The Hoop, Stock - pub details
Address: 21 High Street, Stock, Ingatestone, Essex, CM4 9BD [map] [gmap]
Tel: 0871 951 1000 (ref 7070) - calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras
Billericay (2.9 miles), Ingatestone (2.9 miles), Wickford (5 miles)
Pub facilities/features:
- Food served, Real ale
Pub suggested by Lee on 15 Mar 2004
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> Current user rating: 6.3/10 (rated by 27 users)
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other pubs nearby:
Ship, West Hanningfield (1.1 miles), White Hart Inn, Margaretting Tye (1.3 miles)
user reviews of the Hoop, Stock
please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
5 most recent reviews of 31 shown - see all reviews
| Well, what can I say. I used to go in this pub quite often and loved it. It was quirky with it's outside loos and had a fantastic array of high quality real ales. I met up with a friend their today for a quick drink as we were looking for a decent pint of beer, we chose the wrong pub. There was no good real ale, and what they did have was not in great condition, the place has been modernised and expanded but all the character and charm has been lost. The grass in the beer garden was nearly a foot high as well. It was my last visit to the Hoop. RealBeer4Me - 10 Oct 2010 18:27 |
| Read the last few reviews about this pub and sympathise. However, my visit was very different and I can only comment on what I experienced. Friend and I stppoed here after cycling 25 miles and had no problem chaining our bikes up in the garden before entering the pub. Friendly welcome, great pint of Oscar Wilde and probably the best ham, egg and chips I've ever had! Did't sense any hostility or negative atmosphere from locals and would certainly visit again if in the area. davewat - 31 Aug 2010 12:03 |
| It's a shame to be reading what I have suspected for some time given reports I've received from friends who have visited The Hoop in the last year. I have to say that I have not visited for over 18 months having been out of the country but on my last few visits I had noticed a change for the worse. Some of the natives have always had a reputation for being decidedly unfriendly towards those who are visiting 'their' village from the surrounding towns. They clearly have a truly unwarranted superiority complex. Much of this I could see rubbing off on the licensee and family- God knows why they would consider themselves great or good! I can sympathise with Fran911 but perhaps this pub is the last place you would risk being 'naughty' (so you only have reserved sympathy Fran). This used to be a great pub which I have used on occasions for over 30 years. I'll be giving it a visit in the spring but I suspect I'll be disappointed and that it might be my last visit. There are fewer and fewer good pubs around but the truly good will survive, this one, on evidence is no longer good enough. stropmag - 24 Dec 2009 19:37 |
| Never before have I visited such an openly hostile and rude establishment. It is my opinion that if they continue down this route, they won't have a business to run and good riddance! It started when we first walked in. I was with my brother and his friend who are both gay. The service that we got behind the bar was unhelpful and disheartening. The guy didn't crack a smile and was the moodiest and least jolly barman I've ever met...still, at least he was just bad at his job, as opposed to being vile and confrontational. We sat down in the corner away from the majority of the people in the pub. One of my friends wanted some pudding. When he called over the waiter (again he was ridiculously moody) he turned round and said that the kitchen was now closed. To be honest, this was a load of rubbish. They were still taking food out, including puddings. Straight after he left, we asked a waitress who said that they were still serving and she'd bring the menu over. She was the pub's one saving grace. She was good humoured and friendly, which is exactly what all pub staff should be like! The waiter then proceeded to glare at my table all night. My brother and his friend went out for a cigarette and they were locked out and had to be let in by customers sitting by the door. When I went to order drinks, I was going to play a joke on my brother (seeing as he was making me buy all the drinks) and so I asked for the most disgusting pint they had. Then this bad natured woman who was at the bar said 'we don't have disgusting pints here', so I said I'd have a Guiness. I just thought this summed them up. I'm from London and if you'd said this in any bar or club, it would have opened up some banter. Not here. Apparently they only acknowledge scowling and grunts. Also, the pudding that we ordered was eggy. I'm sure the other food they do is nice as it looked it but god, with service like that, why would you want to eat there? I'd rather eat my own arm off than go back. Finally, we got chucked out. My brother is a bit naughty sometimes and wrote his mate's number to give to the waiter as we were leaving (the one who was horrid all night). The lady who said they didn't do any disgusting pints (who I later found to be the owner so she should know better!!) told us to leave. Bloody hell. I felt they were rude at best and incredibly homophobic at worst. If a straight girl or guy had gone to give their number to someone to be passed on, would she have asked them to leave? The simple answer is no. In sum, go somewhere else. The food, not that great but passable....the staff were just appalling (apart from the lovely waitress I mentioned earlier). Rude, homophobic, unwelcoming, unsmiling and no banter to be had. Fran911 - 24 Dec 2009 10:51 |
| This is one of my locals so I am quite a regular visitor. Beers at The Hoop can be a little touch and go (see previous reviews about the variety available). The beer festival in May always has a good selection of beers, however barrels are being changed all the time so it's often difficult to get the same one twice. Beer festival used to be great, but has become a bit over-commercialised now - absolutely packed out with non-locals and people who don't seem to be able to handle their drink, and the pub really seems to take advantage of this. Barbecue prices at Beerr festival time can also be ridiculous - they were so bad a couple of years ago, everyone started to sneak in their own food! Food in the pub is ok but it can be a bit hit and miss - had a risotto last time, and it was TINY. Good atmosphere in the pub during non-festival times, and most of the staff are friendly. polarbear - 23 Sep 2009 16:41 |
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