The Pump House, Brighton

I was a bit disappointed by my visit on Sunday. The selection of beer is excellent including Doom Bar, Adnams, London Pride and Harveys Sussex so no complaints there.

Having to ask the bar staff to top up your pint is annoying and starts you off on the wrong footing. You will not get a short measure in a Brunning and Price pub. It is so fundamental there is no excuse, especially in an establishment which is owned by the giant M & B where, presumably, staff get some sort of training.

We were a group of four and we ordered a 'sharing' fish platter and a couple of bowls of chips as a snack. I was not told there would be a long wait when I placed the order and when the platter arrived it had been in the deep fryer too long. The contents were obviously from Brake Bros - the crappy food that does not need any skill just the ability to leave it in the oil for the requesite amount of time - and they got that wrong.

1 Mar 2011 15:10

The White Horse, Longford

This is an excellent pub. It is very old with low beams, obviously humans were much shorter when this place was built! Several pints of Brakspear bitter and a very good sandwich helped me sleep through the slightly obtrusive planes which were flying over every 45 seconds.

1 Feb 2011 10:46

The Phene Arms, Chelsea

My sister took me here in November as it used to be one of her 'locals'.

It is not a pub any more. There was nowhere to sit. Two almost hostile men occupying a table for four refused to let us sit on their table and another huge table for eight had a reserved sign on it.

We asked behind the bar and we were 'allowed' to sit on the big table. Although we were hungry we looked at the food being consumed by a family of four and decided it looked pretty hideous! Judging by the prices on the menu it was also very poor value.

On one wall with loads of books to attempt a 'library' effect there was a huge television screen showing a picture but no sound.

Every designer has a right to cobble together a bad interior but this one was abusing the privilege!

30 Dec 2010 18:42