubs should have. Visit soon!
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I'm a repeat visitor to this pub (not to be confused with the Prince of Wales, Aldershot) and I find the welcome, the ever-changing, marvellous range of beers, the staff, especially the very knowledgeable and friendly Vicky, the excellent and plentiful food, and the general ambience (no intrusive TV!) ranks this pub as the best in the region.
The session Downton Quadhop was superb and so was the weird and wonderful Bunce's Stonhenge "Taste of Spring" green beer.
No hesitation in recommending this pub to any real ale lover looking for a pub with character and a superbly maintained cellar.
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Visited recently, a decent pub with (for the area) a vast range of beers, had a nice dark star hophead . It was rather quiet but it was an early weekday lunchtime. Well worth a visit.
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I visited this pub for the first time last night on the recommedation of a few work collegues and was also accompanyied by a couple. I found the atmosphere to be pleasent and welcoming. The decor was a little olde worlde without being dingy and there was a healthy mix of old and young customers. The landlord was friendly and the barmaid attractive and efficient :D
Largely an ale drinkers pub, the selection on offer was varied enough to be interesting but also familiar enough not to be obscure. Though the prices, i felt, were a little on the high side even though each of the 4 ales i tried were kept excellently. (the summer lightning was particularly good!)
i feel future visits are soon to come
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BEER FESTIVAL this weekend 16-18 October 2009.
30+ beers and a few ciders too. Hot food available.
Don't miss it, if the past ones have been anything to go by this is going to be great .
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"Oldboots" is spot on - best in the area.
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Village type pub in suburban area of North Farnborough . Two bars either side of the entrance, I didn't think it was scruffy, actually quite reasonably decorated, comfortable and popular. The d�cor is traditional, a bit of brewers half timber, panelling, herringbone brickwork in small doses, anaglypta / lincrusta on the walls and ceilings. 5 hand pumps in the bar I used, with a good mix of well kept regional and micro breweries represented. Customers were mainly an older age group but not exclusively so and not just local suburbanite commuter types. I can see why it may not appeal to some, but this is in Farnborough where the choice of pubs ranges from the mostly bloody awful to the occasional good; this is one of two pubs in the place I would actually use more than once.
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I was expecting high things of this place when i heard it was Hampshire Pub Of The Year but when entering i was suprised how dull and boring it looked the beer selection was excellent with 9 ales on at my time of visiting i had a pint of East Berks Mild which was superb but other than the beer selection it didnt really do a lot for me.
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I drink in the Prince once in a while but it has never been my 1st choice of pub... as per previous posts, the pub is a little scruffy around the edges but i find its more my perception of the atmosphere that puts me off along with the lack of a resonable priced lager, I just feel that there is a bit of a "Clicky" atmosphere. I have failed to walk into the pub and feel completely welcome, possibly due to the fact that i am a younger person and the majority of patrons at the pub are much older! That said i'm not a massive fan of ale but have had the odd pint and not disliked it, the pub really does look after its ales and have never heard a complaint.
I do feel in this day and age that pubs and especially those serving food should be more family friendly however.
All in all not a terrible boozer, but really aims itself at a small client base, leaving those outside of the stereotype rather left out!
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I have been a regular customer in this pub since 1984 and have not posted a comment before because I have always tended to agree with what has already been said. The last two posters have brought up some issues that do require a response.
I have raised two children in the last 20 years and they were never allowed in the pub when they were younger. This rule has not been relaxed and parents with children do normally stay outside, sitting in the marquee during the warmer months.
This is a real ale drinkers pub so the lagers are there to appease rather than to attract the non-beer drinkers. It would be nice to see a couple of interesting draught foreign beers but you can't always have everything.
Every pub has its "anal" customers, whether they drink ale or not, your comment is perfectly valid in this instance!
If a first time visitor thinks the pub is scruffy, then it probably is, and maybe the regulars such as myself are seeing it through rose-tinted spectacles. The fading tables are actually starting to make the place look jaded and perhaps it is time for a bit of a spruce up.
Having said all that, my kids are grown up, I don't drink lager and I don't come in here to admire the decor. Keep those guest ales rolling.
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This pub would get 10/10 if they considered lager drinkers too!!!
Lager is an awful choice typical of an "ale house" only offering wife beater and Heineken both at obscene prices.
Regulars are largely OK but some some of the "Ale drinkers" can be a bit anal.
Possibly has some of the best bar maids locally ;-) which is always a bonus when out for a pint.
Have yet to try the food
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Scruffy little back street pub with an excellent range of Cask Ales and all pretty well kept too.
Day was runied for us when we ordered food to go with the beer, they accepted the order and served the beer, took the money and only then said 'Oh and the children are not allowed in the bar so you will all have to eat outside'. It just happened to be raining and said that they would not give us a refund as they had started to prepare our meals. Sorry, it may be good beer but you don't treat customers like that
Won't be going in here again and it will be more local in a months time when I move to the area too. Shame, will just have to travel a little further to the Rose & Thistle in Frimley where the WHOLE family are made VERY welcome
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I have visited this pub on numerous occasions when my business takes me to fanrnborough. the selection of beers is excellant, the food very good and the staff friendly. highly recommended.
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First trip with a few friends on Friday 13th March. Place very busy and quickly found out why. Excellent beers all very well kept. Fantastic.
snack - 16 Mar 2009 11:53 |
Used to go here regularly at lunchtimes as was working nearby. No complaints ever, excellent reliable beer, nice staff. Would not bother with any other pub if I was near here.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the beer festival there last weekend. Even without the festival this pub has a good range of well kept ales. I have been here a number of times over the years and it is consistently good.
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tried all the guest ales all in perfect condition could of done with a darker beer thrown in but i did visit in the summer. well worth a visit always new beers to try from arround the country
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good pub, busy at lunch time today, good food and great selection of ales. will be back again very soon
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A real gem of a pub, a good , ever changing selection of real ales complimented by a front bar set of regular ales, good quality beer served how it should be.
a slightly cheaper "session" ale is usually available, and food is good too.
One not to miss, a yearly beer festival is held in October and features a good selection of around 30/40 beers and 2 or 3 ciders.
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I found this old-fashioned pub one day when i got lost.The locals where verry nice to me .The ales where good and some bad but thats ok . Every one has there own taste in beer. The locals like to talk alot about there way of life and the owner will make ya feel like at home .I miss this pub and all the friends i was able to meet when i lived in Farnborough.I rate this place a 10.Where else can you sit out front on a picnic table drinking a pint and watch alot of crazy brits drive by 60 mph. Look out when ya pull out of the parking lot.
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Visited several weeks ago on a Friday late afternoon. We aren't regulars (only because the Prince is a bit out of our way) but we didn't have any trouble getting served, as we were the only people in the place when we arrived. It must only have been the hour and not the pub, however. By the time we left the place was packed. The Prince is cosy, friendly and the landlord serves up superb ale and cider. Keep up the great work!
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I have to admit a bit of a soft spot for the POW. Probably the last "proper" pub left in Farnborough. If you're not a regular or if lager is your tipple be prepared to be ignored by the bar staff.
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still the best Pub for miles, a great range of beers on, and a "session" at �2.40, Dark star-Hophead at the moment which is in superb condition, a credit to the Landlord Peter.
A must visit pub if you are in the area( or not )
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Always excellent beer and friendly atmosphere. Enjoyed a fine Itchen pint Valley this week. A pleasure to return as often as I can, but the car park entrance/exit is scary!
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I'm sure it wasn't down to the pub but I had to agree with other drinkers we spoke to at the recent beer festival about the quality of the beers. Apart from three established breweries all the rest were from newish micros and they were barely drinkable at best, some were so bad they just got tipped away.
anonymous - 25 Oct 2007 16:32 |
love love love this place, real tradition, claustraphobic but not in a scary way! went on a friday night and the place was buzzing with atmosphere, brilliant!
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A disappointing recent visit. The Fullers Summer Ale session beer was tired and pretty tasteless and all the guest ales were from the same, rather average, brewery. The house beers include London Pride and Youngs which are too commonly available to be of interest.
anonymous - 20 Aug 2007 10:06 |
A very cosy little pub with a great selection of beer. If you're after a proper pub then this is the place for you.
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Absolutely Superb. Iam blessed to have Hampshires finest real ale pub so close tro my door step, a true home from home. cant wait to go there later!
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Rightly famed for its beer and proper bub feel. Lots of very good touches, but deeply traditional. Will appeal to anyone familiar with West Norwich pubs.
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Spent many enjoyable hours here with friendly banter and best of all an ever changing range of well kept ales from all over the country. Must one of the best pubs for miles!
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So many ales on! And the guest ales change so often as well, you'll also be given a chance to try a sip of a guest ale before ordering one.
Don't seem to play background music here, maybe they are rather old fashioned, but still a pleasant atmosphere. Quite surprising to see rude pictures in here last night, i expect some people didnt approve
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I have no prob getting served in this pub, here's for why....
1: if I'm at the bar, I adopt an outrageous bar stance to protect 'my' terratory, whilst pretending to be deaf.
2: If I'm not at the bar i just push in.......
Job done.
Seriously though, it is a good pub, and will be better after 1st July this year.
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Had a very pleasant Sunday lunch out front here watching some of the planes from the Farnborough airshow (I know, this review is a few months late)! Excellent beer and very nice staff.
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Renfield,
Firstly, I didn't call you a miserable old w*nker! I think you'll find that I said IF you are then the staff will make you wait!!
Secondly, I've found the locals to be hospitable and IN THE MAIN let me get to the bar with just a polite 'Excuse me.' or 'Sorry.' or whatever works for you!
Thirdly, OF COURSE there are a***holes in the pub!! There are in EVERY pub I've ever walked into (which is a few!!)! Trust me, if ever I find a pub without an a***hole in it, then I'm buying the house next door (some might say to feel the a***hole compliment!) as it would be Utopia!
Fourthly, it's a small pub, people smoke therefore it'll get smokey! Until the fascist smoking laws (but that's another matter!) come in then that's just the way it is!
Fifthly, I am not a local so it really doesn't reflect the local attitude! Please, before you jump to conclusions, check your facts!
Finally, I DO so hope that I didn't make you wait TOO long!
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Touch a nerve did I Muttley75?
"did you actually try saying 'Excuse me??' to the locals?" - of course I did - often - it's just that some of these people treat good manners as weakness!
As for the staff, I never complained about them at all, and I have certainly never treated them as "menials" they have always been extremely helpful and courteous to me, as I have been to them, no problems at all there.
"If you're a miserable grumpy old w*nker" - you've been talking to the wife haven't you? And I told her not to speak to strange men - tut.
No need for that sort of personalisation and insult, but it certainly does prove my point about the local attitude, doesn't it?
FACTS:
It still gets eye wateringly smoky sometimes, it can be very crowded and cramped, the Pride is still variable at times (as Pride seems to be everywhere at the moment), the beer is excellent 95% of the times I visit, and a small minority of the locals are still complete a***holes! BUT not as many as used to be seemingly.....which is nice.
It's an 8 - and if I want a good pint I go there by choice.
Oh go on, give me another one of your blisteringly insightful, insulting and amusing put downs?! Please. I can't wait.....
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An excellent range of ten well kept ales. The layout means it usually feels rather congested, but if you can grab a table it's a great place to settle in for the duration.
Getting served might seem daunting with so many people crowding around the bar, but I found a firm and decisive "Excuse me, may I get to the bar please!" did the trick, and most of them weren't actually waiting for service so I got served almost immediately.
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This is an excellent pub, brilliant beers, currently Hopback GFB for 2.20 a pint as the session ale. Good atmosphere and generally a very friendly pub, well worth a visit.
anonymous - 30 Aug 2006 16:19 |
Fantastic pub, without doubt the best in Farnborough, although the rest arent exactly good competition.
Locals always seem very friendly to me, good mix of young and old people, all enjoying the great ale. Very good, constantly-changing selection, Tea, Fortyniner, Youngs, Tanglefoot and Pride on the front pubs, Summer Lightning (a favourite of mine) frequently on the back pumps.
Staff are excellent, always a good laugh and most are very knowledgable about the beer. Food is also superb although only served at lunchtime due to being a smaller pub.
Anyone going to Farnborough should definately pay a visit to this pub, anyone who has a bad word to say against it (with a small exception to the prices) is talking absolute rubbish *cough renfield cough*.
10 out of 10 for me
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Renfield, did you actually try saying 'Excuse me??' to the locals? I seem to find that this works VERY well as I've found the locals very accommodating and welcoming! Even to the point of helping me to choose my beer after I was in a bit of a quandry with the choice of 10 beers!
It always suprises me that people walk up to the bar and expect to get served straight away despite the fact that there's half a dozen people waiting in front of them! I also find that politeness to staff works - not just in the Prince but most other pubs as well! If you're a miserable grumpy old w*nker and treat the staff as menials when you approach the bar then they WILL make you wait!
I most certainly would!!
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Nice friendly pub with a very good selection of real ales The locals are very polite and knowledgably about all the ales. The bar can get busy but with a smile and a little wait you are quickly severed 9/10
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Marked down for decour. You're there to drink man, not do interior design on the joint!
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Everyone seems to like this pub. Yes it is good with the amount of ales they do serve. Definitely about the best pub in Farnborough, though i won't give it 10 out of 10, the interior slightly puts the rating down for me. 8 out of 10
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We gave it a few more chances to see if it had changed at all.
It hasn't really.
Still a local pub for local people - bordering on the extremely rude at times from some of the (predictably) better heeled "locals".
This is a shame, as this pub would have been well worth a visit otherwise.
Beer was very average last time we went - we had 7 pints and couldn't find a good one. Probably something to do with all the complete garbage that gets passed off a "Christmas" Ale every year.
Several regular ales were not on, TEA was average, Pride appalling.
Smoky as a forest fire, with the extractors being conspicuously turned off.
All told less than satisfying, and given the ignorant b******s who stand at the bar and will not let you through if you are polite and well mannered(gum-shields in and heads down lads - we found THAT worked!!), one wonders whether it is worth coming back.
Oh - and the tent's gone from the rear so you can't even move some nights in there.
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Simply put - GREAT PUB!!!
10 real ales (where else do you get that!), proper homemade food of a lunchtime (monday to saturday only though), superb regulars, friendly, outgoing staff, excellent (if slightly absent) landlord. Oh, and did I mention that they've just won Hamshire/Surrey borders CAMRA pub of the year for 2005 - third time in 5 years!!!
TOP NOTCH WATERING HOLE!
Events throughout the year range from visits to breweries to a golf day to a beer festival in October (trying to rival Munich, Peter?).
Not a magnificent choice of lagers but if you want that go to the Imp around the corner! The Thatchers cider is so much better than Strongbow and Blackthorn you get in most pubs. 5 regulars on the front bar are London Pride, Tanglefoot, Yopungs original, Ringwood Fortyniner and Hogsback T.E.A.. The back bar session at the time of my last visit is Ballards Golden Bine (no, I've never heard of, or drunk, it before!!) with loads of choice on the changing 4 guests! Summer Lightning is a fave in this pub and a barrell can go as quickly as 1 hour believe it or not!
If ever you are near Farnborough (or even in the county of Hampshire or Surrey) then make sure you visit this pub, I think I've only been in one or two better pubs in my life!
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Good selection of real ales, always in tip top condition, front bar has regulard , hog's back T.E.A, fullers london pride, youngs ordinary, ringwood old thumper, back bar has four ever changing guests, a session beer of (usually) lower o.g. is always avalable at a special price . last visit august 05 it was fullers dicovery @ �2.30 a pint.
Prices do vary and some may say they are a bit on the expensive side, however you do get a good choice and exceptional quality.
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Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes. just thinking about the PoW has my fluids pumping. So to speak. An excellent pub well worthy of its great reputation. Ludicrously small for its popularity but the beer is worth the discomfort of a face full of Morris Dancers beard.
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Easily the best pub in Farnborough and around. Mant happy times, mainly involving drinking the boeard twice in a day when there was 12 beers on, get in! Quality pub, good food and pleasent regulars. Could do with pickled onions on there ploughmans mind.
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This is clearly Farnborough's best feature.
A cosy little pub with the best beer in the area. Hogs Back T.E.A. & a fine choice of guest beers. Cidermaster's right - a guest cider once in a while wouldn't hurt.
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The best pub in Farnborough by far. Excellent to find a pub which serves home made, good pub food and not microwavable mush out the back of a lorry. Always lets itself down with the disgusting cider but a haven for the real ale drinker, just once I'd like to go in and find a guest cider on, it'd make my life. A high point to visit here any time I happen to find myself back in sunny Farnborough.
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Excellent real ales and the events I've been to have all been good- beer festivals and BBQs. The food is good but only served lunchtimes (Mon-Sat).
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Very definitely a loval pub for local people. Don't expect a warm welcome, and do expect to wait whilst all the locals get served before you do! Terrific beer though.
Max - 5 Oct 2004 08:29 |
Pretty good pub with a good range of well kept ales throughout the year. Not so sure about there being plenty of space! In my experience it is usually shoulder to shoulder, especially in the evenings, and the garden is pretty tiny too. But, all that said, one of the best pubs in the area. Perhaps even a little too popular for its own good.
Pete - 21 Mar 2004 13:35 |
Just around the corner from the less popular Imperial Arms, the Prince of Wales is a nicely decorated, old-fashioned pub which serves a good range of real ales. Usually busy, but there is plenty of space and a gazebo out the back for the summer months. Staff are very friendly.
Jason Holdcroft - 15 Jan 2004 15:19 |
