BITE user comments - Pubsignman
Comments by Pubsignman
Decided to pay a visit to this pub prior to a match at the nearby Recreation Ground. It's about a 15-20 minute walk from the station/stadium, but it was well worth making once I got there.
Showcasing beers from the Triple fff brewery, there were six hand pumps serving Moondance, Alton's Pride, Pressed Rat and a beer from the nearby Flowerpots brewery among others. The Pressed Rat was only �2 a pint and the Moondance was outstanding.
The pub itself is quite clean and modern, with a nice wooden floor and some kitsch scooter memorabilia on the walls, especially in the small front room.
Food was also on offer. I saw a small pizza menu offering four or five classic pizzas which looked very tasty as they were brought out under my nose. I think there may have been a more comprehensive menu as well, but someone pinched it before I'd had a chance to read it.
Aldershot is generally a terrible place for pubs, but this is a real winner and I'll be sure to make the trek down there next season.
2 Feb 2010 00:41
Nice, clean, modern pub near to Carshalton train station. There was a good range of ales on offer when I ventured in last week. There were a couple of beers from the Wolf brewery, Sharp's Doom Bar, Rudgate Ruby Mild and an excellent RCH Old Slug Porter, as well as a decent selection of lagers including Hoegaarden and Leffe.
There seems to be a strong emphasis on food here, and much of what was labelled the 'family area', plus the area around the fire was full of diners, but I didn't feel out of place sitting at the front of the pub with a few beers.
The staff seemed pretty friendly and I got the impression that they are working hard to attract and keep new customers. There was also a very friendly and well behaved pub dog doing its best to charm everyone.
I really enjoyed my time in here and will head back again soon, maybe to try the food.
2 Feb 2010 00:27
Huge Wetherspoons in South Croydon which never seems to have anywhere near enough customers to justify the size of the ground floor area, never mind the upstairs bar.
Beer quality is variable - I had some excellent pints during their last festival, but some dross in the summer months. Staff are normally nice in here though - much better than the surley service at the George in the town centre.
19 Jan 2010 00:31
I'm not sure I can find a single redeeming feature about this place. Location of choice for my misguided work mates' leaving do's/ birthday parties, I've been in here far too often for my liking and leave each time hating it a little more than before.
It's a classic example of the British 'drinking barn', replete with poor quality lagers, excessive prices and those odd blokes who stand in the loos trying to flog bootlegged perfumes. There is a restaurant section at the rear and a large upstairs night-club with two or three different rooms, all playing terrible music.
The story in the post below was confirmed to me by a member of Croydon's British Legion and sadly does not surprise me in the slightest.
I guess the role of this place is to keep all of Croydon's fighty boys, slutty girls and wannabe gangsters out of the decent pubs and in one place. Which is fine by me as long as my colleagues can learn to give the place a wide berth.
19 Jan 2010 00:22
Popped in here at the weekend on the back of the good reviews I'd seen on this website. The pub undoubtly has great appeal to fans of cosy traditional pubs with decent ale selections, and I was impressed with the decor (low beamed celing, uber-retro carpet!)and the warm atmosphere generated by the locals.
There were four or five ales on including Dark Star Hophead and Westerham Puddledock Porter. I opted for a pint of Hophead to get the ball rolling and was served an incredibly cloudy pint. Although it eventually cleared, it was probably the worst pint of Hophead I've ever had.
This, combined with an unpleasant smell throughout the pub, convinced me not to stay and try the Westerham, but to try my luck elsewhere.
Given the praise being handed out below, I'm prepared to accept that I probably just got unlucky, and I'd be prepared to give it another try in the future, as the place clearly has something going for it, but sadly by first visit was not one I'd care to remember.
18 Jan 2010 23:47
Having spent a couple of hours in here last night, I'm still not entirely clear what this establishment is trying to be. Part restaurant, part diner, part bar and part tourist attraction, it doesn't really succeed in any of these areas.
We took a seat near the large open kitchen which was doing very little in the way of business and scanned the extensive beer menu, which comprised of a page of draught ales (most of which were seemingly unavailable) and three or four pages of outrageously expensive bottled beers (Duvel - �5.00, Erdinger Dunkel - �6.65).
I went for a pint of Meantime London Stout (�4.00!) which tasted okay despite being served too cold. I had actually hoped to try their in-house brew 'Exit 14B', but this was off, which I thought was a pretty poor effort.
The bar staff seemed fairly unsure of the beers on offer and struggled to make a recommendation to one of my friends. There were also plenty of staff buzzing around our table hoping we would order food, presumably as they had nothing else to do.
Not the total disaster that some of the comments below suggested it might be, but nothing to recommend either, and its rating drops significantly by virtue of their obscene pricing policy.
13 Jan 2010 23:40
Large vaulted cellar, just below street level near London Bridge station. The room is furnished with an odd mixture of plush sofas and canteen-style long tables and benches, which doesn't quite do enough to make this feel more 'pub' than 'wine-bar'.
However, it is the beer selection which is the real draw. There were a couple of pumps dispensing Young's Ordinary and Special, but an additional eight or nine guests all listed on a blackboard near the entrance. I tried the Vale Hadda's Winter Solstice (�3.20) which was wonderful reward after a long trudge through the snow.
The staff were efficient and very friendly and a crowd steadily started to build from around 5pm onwards which created a nice vibe. I was somewhat reluctant to step back out into the cold, but I am fairly sure this won't be my last visit.
13 Jan 2010 23:23
This used to be a tolerable pub when it was branded as a Hogshead, but it seemed to be yet another souless chain establishment when I visited over the New Year. Now a Slug and Lettuce the place had a distinct lack of atmosphere and the only thing I could find of worth to say about it was that it wasn't as expensive as I'd been expecting.
Ringwood Best and Bombadier on offer; neither of which were on good form.
8 Jan 2010 22:42
Stopped in here at around 4pm for a very late lunch one weekday afternoon just after Christmas. Waited 45 minutes for food to be served, despite a complete lack of other diners. Thankfully the food was, on the whole, pretty good.
Two Badger beers on offer at the bar. I tried the 'Pickled Partridge' which was very good, whilst the 'First Gold' was also available.
The interior of the pub has been revamped since I last visited several years ago, and thankfully the main bar looks a lot more welcoming as a result, even if it is now unashamedly in the gastro-pub territory its location suggests it is best suited to.
As dorsetman54 mentions, this is exactly the same sort of Hall and Woodhouse outfit as the St Peter's Finger and several other local pubs, but it's still worth a look if your focus is food rather than drink.
8 Jan 2010 22:37
In line with the decline of Poole nightlife, this place was all but empty at 8pm on New Years Eve. There were three guest ales on, two from the local Ringwood brewery, but the Fortyniner was served so cold that frankly, I could have been drinking anything.
The interior is of the typical Wetherspoons style and is notable only for the vast amount of (often empty) space afforded by the large traditional front area, rear lounge section and upstairs bar. Probably best appreciated in the summer with a few tourists making up the numbers and the possibility of sitting out on the Quay.
8 Jan 2010 22:25
A decent sized local's boozer with a large open area in front of the bar and a smaller, quieter section to the rear. Harveys, Summer Lightening, Brains Rev James and Dark Star Winter Meltdown were on today, with the latter especially in good shape.
Pump clips of old line the walls as testament to the pub's commitment to providing an ever-changing and excellent array of ales. There may be signs of wear and tear around the place, but it seems only to add to the place's charm and it's really quite hard to find fault with the atmosphere generated within. There always seems to be a decent sized crowd of punters in here when I visit and the staff are friendly and helpful. Well worth seeking out.
8 Jan 2010 22:16
The Rose and Crown, Lytchett Matravers
Opened again earlier in the year, but with no great fanfare - in fact I went several months without realising they were trading again. It's a bit unclear what's going on, but it seems that the locals have taken over the running of the place.
18 Dec 2009 11:41
The Moon Under Water, Leicester Square
Small Wetherspoons pub in the heart of tourist land, I had low expectations but came away fairly pleased. A half decent ale selection, with the Wetherspoons standards plus three guests. Tried the Caledonian Escape Claus which was very nice. Staff were very friendly and even enjoyed a bit of banter.
The layout comprises of a series of seats arranged along a wall opposite the bar, with a gangway between and a small open area to the front. The closed confines seemed at odds with the Wetherspoons style - but to the pubs benefit.
Was busy but not crowded at 6pm on a Sunday and served well as a pit-stop before moving on elsewhere.
18 Dec 2009 00:11
A souless drinking barn next to the canal and close to Camden market, the main reason for going here is that it's your best bet to find a seat in this part of town. Three guest ales on - I tried the Hook Norton Christmas ale, which was okay. Staff seemed a little scatty and unsure of who to serve next, and those dishing out the food were racing around bumping into everyone.
Full of kids and tourists on a Sunday afternoon - this is not the place for a quiet pint, but like most Wetherspoons outlets, it serves its purpose.
18 Dec 2009 00:01
Nice enough pub opposite the Royal Courts of Justice, set in a mock tudor building that proclaims to have a much older heritage than the blantantly fake beams suggest.
Tried the 'Old Hooky' which was in pretty good shape, plus an underwhelming Wheatbeer from Adnams. There were two or three other ales on offer, including Hog's Back RIP and at least one seasonal beer.
Fairly crowded on a Friday night, especially along the narrow section from the end of the bar to the rear door, but we'd had the foresight to reserve a table, which made for a good night for our large group. The rear section of the pub can seemingly be reserved as well and an upstairs bar was advertised, but closed when I was there.
17 Dec 2009 23:43
Croydon's only Sheps pub is a short walk from Selhurt station and undoubtedly the pick of the three pubs in the immediate vicinity.
Spitfire and Master Brew were on offer when I visited this week, although the Master Brew I tried didn't taste too good. The staff and locals were very friendly and service was prompt. There appeared to be plenty organised to keep the locals entertained, with karaoke, a quiz and 'happy hours' all advertised, but things were very quiet whilst I was there. There were large screen TV's and what looked like a projector, but I didn't see sport advertised - maybe this is saved for match days.
And yes - there is a preserved crocodile above the bank of seating at the front of the pub.
Not too impressed, but I feel a return trip, perhaps in the summer to check out the beer garden, is needed to fully appreciate the place.
17 Dec 2009 23:32
From the outside this looks like a nice cosy traditional pub and stepping inside, the initial impression is much the same, with dark wood panelling and frosted glass partitions. But once you're past the first bar, the pub opens out into a huge, empty area - not a table or chair in sight, just a juke box and fruit machine plus a few bar stools.
The right hand side of the pub presumably used to be a separate room and was sign-posted as the 'private bar'. There was minimal seating this side, plus a pool table.
No ale was apparent when I entered, just some standard lagers, Boddingtons and Strongbow, but having orded my pint and walked round to the other side of the bar, I spotted a pump with a Bombadier clip, which may or may not have been in use.
Clearly stripped of all furniture to deal with large football crowds, there was nothing to keep me here on a normal weekday other than the terrible weather outside. Unimpressed.
17 Dec 2009 23:20
Nice sized away fans pub, just a short walk from the Underhill turnstiles. Serving McMullen's AK and Country Bitter, sadly in plastic glasses prior to kick-off, although we were given proper glasses during our return visit after the match, which suggested the AK was kept in reasonable condition.
The pub seemed to be in a good state, with a clean and well kept interior and fairly plush, if dated furniture - not always the case with football pubs.
Staff were well drilled in terms of dealing with the crowds at the bar, as you would expect from such an establishment. Hard to know if this place would be worth a visit on a normal afternoon or evening though.
3 Dec 2009 00:16
Fantastic traditional ale pub, just a short walk from High Barnet tube station. There was a great selection of beer on offer including London Pride, Black Sheep, TT Landlord, Deuchars IPA and an outstanding Caledonian Double Dark, which I went and sat in front of the roaring open fire in the back room - the perfect way to thaw out on a cold winter's evening.
The pub has lots of character and seems pretty popular, given that the front room was packed out when I arrived. Staff were friendly and helpful and as soon as one beer went off, they were quick to ensure it was replaced with something else.
Very enjoyable - this will be my first port of call next time I'm in Barnet.
2 Dec 2009 23:54
Things didn't get off to the best of starts when visited for the first time this week, as the barman short changed me on my first pint.
Thankfully this was my only gripe in what was an otherwise very pleasant little pub. Four ales on offer including Greene King IPA, Adnams Explorer and Sharp's Doom Bar, the latter of which arrived in reasonable condition.
A nice fire was going at the front of the pub, and despite being almost empty when I arrived at 5:30, a decent crowd had built up by 6:00 generating a nice atmosphere from the mixed clientele.
2 Dec 2009 23:41
This small, narrow pub/bar is a worthy successor to the long departed Beer Circus that previously inhabited these cosy environs.
The Dark Star ales are very well kept, with Hophead seemingly always available alongside a second pump which rotates through the brewery's other offerings (as Kodl's posts below demonstrate). Add to this a comprehensive selection of premium lagers and bottled European beers (mostly from Eastern Europe as opposed to Belgium, from what I could see) and you have yourself one of Croydon's hidden gems.
The premises is pretty small, but there is a downstairs lounge style area (used in the past for wine and beer tasting evenings - not sure if these continue)if the ground floor is too crowded.
A real asset to Croydon and has the potential to be the best pub in the borough.
25 Nov 2009 00:23
I'm not really sure that this place really qualifies as a pub, but as a place to go for a good meal, it's probably the best option in the area.
I headed here for a Sunday Roast, with minimal expectations, but was shocked to find a well kept pub with an excellent menu and helpful friendly staff. The meat for the roast was fresh from Smithfield market and came with a homemade yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and fresh veg. It was so good that we agreed to return in the near future to sample some of the food from the week-day menu.
The beer on offer was Harveys and Adnams, with a third handpump not in use. There was also an extensive range of lagers on tap. There isn't much seating at the front of the pub for drinkers, just a few high tables alongside the bar. Most of the space is occupied by the restaurant. Anyone who has been to the 'Glamorgan' in Addiscombe will know what to expect, as the two pubs are very similar.
All in all, very enjoyable and I look forward to returning again soon.
27 Oct 2009 22:13
Situated halfway between Corfe Castle and Wareham, this pub has always struck me as the best place to head for food if the pubs in the Purbecks are too busy during tourist season.
Set in a fine thatched building, with a lovely interior suited to this type of country pub, the main attraction is the food. I enjoyed a good, if unimaginitive, steak and Tanglefoot ale pie and the prices were reasonable given the location.
Beer-wise, there were a number of Badger Beers on offer and I tried the seasonal beer called 'Lemoney Cricket, which, as the name implies, had a clear but not overpowering aftertaste of lemon - fine for a summer's day in the large beer garden.
27 Oct 2009 21:58
I'm inclined to agree with Phantom_Pigeon's assessment of this pub. I was quite keen to try out the beers from the local Piddle brewery and the pub seemed to be doing a fine job promoting them, with a big sign outside advertising the fact that it was available within.
My father tried the eponymous 'Piddle', whilst I opted for the Silent Slasher; a 5.1% blond beer. It was a disappointing choice to be honest. The Slasher was cloudy and tasted fairly unpleasant and although the Piddle was better, I'm not sure I'd want to try it again.
Still, two beers do not make a pub, and the White Swan is a very nice little boozer, situated in the town square; ideal for a pint to wash down your fish and chips - just not a pint of Piddle.
27 Oct 2009 21:51
This pub serves as something of an overspill from the more popular 'Harp' next door. I popped here because I wanted a table and the Harp was too busy, and decided to try a few of the unusual foriegn lagers on offer.
The pub is fairly smart and tidy, if a little bland downstairs, but I thought the upstairs seating area was very nice and a window seat gave a fairly decent view of life milling about on the street below.
The beers were pretty expensive though, with some of the bottled lagers coming in at over �4 a go, but I didn't try the pints, so I'm not sure how they compare.
27 Oct 2009 21:40
This pub, plus the Royal Standard and Surrey Cricketers, comprises part of a triumvirate of local's boozers in this part of Croydon, all close to, but slightly off of, the main Brighton Road.
This place is quite welcoming and serves a decent pint of Courage Best, but doesn't offer much else for the ale drinker. TV's for sports are available and for such a small pub, there seems to be plenty of seating to go round.
Worth a look if you fancy a crawl round some of the less obvious pubs in the area, but not worth going out of your way for.
8 Jul 2009 19:51
This is a large Greene King pub situated right in the middle of Croydon town centre. The beer selection has, in the past, comprised only of the standard Greene King ales, but recently I have seen some guest ales making an appearance.
There is plenty of seating and the pub has a partition in the middle which means the rear end can be closed off for live music or private functions. There is a regular Big Band Jazz night on Mondays and rock music is a popular and frequent staple of the entertainment roster too.
8 Jul 2009 19:45
I visited this pub to try their Sunday roast, which I'd heard good things about. The interior is very clean and the furniture all looks fairly new. Sadly there were no ales on offer, and the Carling tasted a little tainted, but others in my group had no complaints about their drinks.
The roast was enormous and very enjoyable. All the food is proper home-cooked stuff and on the basis of this meal, I'd definitely recommend the food to others.
There's a small outside drinking area (with a TV), which is a great sun-trap in the afternoon.
If they could do something about the beer selection, this would be the undisputed pub of choice in this part of Croydon.
8 Jul 2009 19:40
This is a pleasing traditional pub which has undergone a modern refurbishment, resulting in a local's pub that bears a strong resemblance to a wine bar.
Even so, there's still a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and a good pint of Pride to be had. Large screens show all the main sporting events and there's a small beer patio out near the car park.
An odd, but not unpleasant place to drink in.
8 Jul 2009 19:34
I can't stand this type of fancy wine bar, but the frequency with which I seem to bump into them all over the country suggests that there is clearly a large number of people who love this sort of bland drinking experience.
Basically stripped of anything that makes a pub interesting and with the music turned to a level which rules out any form of conversation, the only appeal for me is from the decent beer selection, which covers some well-known and slightly more obscure European lagers. Unfortunately they attact a hyper-inflated price tag, and as such the bar tends to be filled with preening executive types arguing about who has the biggest wad.
Best avoided unless you're the kind of person who likes this sort of night out, in which case, you probably don't need this website to tell you where to drink.
7 Jul 2009 23:56
The Princess of Wales, Blackheath
I visited on a Saturday night and the place was heaving with the pub and large beer garden being packed out until about 9pm when things started to thin out a bit.
There was a reasonable ale selection and I enjoyed a few well kept pints of London Pride over the course of the evening. The bar staff were pretty efficient considering the melee at the bar and went out of their way to assist me with the distribution of my round to friends scattered round all points of the bar.
I tried the food and thought it was pretty good, although maybe a little too pricy.
The little lounge area at the front has a couple of plaques comemerating the pub's role as a dressing room for one of the first ever rugby internationals, which gives the place a sense of history that otherwise isn't really apparent.
Worth a look, although previous comments about poor service make me wonder if I just got lucky on my visit.
7 Jul 2009 23:39
Quite simply, this is the best pub in Croydon. The owners have shown some great initiative and originality in the way they run the place, which has forced a number of other Central Croydon pubs to up their game in order to compete.
The ales are always in top condition and there's a good rotation to ensure that there's always something new to try.
An upstairs room caters for live music, club nights, stand-up comedy, poetry, dance lessons and private functions. Large screen show live sports and there are a couple of pool tables as well as plenty of board games and a book swap.
The food is simple, but value for money and the staff are all very friendly and eager to please.
It's hard to put it all into words, but there is so much going on at this place, there's bound to be something to keep you entertained. This is a very rare 10/10.
7 Jul 2009 23:30
The beer and food are both of a very high standard in this pub. as mentioned below, they always have Harveys and Explorer on, plus a guest, and I've never had a poor pint from them. The food menu is quite well priced considering the quality of the food on offer. They are clearly trying to focus on the food aspect in order to stand out from other pubs in the area and unfortunately this can detract slightly from the drinking side of things. There are plenty of seats for diners, but only a few tables for the drinkers to fight over.
A room to the side houses a pool table and TV, but there is no seating in this area, so unless your playing pool, there is little point going in there.
Worth going for a meal safe in the knowledge that you'll have a tip-top pint to accompany it.
7 Jul 2009 23:22
The Porter and Sorter, Croydon
Large pub stuck between East Croydon rail station and sorting office (hence the name). It's certainly seen better days and a lick of paint here and there wouldn't go amiss. The general air of neglect extends to the food, which used to be good value but is now verging on the inedible. There is a good beer selection including numerous ales from the wider Marston's portfolio. I tried the Ringwood Fortyniner which was in good shape.
Several screens show sports and there's a patio area for smokers or sun worshipers, but ultimately the only real reason to go here is when you're waiting for a train.
7 Jul 2009 23:17
This is an old fashioned working man's pub set just off of Brighton Road. The interior has a few interesting features such as the painted handpumps, as well as some pub cliches like the fireplace surrounded by horse brasses.
London Pride and Wells Bombadier were on offer, although the latter was off on my visit. The Pride was a little cloudy and i got the impression that it's not exactly the pubs biggest seller.
There seemed to be quite a bit organised to keep the locals entertained such as live music, darts nights and karaoke. I got the impression that this is the sort of place where you get more from your visit by being a regular and although service was friendly enough, I felt like I was intruding somewhat.
If the shiny lights of the Brighton Road bars aren't your scene, this could be the sort of pub you're looking for.
7 Jul 2009 23:09
Just to update my previous comment, this place has indeed opened under new management. It's undergone quite a big refurb, which has seen the main bar fitted out with a new carpet and some of the nooks and crannies opened out a little to create a lighter room. some of the original decor has been retained thankfully and the bar itself remains untouched.
There seems to be a bit more emphasis on the food side, which is probably what the pub will need to do in order to survive, but they've also got the beers covered as well, with a couple of Ringwood ales on offer as well as a decent range of lagers and wines.
Bar service was a bit slow when I popped in, although the new team will obviously need a bit of time to settle into their roles.
I wish the new owners success in their venture and hope that this place can become the focal point of the village again.
7 Jul 2009 23:02
What a gem this pub is. I didn't count properly, but I would guess there were about 10 ales on offer, plus another 10 or so lagers and a couple of ciders as well, scattered around all points of the compass on this enormous island bar. It's so big in fact, that you could have a very satisfying pub crawl without leaving the building.
I tried the Sharps Doom Bar and Hop Back Crop Circle (both very nice, especially the Hop Back), before realising that there was a further selection awaiting me round the back of the bar. Each pump has brief tasting notes stuck to the clip to help aid your selection process, and as if that wasn't enough, there is a 'Falcon newsletter', with further details of what's on offer.
There are a few bad points, such as the surly service, prohibitive prices and bizzarely, lack of proper bar snacks (no peanuts or crisps for crying out loud), but none of this should stop this place from being an essential stop off point whenever you're next travelling through Clapham.
4 Jun 2009 23:44
The William Morris, Merton Abbey Mills
The thing about this pub, is that your critical eye can so easily be distracted by the pleasant surroundings it finds itself in. The old print works, now coverted into fancy 'boutique-style' shops; the big old 7-spoke mill, still turning in the wheel house; the river Wandle lazily flowing alongside the pub. It's all very peaceful and charming, but aside from some nice drinking spots on the river bank or the roof terrace, I'm not sure the place offers a great deal.
The interior is fairly run-of-the-mill (no pun intended) and the ale selection was a little drab (Adnams Broadside and Regatta, plus something from Bateman's I think) ans below par in the taste department. Still, if it's a drink in the sun, in nice, quiet surroundings that you're after, this is probably worth a punt.
4 Jun 2009 23:27
The Dulwich Woodhouse, Sydenham
With so many bland, soulless pubs taking over our high streets and ruining the pub-going experience for anyone with a hint of a pulse, it's always refreshing to stumble accross one that tries something a bit different. And boy oh boy, is the Dulwich Woodhouse 'different'.
The guys running this place have deconstucted the concept of the pub as you and I would recognise it and then seemingly reassembled it blindfolded, throwing in random elements of other related industries to add to the confused mix. The results of so much brainstorming, speak for themselves.
Why, for example, have the entrance to the pub at the front or side of the building, when you could make punters trudge round to the back, via a beer garden full of out of control kids high on sunshine and e-numbers, before finally entering the premises through an enormo-conservatory with an astro-turf floor?
Why paint numbers on the tables in the beer garden, when you can give punters a nigh-on invisible bit of drift-wood with a number hidden on it, thus reducing the job of the poor bugger trying to serve you your food to that of a bingo caller?
Why bother maintaining the original Victorian interior of the pub, when you can turn it into the lobby of a 3 star hotel?
Why charge a sensible price for a pint of beer, when you could fleece the poor folk who finally make it to the bar for �3.78 for a Hieneken or �4.25 for an Erdinger?
Part of me wants to give this place a high rating just for the sheer balls-out madness of the whole enterprise, but having read through some of the comments below, it seems like this is another case of a well loved and respected local pub selling it's soul for an easy buck.
4 Jun 2009 00:20
The Dorset Street Bar, Brighton
This pub is located slap-bang in the middle of the North Laine area of Brighton amongst all the kitsch shops and kooky shoppers, yet presents itself as a fairly straightforward, ordinary looking modern pub.
There was a good selection of ale, including a very tasty pint of Adnams Broadside and if I remember correctly, there was a pretty decent cider selection as well. Service was pretty laid-back and friendly and we were lucky enough to visit on a warm day, which meant we could drink outside on tables arranged in the closed off street.
3 Jun 2009 20:00
This Dutch themed bar is a great meeting place for London's Dutch ex-pat community and a joy for fans of continental beers.
There are about 8-10 draught lagers, including all the Dutch/Belgian staples such a Leffe, Amstel, Heineken and Oranjeboom. The fridges are packed with a huge selection of bottled curiosities, but without a beer menu, it's hard to know where to make a start.
There's a food menu though, which is worth exploring for a chance to sample some of Holland's classic bar snacks. I'd recommend the Patatje Oorlog and Bitterballen.
There are two floors, each with an equally well stocked bar, but both areas can become packed in the evenings, so go early if you want a seat.
28 May 2009 00:59
After a lengthy slog up the hill from Eastbourne to the cliffs of Beachy Head, it was something of a 'Holy Grail' moment to see a pub appear over the horizon. Of course, I should have twigged that this pub, far from the nearest settlement, is a tourist trap of the grimmest kind.
Impressions of an initially agreable interior and decent enough ale selection (Harvey's, Spitfire, Landlord) are soon tempered by realising that the place doesn't appear to have been cleaned in ages and that your beer has been poured well short of a pint.
An extensive and tempting food menu nearly led to us grabbing a bite to eat, but we were put off by overhearing a number of customers complaining about their meals.
Complacency reigns supreme here. They know that there will always be a steady stream of tourists who can't resist a pint overlooking he sea, so they've stopped trying.
28 May 2009 00:50
The Wibbas Down Inn, Wimbledon
This has to be just about the most bland Weatherspoons pub I've ever been in. The beers are okay, but nothing out of the ordinary, whilst the grudging, unsmiling service is perhaps the only thing that sets this apart from other pubs in their chain.
28 May 2009 00:34
This is a nice enough traditional pub, which has decided to cash in on it's good fortune in being located next to Rochester Castle. Whilst it does feel a bit touristy, it was full of friendly locals on my visit, which generated a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
There were at least five different ales on (although three of them were Greene King - groan!) and they seemed well kept. In fact, I was rather loathe to leave after just one pint, but sadly my train home awaited me.
I'd definitely pop in again next time I'm in town.
9 May 2009 00:41
I'm not sure how accurate the previous comment about this pub being shut was, but it was very much open when I visited during the Sweeps Festival on 4th May.
Much like any Wetherspoons, the beer was of a high quality (Nethergate Umbel Magna in this case), but the clientele and general ambiance was seriously lacking.
There were a couple of redeeming features, most notably the decent sized beer garden (and my own personal favourite - a proper pub sign - which is usually anathema to Wetherspoons outlets), but given the number of other Rochester pubs offering good beer, there really aren't enough reasons to make me want to come here again.
9 May 2009 00:20
This place has undergone an amazing refurb recently and is looking fantastic upon it's re-opening. The only drawback is that the prices seem to have gone up to reflect this, making it one of the most expensive pubs in the area.
This is a real shame, as I think this is a great pub, with an excellent beer garden and a good selection of well kept Fuller's beers.
Definitely worth a look-in if you're in the area, if only to check out the new interior, but there are a few other decent pubs in this part of town offering good beer for less money.
7 Apr 2009 23:42
From the outside this place looks like a traditional pub and even has an old sign outside suggesting it is called 'Nelson's Flagship'.
However, it is in fact a sports bar with a West African/ Caribbean theme to it. The beers on offer were a fairly uninspiring array of standard lagers and the place looked a little run down, despite efforts to paper over the proverbial cracks.
However, we were given a very friendly welcome and made to feel at home. We ventured to the restaurant side and were treated to some excellent West African cuisine, before popping back to the bar for a couple of games of pool.
This all served us well in preparation for the football match we'd come to see at the nearby Kenilworth Road, and although I can imagine this place wouldn't be my cup of tea most of the time, it gave us a great pre-match curry and drink in a friendly environment.
7 Apr 2009 23:33
This was once a vibrant village pub packed with locals enjoying, live music, quizzes and a quality restaurant in a building full of character.
Now, sadly, the place is just a shadow of its former self. My last visit there was a most depressing affair. Not only were we the only customers there, but the place had quite clearly been badly neglected. The bar area stank of wet dog and I had to manoeuvre myself around a load of children's toys, scattered on the floor by the proprietor's kids. Tables and glasses were dirty and service wasn't exactly what could be called friendly. It's no surprise that no-one uses the place any more.
With the Rose and Crown now closed, this is the only pub left in the village, but it's doing nothing to win over any potential customers. I only hope something is done about this before it's too late and we lose this once great pub forever.
7 Apr 2009 23:19
The Brewery Tap, Wimbledon Village
Funny place this one. It's an old fashioned style boozer that's been done up to give it the appearance of a fancy bar and thus fit in with the Wimbledon Village aesthetic. It didn't really work for me, but I can see why they've done it.
Good selection of ales, including a decent pint of Bateman's Hooker, which I sampled. Large, open windows at the front of the pub give you a chance to watch the preening locals flounce by, which can be quite entertaining. The governor seemed to be a friendly and enthusiastic chap, and I'd be happy to pop back here again, even though the prices are somewhat off putting.
28 Mar 2009 22:41
One of Brentford's numerous football pubs, this place has all the trademarks of a classic footy pub; well-drilled, efficient team of bar staff, big screens for Sky Sports, space at a premium and so on... Unlike a lot of pubs near football grounds, this one seemed like it might be worth a visit on weekdays too.
A good range of Fullers ales were on offer, but as mentioned by pretty much everyone else, they're charging �3.20 for a pint of Pride, which was enough to convince me to try one of the other pubs in the area when I visit next season.
28 Mar 2009 22:32
Very pleasant two room pub set just off the main high street in Brentford. Has all your Fullers favourites on offer and having sampled the Pride, I can testify to the good quality. Service was prompt, despite it being packed in the run up to the football. The main room has a decent amount of seating, whilst the side room is dominated by a pool table, and has it's own little strech of bar and a couple of large screens.
However, if it's a cheap pint you're after, you'd be best off elsewhere.
28 Mar 2009 22:17
This pub gave me a feeling of d�j� vu when I popped in for the first time a couple of weeks ago, presumably because there are so many pubs like this throughout the country.
Set in a large, mock-tudor style building on one of the main streets into Central Croydon, the pubs presents a large, spacious interior, which is made to feel all the more spacious by the lack of people in there. Ales are very much an after thought, with lager clearly being the drink of choice here, although I was able to grab a pint of Adnam's Broadside for �3. Ouch! And there you have the crux of this place's problems. It's a large pub, not far from the competitively priced town centre bars, charging inflated prices (in the middle of a recession) and offering little in return.
Their one gimmick is the food. The sign outside proclaims this is a Piri Piri pub (although the menu didn't seem to back this up), and although I didn't try any, the food looked quite nice. However, there is a Nando's just up the road, so again, I can't see that being enough to drag folk in from the busier town centre.
There's nothing inherently wrong with this place, and by all accounts it has improved considerably from the pub I remember a few year ago, but I can't think of any good reason to come back again.
25 Mar 2009 17:02
Popped in here on a hot and sunny spring afternoon, having spent too long trawling around the North Laine area of Brighton, in order to grab a much needed Sunday roast.
The pub has been decorated to fit in with the 'Camden-esque' environment it finds itself in. Large art prints of Keith Moon & Johnny Rotten, among others, adorn the walls and a decent alternative play-list accompanied us throughout. It had the feel of a student bar, but there was virtually no-one there except ourselves and a few sat out the front. There was a reasonable selection of ales on offer, which I hadn't expected whilst the roast was huge and very tasty.
The pub also has a seating area out the front which is ideal for watching the world go by, as well as a small, somewhat neglected decked area out the back.
I thought I'd hate this place, but it was actually pretty good and the staff in particular were very friendly and efficient. Probably not everyone's cup of tea though.
25 Mar 2009 12:44
This is a tidy and seemeingly popular Nicholsons pub in the Lanes area of Brighton. There was a good selection of ales on offer including Harveys, Croptons (?) Uncle Sam and the Morrisey/Fox Blond.
The interior was bright and clean and we managed to nab some seats near the front window, which made for some excellent people watching! The walls had a lot of pictures and general information about the original Pump House which used to provide water directly from the sea to the Lanes Market area.
All in all a decent enough pub, and one I imagine will please the tourist masses passing through.
19 Mar 2009 00:16
This pub was doing a roaring trade when I stopped in for some much needed refreshment earlier this week and it's easy to see why.
Set in a wonderful old building on a busy intersection in the popular 'Lanes' area of Brighton, there is an endless stream of potential customers constantly passing by their door. The pub offers a warm and clean environment and the staff were very friendly and exceptionally helpful.
There was a decent selection of ales on tap and I couldn't resist trying the Harveys, which was in good condition. They also had a scrumpy on the pumps.
Although I didn't eat, the food looked very nice and seemed fairly well priced given their location. I guess the main drawback would be that the location lends itself to overcrowding and the aforementioned stag/hen parties, but I was fortunate enough to avoid such goings on!
18 Mar 2009 00:42
This is a very small, cosy and welcoming pub sandwiched between the imposing Churchill Square shopping centre and a busy Brighton High Street more suited to the Weatherspoons and Yates's of this world.
The interior comprises of one small room with a bar at the rear and about six or seven tables in the seating area in front. There are also a few tables outside for those hoping for a pint in the sun.
It's a Shepherd Neame pub and there were three beers on offer when I went (Spitfire, Kent's Best and Master Brew). I tried the Spitfire and found it to be in excellent condition. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it was probably the best tasting pint of any SN beer I'd ever had, so kudos to the staff for that.
I can imagine the place gets uncomfortably busy in the summer, but my mid March, early afternoon visit was very enjoyable and I'll make sure I give this place another try when I'm next in town.
18 Mar 2009 00:34
This place is a classic case study for all of the best and worst features of Weatherspoons pubs.
The front half of the premisis tends to be populated by the quite sizeable all-day-drinking brigade, whilst the rear is a nice area with plenty of seating for those wanting food. There are bars at both ends of the pubs, but it's worth braving the drunkards at the front to check out the excellent guest ales, of which the JHB is worth a try right now(and apparently it's their most popular). The bar staff are your typical unfriendly bunch of youngsters whilst the food is exactly what you'd expect it to be in these places.
The pub is so superbly located that it's almost inevitable I'll find myself in there every now and again and each time I seem to come away with a different opinion of the place, but ultimately it's a half decent Weatherspoons. Nuff said.
12 Mar 2009 00:16
Fair play ms001. I've been drinking in here on and off for about five years now and maybe my comments about the landlord were somewhat dated, as I've been in a number of times since I wrote my comment and he was not drunk on any of those occasions.
There was a very good pint of Black Sheep Ale on offer when I went in this week and the lunch menu remains value for money. The hut outside the pub, which I mentioned before, actually sells seafood which is a novel and inventive venture.
The karioke is still dreadful though!!!
12 Mar 2009 00:03
St Peters Finger, Lytchett Minster
I popped in here recently for a lunchtime bite to eat, given that I'd heard they were focusing more on food nowadays. We were given a choice of waiter or bar service and opted for the latter, which allowed us to sit in the front half of the pub (the rear seemingly set aside for restaurant goers only).
I gave their Steak and Tanglefoot pie a try, and thought it was fantastic. Our group also tried the sandwiches, which were very big and came with plenty of side salad and some crisps. Good value for money in my book.
Had a Badger beer (possibly England's Gold?) to go with my meal, which was very nice as well. There was a seasonal beer called 'Hopping Hare' on offer as well.
It's not the pub I remember from my teenage days drinking there, (don't expect to find the above mentioned dartboard or pool table any more) but it's reivented itself in an era that is seeing other pubs in the Lytchetts and Upton struggling to cope, and for that they are to be commended.
11 Mar 2009 23:55
The Livingstone Arms, Gillingham
Popped in this afternoon before the match. This is a very good football pub; footy memorabilia adorns the wals (and ceiling), numerous screens show games on Sky and the bar staff are supremely organised and work well as a team to serve the thirsty hoardes in the run-up to kick off. I've been here a couple of times and would rate it one of the best football pubs I've come across.
They also have an excellent jukebox, which deserves a mention.
The downside is that there is no ale and everyone gets plastic glasses (on match day at least).
I'd recommend this for any away fan looking for a pre-match pint in a decent, friendly environment.
1 Mar 2009 00:33
A fairly rough and ready boozer with rough and ready customers, but I popped in last night for a quick post football pint and got a freindly enough welcome from barstaff and locals alike, despite wearing away colours.
No ales unfortunately, but a wide selection of popular lagers (Carling, Carlsberg, Fosters, 1664 etc...) and John Smiths.
Big screen showing Sky Sports, but beware. A sign on the bar said that, due to the high costs of showing live football, the pub will charge all 'non locals' �12 entry, which entitles them to watch the game and have four 'free' pints. Odd.
25 Feb 2009 12:28
Quite a nice pub tucked away behind Croydon's 'skyscrapers'. Always packed with office workers at weekday lunchtimes and early evenings.
They have three ales available at present, including a very nice London Pride. Food is excellent value if you're there for lunch. A recent addition is a small hut in the outside seated area which sells various post-pub food, including what looked like jellied eels!!
Landlord is always drunk whenever I've been there, which lets the place down. They also have a very loud Karioke night on Fridays now, which seems to turn away the office crowd earlier than normal. Toilets have always been poor in here, but have improved recently.
The bar billiards table is sadly no longer there, but they do have a conventional pool table upstairs.
14 Feb 2009 12:14
An excellent traditional pub situated on Croydon's busy Surrey Street market. The wooden interior is dominated by the island style bar,with a couple of cosy seating areas to the side and rear. Nice frosted windows with picture insets give you a sense of the bustling market outside.
The Young's Ordinary was very nice and they also had Youngs Special and Winter Warmer available. The bar staff have, in my experience, always been friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. The food looked good as well and a quick look at the menu suggestes that they have gone for quality food rather than the cheap and cheerful stuff served up in most of Croydon's other town centre pubs and bars.
The pub also benefits from having the best beer garden in Central Croydon, which boasts an outdoor bar and BBQ for the summer months, although it can get pretty busy in there as a result.
9 Feb 2009 21:01
The Goose on the Market, Croydon
With the Green Dragon on one side, the Dog and Bull on the other and the Ship over the road, you'd be forgiven for over looking this place every time. But it does have one saving grace, inasmuch as the beer is significantly cheaper than pretty much anywhere else in town. The two ales on today were Green King IPA - �1,69 and Spitfire - �1,95 and really, that is the point of this place.
Of course, you have to suffer all of the downsides of a boozer with cheap drinks, but lunchtimes are probably the best time to take advantage of the prices, which extend to the menu as well.
22 Jan 2009 22:25
Probably the best pub in Central Croydon in terms of beer quality and variety. I think I counted seven from the Fullers range, as well as a fridge full of bottled Belgian beers (Leffe, Duvel, Bacchus) and a German Weissebier on tap, which I only noticed on my way out and might have to try on my next visit.
The building is a converted bank, which affords ample space downstairs as well as an equally vast upstairs area, should you need somewhere to relax when they're showing the football.
The main downside is the cost of a pint, but I suppose given it's central location, this might have been expected. Also, being a Fullers Ale and Pie House, it has that chain pub feel to it, which is enforced by the large proportion of office workers who drink there.
20 Jan 2009 22:05
The Ship, for so long at the forefront of Croydon's alternative scene, has been caught napping by the nearby Green Dragon, who are now arguably the premier alternative pub in town and also a good quality ale pub as well.
The Ship has been forced to respond and it seems one of their first improvements has been with the ales. I had a great pint of Sneck Lifter this afternoon and although their remaining selection isn't wonderful, I'll be back soon to sample more.
The food was also very good.
15 Jan 2009 01:15
I'm no weatherspoons fan, but this palce seemed to be better than most. Initial impressions weren't great, with the pub stuck in the ground floor of some concrete monstrosity of a building and the bar was filled of the standard array of drunks wasting away their days.
However, the staff were incredibly friendly, the Abbot was as good as any I've tried before and the food, which I was told would take 10-15 minutes, was with me in less than 5.
I don't doubt that it would be a different story on a match day (Plastic glasses. Eugh!!), but today I had an enjoyable weatherspoons experience for a change.
13 Jan 2009 17:28
Quite a nice backstreet pub, five minutes or so from east Croydon station.
The interior is quite spacious with ample room for a pool table, dartboard and DJ area. All the seating is arranged around the edges of the room, presumably to make room for the live music, but it does leave the place feeling a bit empty and cold, despite the nice, low beam ceiling. Would imagine this pub is better when it's full and there is some music on. For a quiet pint, I prefer the Builder's Arms, just down the road.
There were two guest ales on tonight. I tried the Tiger, which was fine. Not much other choice though.
7 Jan 2009 23:40
Typical of most of Croydon's town centre bars, this is overpriced and underwhelming.
The Carlsberg I was served had a tainted smell and was undrinkable. Packed on Friday and Saturday nights, with painfully slow service, maybe this place is best visited in the afternoon instead.
Certainly did very little to impress me.
7 Jan 2009 23:31
I know I shouldn't have high expectations when going for food in a Weatherspoons pub, but given that this was voted as the place i would be having my office Xmas lunch, I at least thought I might get a decent bit of turkey. But no, instead I was treated to a few wafer thin slices of processed turkey roll. Mmmm!!
Couple this with the abusive locals who seemed to take umbridge at the fact that we had jobs and a toilet area that requires a proficiency in skating to negotiate, and you're left with one of the most miserable pub experiences in all of Croydon.
Of course, the beer was cheap and there was a reasonable selection to pick from, but without a decent environment to drink it in, it's rather academic.
22 Dec 2008 18:45
What a charming pub this is. Popped in there this afternoon and enjoyed a good pint of Youngs in warm and friendly surroundings. Quite why this place isn't packed out, I'll never know. There are so many sub-standard pubs near by , I was amazed to find myself in here on my own.
Given some better business, this could be one of Croydon's hidden gems. Not too sure how popular it is later in the day, but I fear for its future if the lunchtime traffic remains as sparse as it is.
Could be brilliant.
13 Dec 2008 02:35
Super slick bar with no pretentions of falling under the 'pub' category. This place is for executive boys and girls only and makes no excuses for its pricey policy.
No ales but there was a very nice Grolsch Blonde on tap which just about got me through the night. Other than that, not much to report home about. The food was okay, but at �5 for a small 'tapas' size portion, it was hardly value for money. The toilets were squeezed into an area the size of a phone box and were acceptable only if you enjoy rubbing buttocks with your fellow punters on a regular basis.
All in all a great disappointment, and were it not for the decent lager on tap, there would be very little positive news to pass on.
13 Dec 2008 02:22
With its location at the top of Croydon's main shopping street and close proximity to West Croydon bus and train stations, this place could do a good trade in an area otherwise lacking in decent boozers. However, whenever I walk past, the place seems to be empty.
I decided to pop in at lunchtime today and was surprised to see quite a few people in there. Both the ales (IPA and Adnams) were off, but there was a decent selection of lagers on offer. The place looks and feels a little drab and depressing and the loud music pumping out didn't seem to lift anyone's spirits. It's a fairly big place, with a pool table at the rear and ornate (if rather dingy) seating booths along one side.
Fairly functional and friendly, but it's not doing enough to stop punters walking an extra 200 yards to the cheaper Weatherspoons.
11 Dec 2008 18:54
A pub seriosly in need of a bit of care and attention. I arrived in Luton in a snowstorm and looking for shelter, decided to go in this place given that it's right next to the train station.
Despite some entertaining, colourful locals, there wasn't a great deal to recommend. The front room meant sitting with the aforementioned locals, whilst the back room had been stipped bare of anything visually stimulating and felt a bit like drinking in a doctor's waiting room (albeit a filthy doctor's waiting room).
With the dream location this place has been blessed with, they really should be doing more to attract the trade which is clearly passing straight by to the Bricklayers Arms just down the road. Shame.
3 Dec 2008 18:06
Part traditional,real ale pub, part Luton Town FC pub, bit of an odd combination, but this place seems to pull it off effortlessly. Decent selection of ales on offer (I plumped for the Yellow Snow - sucker for stupid names), the pub comprises of two rooms, both of which were fairly packed just 20 minutes or so after opening.
Thought it was clean and cosy with a good atmosphere. Points off for the fact that the pub sponsored the player who scored Luton's equaliser against my team last night!!
3 Dec 2008 17:57
Recieved a very friendly welcome from staff and locals alike when I popped in , this week despite the fact that they were struggling to maintain their electricity supply.
The interior is worth taking a look inside for in itself, with a few interesting features. A pool table and large screen showing sport meant that there was a decent crowd in there, although both seemed strangley out of place. It also seems to be suffering from a Luton-wide affliction of negligence which a quick tidy up could easily remedy. There's definitley potential for this place to stand out in an area devoid of great pubs.
Beer was fairly cheap but limited to lagers and the black stuff (Apparently this is an Irish themed pub, but thankfully there was little evidence of that).
3 Dec 2008 17:39
I agree with the comment below. This place is a good antidote to the tired formula offered by Tiger Tiger and other similar Croydon High St bars. Three different rooms with different music, friendly staff and everything kept nice and clean.
Bit pricey, but not as bad as mentioned below. All in all, a fairly plesant surprise.
30 Nov 2008 01:44
Popped in after they recently reopened following a refurb, which seems to have involved adding a pole to the dancefloor and pinching the leftover wallpaper from the nearby 'Vinatge' bar.
It's still a predictably dull Yates's experience, but I have to admit that this is one of the better efforts from that particular chain.
30 Nov 2008 01:34
The Sir Percy Florence Shelley, Boscombe
Another scummy weatherspoons pub. I only use it thanks to it's proximity to Dean Court. Had to step over a drunk bloke sprawled across the floor on my way out this evening.
Plus points are cheap pints, friendly staff and a relaxed approach towards wearing colours.
They've also sorted out a smoking area at the rear of the pub, as suggested below.
30 Nov 2008 01:26
The Yellow House Bar and Kitchen, Surrey Quays
Went there on a Saturday night and the bar area was fairly quiet. It's a fairly modern, trendy looking place with a restaurant area in the back. I had food there and have to say that the menu was very good as was the food itself, although not quite as good as at the actual Yellow House restaurant, which is also in Surrey Quays (Plough Lane).
Doubt I'd ever go there just for drinks though, especially now it's much harder to get to with the tube closure, as mentioned below.
25 Nov 2008 19:33
The Holme Bush Inn, Corfe Mullen
Went there for food on a Saturday night recently. The place was quite quiet and I can't say that the service was anything to write home about, but the food was very good, especially the steaks and gammon.
There were a couple of ales on, but I was drinking lager, so can't comment on the quality.
20 Nov 2008 18:25
The Rose and Crown, Lytchett Matravers
Pub was closed when I went by at the weekend. Rumours that the pub is to be put up for sale. Shame as it seemed to have reinvented itself over the last year or two. Might help the struggling Chequers get some of its lost custom back though.
17 Nov 2008 19:19
The Royal Standard, Croydon
This is a fantastic traditional pub, just a short stroll from the chaos of Croydon's High Street beer barns.
There's not a great deal of space inside the pub, which makes for a cosy and lively atmosphere. There's a surprising amount of seating thanks to the way that the pub is laid out and they've even found room for a darts area.
The beers are from the Fullers range, and you'll struggle to find a better kept Fullers beer anywhere in the borough. Unlike many Fullers outlets, they also have guest beers on and as mentioned below, they recently staged a very enjoyable mini-festival. The only real downside is that the beer doesn't come cheap, but I can forgive that every once in a while.
Good for an extended session and a must for any serious crawl of Central Croydon.
2 Feb 2010 00:53