BITE user comments - FLO
Comments by FLO
The Frothblowers Arms, Salisbury
Has been renamed Yo Yo Cocktail Bar since 2012 apparently.
No real ale surprisingly....
1 Jun 2014 11:51
Nearly perfect, like someones front room with beer.
Usually a decent rotating selection of 7 or 8 ales in a variety of styles with very well kept Fullers ESB as a constant.
Plenty of Saints memorabilia on the walls if thats your bag, as well of plenty of other general reading material on the shelves, gets very busy on match days but getting served is not a chore as the bar is always well run.
Popular with some of the local CAMRA types too, can be quite amusing to watch on occassion...
Try the pickled eggs when you visit!
20 Feb 2014 22:40
As noted below, boarded up and now stripped of its pub sign and ornate Gales Brewery lettering.
Recently seen adorned with an enquiries sign for Savill estate agents, it would appear the buildings future will not lie with the Fullers empire.
20 Feb 2014 22:22
A quite amazing place for a first visit...
A pint of London Pride will set you back �3.90 which you may consider to be expensive...
However a HALF of the same London Pride will cost you �2.10!
When politely questioned about the expensive halves the landlady seemed totally unconcerned too, as if she was running a champagne bar in Knightsbridge or similar.
You wouldn't mind so much if it was a stand out boozer, but it is only slightly better than average perhaps...the lunch menu for dogs being the only thing vaguely special.
Not a bad place aside from the bonkers prices, but I won't be going back in a hurry unless I get a hungry dog with expensive tastes.
27 Oct 2012 22:04
A decent selection of 3 real ales plus the normal crowd pleasers, and a good sized fried breakfast can be had.
Warm & welcoming on a recent visit, busy with walkers too.
6 Feb 2012 23:29
Recently closed and boarded up, another quality boozer gone.
The second pub to close in the village centre in recent times, only the Queens Head and the Bugle are now trading.
Hopefully it may be revived, though to close shortly after a refurbishment is not a good sign?
20 Jan 2012 13:38
A decent place on first impressions, good range of ales and attentive staff behind the bar.
Interesting to see the large open area for darts players too, most places would have filled the area with tables for sure.
I wouldn't want to use the middle trap in the gents though, very odd design...
5 Dec 2011 11:02
A bit dingy inside, especially at the bar...I'm sure it used to be a bit brighter than this?
Got served quick enough by attentive bar staff, but was disappointed to see none of Fullers seasonal beers on the pumps, by far the most expensive pint of the day too.
I'll go back as its not a bad place by a long way, it just has a lot of untapped potential to be better?
5 Dec 2011 10:57
An alright place that serves a purpose if not much else, always seems busy and everyone seems happy enough whenever I have visited.
Popped in to grab some lunch the other day which was served quickly enough by seemingly happy staff.
I haven't a clue who makes it but we were drinking EPA at �1.60 a pint, on an Albert Road crawl this was pretty good news, tasted alright too for cheap stuff!
5 Dec 2011 10:52
The Fifth Hants Volunteer Arms, Southsea
Dark and foreboding from the outside, variable service inside...not one for the ladies for sure.
It could be worse though, there is a pub up the road called the Three Marines that we were actually too scared to go in!
5 Dec 2011 10:42
The Sir Loin Of Beef, Southsea
A superb place, reminded me of the Guide dog in Southampton only larger. Friendly staff and a pleasant airy atmosphere with plenty of seating without being cramped.
8 decent ales on tap, the Titanic Plum Porter getting another mention here being on top form.
I only wish I'd visited before, usually being at the other end of the Albert Road where the pubs are more plentiful.
5 Dec 2011 10:28
Another one gone...
According to the local rag, the pub was repossessed by Mitchells & Butlers owing to outstanding rents back in January 2010.
M&B have since sold the site to a furniture company who are planning to open a showroom.
Percy must be spinning in his grave...
5 Dec 2011 10:15
Recent celebrations have marked the Newport having had only 2 landlords in 70 recent years, not many pubs can say that these days...
Alec Cottle 1941 to 1970
Bernard Cook 1970 to 2009
Of course the pub continues with Janet Cook (nee Cottle) at the pumps, with help from Shirley, Rusty and other friends.
Wonderful place, smashing HSB and ploughmans and friendly regulars in the evenings...I really must try to visit more often.
20 Nov 2011 22:26
Closed and already ripped from Fullers website...a shame they don't update their beer pages as efficiently!
Depending on who you listen to the place will either reopen as a Hungry Horse in a few months, or be flattened (along with the remains of the old nightclub behind) and redeveloped as yet more flats.
Rather a shame as the landlord kept his ales in excellent nick, and it was a handy stopping off point when walking from Eastleigh to the delights of the South Western and Guide Dog.
13 Nov 2011 21:57
A decent enough place for a pint, great views of the water meadows while idly watching the dogs, ducks and swans in the water.
It is a GK house, but there is Guinness on tap as a safe reserve, and a small selection of ciders.
Seems dog friendly, the Westie sat panting on a window sill while intently watching his owner eat lunch seemed happy enough anyway.
13 Nov 2011 13:03
Vastly improved since the Hidden days.
A decent selection of ales served by young & keen staff who seemed to care what they were doing, sadly quite unusual these days which is why this place stood out.
Clean & tidy too, a pub I would revisit when next in Salisbury.
13 Nov 2011 12:49
A hotel bar basically, handy to stop at between the Mill and the rest of town.
Beer is nothing special as you'd expect but the riverside garden is pleasant enough, popular with wedding parties during the summer it seems.
13 Nov 2011 12:42
Normally closed when I visit Salisbury, on the rare occassions it is open it is devoid of punters, looking rather dank and uninviting.
How does the place stay afloat? seems rather a shame given its location near the station, though I suppose few rail travellers are interested in an after journey pint these days?
12 Nov 2011 22:32
Prepare to be roundly ignored by the bar staff if he does not know you...
"Local dive for local people" by the looks of it..
If you have missed your train and are looking for sustinence you'd be better off getting some chips down the road than visiting this place.
12 Nov 2011 21:05
The Haunch of Venison, Salisbury
Very quiet tonight, hardly anyone in...
Last time I was here the place was rammed..
The beer selection and barmaids have declined too, ended up drinking weakish GFB poured by a bored looking Estonian lass.
12 Nov 2011 18:36
Lovely beer garden with cathedral views...
Average beer from Hall & Woodhouse..
The "Landlady" would be better suited to running a prison, and is totally lacking in social skills.
12 Nov 2011 17:36
Tim Taylors Landlord at �3.60 a pint!
Pretty average place with very few staff to be seen.
Not bad, but could be a whole lot better with a bit of effort.
12 Nov 2011 16:39
Was closed for refurb and full of builders last night, had to go to the nearby O'Neils for a few pre-firework pints.
I've always found to place to alright, can be very busy and take a while to be served some weekend nights, but the staff are generally quite cheerful and the bogs are clean, there are far worse places to go in Winchester than this but some people just cant get over the stigma of drinking in a Spoony's for some reason.
6 Nov 2011 13:16
Nice comfy pub with a good selection of ales and friendly staff, pretty much how a pub should be in my book.
It is slightly hard to find though, it took me two attempts as I was given very vague directions that failed to mention the all important fact that it is on the "wrong side" of the railway station!
20 Aug 2011 13:10
Closed due to declining trade and poor reputation for local violence etc in August 2010.
Burnt down in mysterious circumstances shortly afterwards...
20 Aug 2011 12:50
The Bishop On The Bridge, Winchester
Normally my second port of call in Winchester after The Black Boy, having walked up the Itchen from Eastleigh.
Always a pleasant experience, especially if the sun is out and you can sit in the beer garden, watching folk strolling along the riverbank while supping an ESB or three...
Clearly the emphasis here is on shifting food, not my cup of tea in a pub but if it means it stays open a price worth paying?
My only personal gripe is that for a Fullers "flagship" pub they don't seem to pay much attention to the Fullers seasonals as perhaps they might.....a few of the more interesting ones seemed to have been passed over in favour of another London Pride pumpclip at the bar.
29 Aug 2010 00:01
The Green Man is due to re-open within a month according to CAMRA and the local press.
The pub is to be relaunched as a traditional lounge bar for the over-35's by Jayne Gillin, who already runs the St James Tavern and Corner House pubs.
Plans are for a lounge bar downstairs with an eating area above.
It will be interesting to see how this one works out, being a little off the main pub circuit but handy if walking into Winchester from St Cross.
28 Aug 2010 22:14
This place seemed to have some promise when it last re-opened, the staff seemed keen and attentive and there were some half decent beers as I recall.
Sadly several subsequent visits have seen the place nearly always devoid of customers, which can't be a good thing in a pub that used to be bursting at the seams a few years ago....
28 Aug 2010 22:01
The Blonde Beer Cafe, Winchester
This place didn't last long as the B-B-C at all, last time I walked past it was trading as the Cricketers but looked to have no customers.
I'm told that the place is now no longer trading as a pub at all?
28 Aug 2010 21:48
The pub has been closed and up for sale for some months now.
Rumour has it that the building may well re-open as an organic restaurant of sorts...
28 Aug 2010 21:43
Pleasant enough place, large and spacious and was very busy when we visited though there was rugby on the box which probably helped.
Good range of beers to be had including a very tasty smoked porter whose name escapes me....it was beer number 7 of the day though.
Fairly cavernous and clean bogs too, always a bonus.
7 Feb 2010 21:02
Good ambience with helpful staff and friendly locals, seems to be the favourite haunt of a few local characters?
Beer range fine for a Fullers house, though a shame ESB is no longer on tap alongside HSB for comparison purposes!
7 Feb 2010 20:55
I visited this pub purely for convenience whilst waiting for a delayed train recently, being yards away from the station it seemed like a good idea.
On the plus side the staff were welcoming and helpful, and the Guinness was fine though no real ales were to be had.
On the downside the few punters present gave the place the ambience of a run down youth club, and the gents toilet was truly the worst I have seen for some time.....welly boots recommended!
7 Feb 2010 20:47
Visited today to be told the place is closing as of tonight until further notice, apparently the exotic tree in the garden puts tenants off owing to its preservation order.
Wrung the neck of the speckled hen and half our party had to make do with guinness as no more barrels were being put on prior to closure.
Rather a shame, nice flagstone floor n'all..............
6 Feb 2010 23:21
A great pub,the last in Twyford now.
Good range of ales,frequently changed and a proper jolly landlord........foods not bad either.
Highly recommended,gets busy but theres always room in the garden.
4 Jun 2006 19:48
This pub is like a time capsule,the decor and staff suitably ancient.The ales are always excellent and huge ploughmans for a couple of quid are unbeatable.I've never found a pub quite the same and only hope they can keep going for a few more years.theres no better place to enjoy a pint of Gale's mild of an evening.
5 Nov 2003 00:31
The Alma Arms, Southsea
Very closed again when I walked past yesterday on my way to the Sir Loin of Beef.
Any patrons missing the Alma will probably have ended up in the Three Marines...
16 Nov 2014 19:06