We have been drinking in the Goat for about 5 years and have met and made lots of good friends there, including Landlords and Ladies past and present. The Goat and Tricycle is a traditional pub which has poked its toe into the twenty first century but not too far to lose its charm. The refit last year alienated a lot of regulars but nearly a year on it has now settled itself and has a homely and friendly feel. We would not hesitate in recommending this pub to anyone who is looking for a traditional pub with a friendly atmosphere, large beer garden, fair selection of real ales and a fine menu of amazing quality and selection.Lost all its old charm, and the quiz was run like a military rule book. Not on my list for a return visit, shame it used to be so nice.People now in charge are leaving shortly after their unsuccesful stint in charge. Lets hope that whoever takes over runs this place more along the lines of how it was run when James and Trish were landlord and landlady

First visit last night.

Not disappointed. The Old Thumper was excellent. Will definately be returning. Great news! The current landlord has been offered the lease to continue running it as it is. As a regular, I have nothing but praise for the way in which John manages the Porterhouse. He and his team are excellent, I hope he takes the tenancy and gets better guest ales than those he is currently obligued to take on.

Range of guest ales has improved somewhat in recent months, but service remains unreliable.Had a good pint of Ringwoods 49er whilst waiting for someone and had to wait for that due to lack of bar staff. Food seemed OK but didn't try any of it.Went in this pub at the end of the Spring Beer Festival.
The usual Wetherspoons lack of staff, with little or no supervision. It is probably not the fault of the staff on duty, but down to the management, or lack of it!
Otherwise, it was a good visit, with the three beers tasted in excellent condition.

This pub is awful!
I visited with my family and once they had taken our money, let us sit down and started to browse the food menu, the guy who had just served us suddenly decided to "ID" my 2 sons. Although my 16 year old sun was drinking coke (quite legally)he told us to leave. In turn the Landlord also said the same and although I said we would leave once we had finished the drinks we had paid for this wasn't good enough and he called the police to throw us out.
O'Neills and their English owners Mitchells and Butlers of Birmingham sucks.
All the jolly old Irish welcome, Irish pub is hype. Their own website says its Bournemouths warmest welcome! Don't make me laugh.
O'Neills are an FTSE quoted company and a huge concern, so huge they are obviously too grand to answer my complaint.
If you want a friendly Irish pub with plenty of "craic" go elsewhere.Now stocks Budvar dark in bottles (quality Czech lager). Anyone who's been to Prague will testify that this is indeed a very fine beverage!It Has Gone Down Hill Since Mr Matt Stockley Left
Bring him Back

Well said aledrinker99. We share the same sentiments,if not the same humour. Truth is I have never been in the Parkstone and,probalby,never will.I don't like pubs that have the same ethos and character of a McDonalds. My local is real,I was just up to Puck-like mischief. Enjoy you're local and keep it open,happy travels to all at the Talbot.Well said aledrinker99. We share the same sentiments,if not the same humour. Truth is I have never been in the Parkstone and,probalby,never will.I don't like pubs that have the same ethos and character of a McDonalds. My local is real,I was just up to Puck-like mischief. Enjoy you're local and keep it open,happy travels to all at the Talbot.I would never be detrimental about a real pub summerisle and I agree if you want a real local pub then use it and keep it. You will need fantastic eyesight if you are going to see me from the Parkstone, but come into the Talbot and I will leave a decent pint of local real ale behind the bar for you.

I agree that huge pushchairs are a nightmare in a pub and out of control children charging around far worse,but isn't The Commodore supposed to be a hotel rather than a pub?

I think that due to the fact they advertise family rooms and family packages it would be a little unrealistic to expect not to see children in the bar.

With regard to the food,aside from a truly appalling Confit Duck quite a few weeks ago I have enjoyed everything else I have eaten there.It might help speed up drink service sometimes though if the Landlord didn't seem quite so loathe to dragging himself round the bar and serving when the girls are faced with growing queues.

I totally agree with southbournebabes comments.Took my baby down there a few weeks ago in his buggy and was given filthy looks by the barstaff even though around the corner and out of the way.Horrible experience,never going there again.Go now to the pub a few yards further down, where they welcome young families.I am glad this problem has come to light in the Echo, as felt like complaining myself at the time.This has been our local for years. It's pleasant enough but desperately needs a refurb as it's shabby and grubby and in the time we've frequented it nothing has been updated apart from the toilets.

The old landlord used to keep it running to high standards and although he came across as a bit miserable, knew what he was doing. The new landlord seems to treat the place as his personal bar and is often seen drinking with his mates. I've only ever seen him serve behind the bar twice in the months he's been there. The other bar staff are friendly and are quick to serve.

The food used to be good but now is too expensive for what you get, probably now aiming at the tourists that keep the place going during the summer months.

As with so many places along the cliff top, are Greene King just waiting for an offer to turn it into flats?

I had the most disjusting meal at this pub tonight, ranging across the table from undercooked to overcooked with the quality or meat being that of pedigree chum. The staff are rude and only serve the ones they obviously have relationships with. There was an obscene act in the toilets which greatly upset me. I feel this is a very poor quality restaurant with poor quality supplies, understaffed and unfriendly unless you have a Southbourne postcode. PS Im still hungry as I had no food 3 plates of food out of 6 were edible. Went there last Sunday for a Roast after a long day at work. Parked to the sounds of very loud music coming from the kitchen. Were served at the Bar eventually, with no Stella and a WARM glass of white wine. Ordered Beef Sunday Roasts - what came out looked awful. Deep fried roast potatoes, baby carrots and peas - the peas were the best bit of the meal, and slices of beef coated in a thick gravy. Think it must have come out of a bag, and dreaded to think what would have happened if we'd wanted the gravy separately! All in all, a very poor experience and total waste of money. We would have been better having a cheese sandwich at home. Dread to think what the neighbours in the flats across the road have to put up with all that loud music. Will definitely give this a miss in the future.I agree with the last review. If you're not a regular here you never get served. Only ever been here twice and both times was left standing at the bar waiting to be served. The staff were hopeless. I've heard the food is below average too.

Sorry, forgot the jewel in the crown of this pub,
I once asked why there was no disabled access or toilets and was told by the manager "because I dont want them in here, too much hassel, and they depress the punters"

Can you beleive that?? I was speachless.This pub has gotten gradually worse and worse, especially since the new manager took over. The pub is frequeted by smelly old men who drink all day log and pick fights with eachother regularly. The pub is dirty and furnished with dirty, smelly damp cushions. The Pints are flat and overpriced. The staff always look overworked and underpayed. I heard that the (one eyed) manager is an ex gypsey boxer, this wouldnt supprise me as he broke a customer's arm not two weeks ago over a small disagreement.
Regulars are allowed to be as drunk and violent as they like, while students and non regulars will be booted out forcefully over nothing.

This truly is a local pub for local people only

2/10Re:previous subscriber I think the clue is in his non-de-plume. He seems to have a real downer on Bournemouth pubs, so take heart Richmond Arms you are in good company. Unless your pub has the aroma of "hoppy" farts and middle-class pretension he will never give you a favourable review, apart from that I'm sure he's a lovely chap

Excellent pub. I was welcomed with a friendly greeting by the landlord, Gavin. The rooms where my family and I stayed were well equipped and spotlessly clean.
We had a meal in the evening which was well presented, value for money and served with a smile. Breakfast the following morning was exactly the same, well presented, great value for money and served with a smile. Beer was up to the usual fantastic standard of Wadworths.
I was pleased to see and landlord and his partner, Emma, so eager to please and displaying a fantastic manner of "Nothing is too much trouble"

Certainly a place my family and I will visit again and hopefully not in the too distant future.I was shocked at the casual manner and couldn't care less approach displayed by what appeared to be the landlady and husband. This is yet another casualty of the 'anyone can be a landlord' capitalist big brewery monopoly that Britain does so well. Dreadful.Stayed for a week in September, with my 3yr old grandaughter. Excellent. Rooms newly decorated. Complimentary toiletries. Good breakfast (full english or cereal,fruit juice tea,coffee )Landlord and landlady very helpfull. good selection at bar. Even thought rooms above pub not to noisey for my grandaughter to sleep. Town center walking distance. Would I stay again? For sure. Good value for money.

Much better now it's been refurb'd but don't bother eating here. The food is dire, small portions and often has missing ingredients, ie a curry that came without the bombay potatoes because they'd run out. They refused to substitute it with anything else because "it's all prepackaged and measured out" Also expensive for what it is.

Ok for a drink, quite smart inside but often not enough bar staff to cope at busy periods. The big plus here is that they only allow children over 14 and that's if they are accompanied by adults and are eating in the restaurant. So at least you can drink in peace and quiet with out brats running around!********AWFUL************
the worse time at a pub i have ever had. i booked a table for 13, giving 4 days notice, i spoke to them twice to confirm details of my surprise party booking. on arrival my party had been spread around the room on different tables. nobody approached me to apologize, there was only one waitress serving the whole dinning area, we were told we had 45 minutes to get our order in as the chef finished at 21.00hrs. served with rubber gammon. unable to think of one good point. avoid at all cost !!!!!!!!!!Now an embers pub, food reasonable, never seen it busy, but youg staff polite and attentive, Only visited it at lunchtimes so can't comment on evening atmosphere.

What a pity this establishment seems to be going down-hill so soon after the refurb. The Bar area is already looking grubby and unkempt. Popped in for Lunch - the Salad cart is always good, and opted for the spit-roast chicken with the salad cart to eat in the virtually empty bar. Only one member of staff on the bar, and even though it was not busy, we still had to wait for a while to be served. After checking, we were informed that there were no chickens and this on a Saturday before the start of a possibly busy weekend! So we left. For somewhere with such a prime site and wonderful outside seating area overlooking the river, it's a shame. Notice on the bar recruiting for staff - not surprised.went there last night and had the worst meal I can recall! (1) Specklen Hen served at near freezing (it ain't lager!), (2) starter taken away before we'd finished, (3) lamb steak was dry, tough and inedible, (4) tea and coffee served one cup short and then the cup provided was dirty. Shocking. Table staff were pleasant though, although the 'supervisor' was miserable and smelt of stale fags when she can to see what was wrong with my meal (and then pointlessly prodded the lamb steak as if to try to disprove my theory)...Utter bollocks - the bar is a no go area for the management - dusty display of four empty spirit bottles - two Canadian Club and two Vodka. Staff congregating at the end of the bar. AVOID

Clientele certainly left something to be desired, good range of ales though and fast friendly service,7/10Another Boscombe pub fast going downhill,popualted to a fairly large extent with dossers and drunksI have been comming into this pub quite often just recently,and I find it quite a friendly little place.
The staff very helpful but the one thing I don't quite understand is the sudden appearence of candels arround the place,its as if someone has just died and its kind of like a chapel of rest with a bar in it.Also smoking out side the front door is quite off putting they should use the area provided at the rear of the pub.

I live right by this pub, used to be good, but now the food is lethal (or non existant) the atmosphere is dark and threatening,the landlady is the rudest on the planet and the place is full of chavs. Highly recommended if you want a fight, food poisoning or abuse.I wont eat in here anymore, being diabetic, I just cant wait an hour for food, such a shame, I used to enjoy this place, most of the bar staff, except one male, are polite, but the service is terribleI travel down from stroud once a month to stay with my girlfriend and have been coming here for years, the last 18 months it has gone down considerably, the food service (or lack of it due to time taken to serve it!) is the worst I have ever seen, several times we have had to wait 45 mins to an hour and a half, for aimple meal in a quietish pub, lunchtime, the toilets are filthy too, and a local told me there are people complaining all the time, come on landlord/landlady, get this pub back on track!

Not sure whether the previous people actually went into the right pub? This pub is always clean, staff and customers friendly. I will be trying the whetherspoons when it opens but wont abandon the Hop. Never seen such a motley bunch as this place. I only nipped in for the loo- then chavs older than my dad were giving me looks- what a joke. TV screens everywhere and not a middle class person to behold...this pub is shit! the staff are incompetent are the prices are outrageous. the clientèle leaves alot to be desired. the quiz night is prbably staged as well

why the arguements ? the royal oak has a great range of real ales, gullivers has none ! need i say more !!!!As a casual observer of this site i have to ask why if anyone slags off the oak, Gullivers tavern is mentioned in a derogatory manner? Far from being a hovel it has improved consistently. Both pubs are needed in the locale, so DR47 why not try saving your pub?hey john-norwell......
best get out of the grotty hovell knows as gullivers and try drinking in a great pub, with nice people. or you just slating the oak because you a sad little man/boy .