The George, Harpenden

I came in here on a Saturday evening for a quick pint. The bar staff carefully choreographed ignoring the customers until every glass in sight had been polished. The barman finally poured my Stella which was mainly foam. When I pointed out that there was something wrong with the gas pressure he proceeded to fill the glass right up as if I was being deliberately difficult, wasting a lot of beer. This was handed over with a look of contempt, as good as saying, its Saturday night are you expecting quality? Of course the beer was flat and I went back to the bar and told another member of staff that there was something wrong with the gas pressure this was flatly denied.

This is a pub that can�t even serve up a pint of cooking lager, so god knows what the rest of their offer is like. Sneering, unpleasant staff � avoid this place like the plague.

29 Jun 2009 10:52

The Lamb Inn, Clearwell

I found this pub from the �Good Beer Guide�. Friendly locals and a friendly landlord and some great beer. Sitting in the snug reading the Sunday paper with sunlight streaming through the window was like being a picture from a guide book of the perfect English Country pub. A great find.

5 May 2009 20:56

The Garibaldi, St Albans

Have been in here a couple of time recently, they have nice real fires which makes the place very cosy and the beer is well kept. The new landlady is very gobby though, usually telling the whole bar some tale of woe in a load voice which hardly makes for a very jolly atmosphere.

When I first moved to St Albans I started making the Garibaldi a regular stop because the landlord(s) always had all the newspapers available for customers to read. A simple attraction for only the cost of a couple of pints but one that made it stand out from all the others. If the new landlords started doing this again and kept the noise down I might go in there more often.

17 Dec 2008 18:48