Old Post Office, Royston

This pub is now known as the Barracuda, part of the Barracuda group and thus a chain pub. I am afraid things are no better here, everything that makes a good pub is missing. The beer is badly kept and you can choose between your normal Carling, Fosters, Stella etc, generally all come with the same flat appearence. The last time I was in their I ordered a bulmers as I will not go anywhere near the beer on draught unless you have no taste buds or want gut rot! sadly it took three attempts to get me a clean glass to drink out of.

The staff turn over is high and generally there levels of training just about reach how to turn the tap on and pour, probably the main reason the beer is so bad! but do not expect your beer in the correct glass, most of the time your pint is sloshed into any old dirty bitter glass just to add to the effect of they dont know or they dont care?? A pet hate of mine! Apart from the draught you have your normal chav beers like Bud, ciders and as much spirits as you can drink but for the person who likes a good beer from Germany, a traditional bitter from England or a nice glass of quality wine you will be sadly left wanting.

I have to admit I have ended up here on a few occasions on a Friday or Saturday night but even then after too many I still remember not to drink the draught lager. The Barracuda has also decided to remove the pool tables and the quiz machine but does have lots of plasma screens for you sport enjoyment. They also have a large screen projector but the projector is no way man enough to do the job which gives you a horrible faided picture which for some reason is not alligned correctly so you get an image at an angle and cut off in the corners!

Probably the biggest downful of this pub is the general punter it attracts, fights and arguments are a regular thing on a weekend. I have seen a number of door staff come and go mainly because they were just as much up for a punch up as the customers. Their are two or three doorman who have been there for a number of years who are good and friendly though so not all bad. It seems it does not matter how drunk you are they will keep serving you what you want.

So too sum it up, if you want to get drunk on cheap shots or shoddy kept beer and then either have a fight or puke up out the front then this is the place for you. Like many chain pubs their ethos seems to be stack them up high and sell them cheap (quality) drinks to people who dont know better.

25 Aug 2009 17:25