BITE user comments - BananaSundae
Comments by BananaSundae
The ORL seems to be changing landlords at a frequency not dissimilar to that of a pornstar changing her knickers. The gloomy Scouse bloke has evaporated and the bar staff have been retired, by the looks of things - which is both good and bad, if you are familiar with the old setup.
The Youngs has gone as a permanent ale, but makes a return every now and again as a guest ale. The new landlord keeps the 3 real ales in excellent condition and has cut the prices across the board, so the ORL loses its less than envious title as The Most Expensive Pub in town.
The previous landlord oversaw a rather cheap and chearful refurb, with some decking out the front covering half the old car park. To be fair, on a sunny day it looks good, but has a tendency to become rather slippy over winter. It should be rather pleasant for al fresco dining for 20% of the year.
The interior refurb basically ripped out the old benches and threadbare furniture. Some modernish tables and chairs have been added along with a new heating system (which works very well - maybe too well). Three of the table are situated next to the toilets, which wouldn't be so bad if there were more than 8 tables!
We tries the food a couple of times and its very much standard pub fare. The Sunday roast we tried was very generous and reasonably priced. At just over 7 quid a head, the prices compare favourably to anywhere else in town. That said, I'd still head to the Bells or the Swan and spend a few quid more for something closer to a restaurant dining experience.
Lastly, the new landlord seems an affable fellow who prides himself on turning out decent beer. This is in contrast to the host of eccentrics preceeding him. Alot of the old regulars are drifting back and the ORL has the feeling of a functioning, friendly boozer - something not seen there for many moons.
Keep up the good work.
26 Dec 2012 18:06
Much improved. 3 real ales - all spot-on. About 50p a pint cheaper than the nearest boozer. The 2 guys running this place now clearly know their business and do it well.
Most of the local numbskulls that used to make the Jolly a serious no-no have been purged, or are now on their best behaviour lest they are swiftly banned.
The old boys that inhabit the public bar and play cards and crib remain the same, despite the pub's dramatic reinvention as somewhere you might actually want to spend some time having a few drinks.
Well done. :)
10 Apr 2010 21:20
Food and service excellent.
A word of warning: "no chipped potatoes".
10 Jan 2010 19:27
The Stag and Hound, Kilwinning
Ran out of beer and shut the doors on a Monday night.
10 Jan 2010 19:23
Tidy little pub: decent service, beer good. Very much a local.
10 Jan 2010 19:20
Friendly enough local boozer with decent beer and good service.
10 Jan 2010 19:15
A haven for fans of Rangers and all things that way. Others need not apply. Unless of course they're anthropologists studying the level of humanity in Kilwinning. Watch out for the painting of King Billy on a horse.
An embarrasment to Scotland in the 21st Century.
10 Jan 2010 19:11
Family-run cosy pub near the station. Well-run, with locals who are not overly friendly (not a bad thing in these parts). Tennants and Belhaven beers and lagers on draft are in excellent condition; Deuchars in a bottle. The "beer garden" is somewhat of a misnomer: tables and whatnot but no drinks outside.
10 Jan 2010 19:06
Had a Thai dinner just before Xmas. I must say it was very good, reasonably priced with nice service.
The beer is variable, with usually one real ale drinkable. The London Pride was passable.
The meal was, er, enhanced by a large bloke in a green bomber jacket talking very loudly about a recent fight he'd had with "pikeys in Windsor", including intricate descriptions of various gashes, wounds and bruises. Just the thing to go with a Red Jungle Curry.
Bon appetit.
7 Jan 2010 20:57
The North London Tavern, Kilburn
Stolling between a good few pubs on Kilburn High Road, this seemed to be the best: the food looked good, the service smart and the ales in good nick (although one of the two real ales ran out and wasn't replaced). The locals weren't particularly friendly, which might not be a bad thing in Kilburn...
7 Jan 2010 19:47
That happened to us! They didn't even pretend it was "Polish Night" and offered no excuse, although it was apparent only Poles were being let in. I heard the council got wind of the Poles-only "policy" and they have been warned.
The following is useful if you believe you have been refused entry for reasons that contravene equality and diversity legislation: [email protected]
7 Jan 2010 18:08
Recently visited after many years. Surprisingly welcoming and affable crowd: even the kids round the pool tables were chilled. Predominantly Asian clientelle were more than happy to chew the fat - never made to feel out of place or unwelcome in the same way Eastern European pubs in Hounslow.
7 Jan 2010 17:55
Went in the week before Christmas - the pub much improved by a change of hands and a new brush.
Good variety of ales - Twickenham & TTs - sampled them all and they were all excellent.
I've wanted to give this pub a good note for yonks. The last fellow was an ape man who nearly destroyed it; the new guy looks like he knows what he's doing.
Well done - I'll be back.
6 Jan 2010 18:04
I payed another visit on the off-chance that The Fox would have it's beer back in order. Expectations were tempered by poor standards on several recent visits, but - hey - Twickenham Brewery produces an excellent selection of ales, so it's worth the risk, especially with the Eel Pie just across the road.
What's the worst that could happen?
Alot, actually. Sadly, things have got worse. Considerably. All the real ales were off, bar one, which came out the barrel a cloudy puff of dirge and bowel gas; a mixture of bin juice and nasal scrapings that a girl guide would have spotted was pining for the fjords...quite simply it should not have been served (tip: train your staff).
It took 20 minutes to tap a barrel (Sundancer), which is frankly attrocious going. An old fellow who had the audacity to complain to the landlord (who had, shall we say, indulged in one or two small shandies) got foul obscenities yelled at him and aggressively pushed out the door - despite the gentleman (who looked about 70) appearing sober and well mannered. Maybe landlord, punters don't like been treated like the supine mugs you take them for? (tip: if you have anger management issues, stay off the booze). In fact if you run a failing pub, stay off the booze.
I'd give my dosh to the Eel Pie across the road and avoid this poorly run gaffe in future.
It does not deserve the points it has and I sincerly hope that the guy running it becomes a bouncer, security guard or one of the many other professions where aggression, bullying and insulting behaviour are seen as assets. Oh, and incompetence.
15 Jan 2009 20:49
Difficult to compete with The Eel Pie 30 seconds away. Went for a few during the TW1 beer festival and was impressed. Back a few weeks later and the bitter was off. How come? Atmosphere is Old School boozer with mixed clientel.
13 Dec 2008 17:45
The Twickenham Tup, Twickenham
Big rugby pub with flags and plasma screens and a good selection of beers. Rugger buggers and off street locale keep the oik quotient low. Very decent selection of Twickenham Brewery's finest - popped in for one and went through several Naked Ladies. A nice surprise.
13 Dec 2008 17:35
Ah, joy. A decent beer, reasonable price, excellent service, nice atmosphere. Occasional - but affable - rugby crowd. Worth jumping on a train for.
13 Dec 2008 17:27
Oh dear. Beer dreadful, limited choice, empty pub, leasehold for sale, dingy. This place is an excellent example of how a well-run homely pub can hit the buffers in a few years. It's called neglect. What's amazing is that it must be obvious that you can't get away with this level of ineptitude when there are 7 pubs within 10 minutes walk. You won't get any custom. And the Cock doesn't. Shame.
13 Dec 2008 17:02
Not quite as bad IMO as some of the comments here make out. Visited a couple of times and there is alot of effing and blinding coming from one corner (the pool table side) although it seemed good humoured enough. The atmosphere is old school boozer but never threatening. And it does a nice pint of Bombardier.
22 Oct 2008 21:20
Unquestionably one of the best pubs in the area if real ale, good food, decent service and a good atmosphere are important to you. You just don't get pubs like this anymore. A joy to drink in. Any landlords who make excuses about "too difficult" keeping real ales should pay this gaff a visit, watch and learn.
22 Oct 2008 21:10
Tod - "Mystified", eh? Depends on how rough yer mum is. Genteel mums will be quite safe in: Anglers Retreat, The Bells or The Swan.
I'd recommend any of these as you will be able to eat and drink for the same cost as just drinking in the RL.
22 Oct 2008 20:54
Unquestionably the place to take you're aging mum for a glass of sherry!
Good beers. Never tried the food.
I was (politely) asked to take of my (non-baseball)hat; can't figure out if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
The one letdown: it has a hotel atmosphere (unsurprisingly), which begins to annoy after a while.
It is not cheap but the local hoodies are - as you might imagine with a no-hat policy - noticable by their absence. The sherry's probably okay too.
3 Sep 2008 23:22
The Magpie and Crown, Brentford
Excellent selection of beers and continental largers. Who gives a stuff about the decor or the lippy landlord. Fill yer boots - a drinker's pub where the beer comes first. Good condition, reasonable prices, food looked good. Go through the selection of draught beers - you won't notice the decorations.
31 Aug 2008 22:42
Limited selection of beers at astronomical prices. A tenner might just get you 3 drinks. Gets it's punters from a small, middle-class estate adjacent to the pub, so significantly less chav quota than the North Star accross the road. The pricing appears to be deliberately aimed at keeping undesirable elements out and comes accross as slightly up it own a*se. The bar staff are friendly and service good... providing you're the right sort of customer. Beer well kept and served though choice limited. One of only about 4 pubs in Staines where you'd take your mum.
31 Aug 2008 22:20
Fairly good selection of beers and friendly bar staff. Food good but toilets are radically bad. Crowd is young and unusually mixed for the locality. The beer garden gets packed with smokers condensed into a tiny area.
31 Aug 2008 21:51
Yet another new manager. Clientele a mixture of commuters by day and chavs by night. That said they were doing decent Adnams Broadside & Deuchars (good). The crazy karaoke we had to endure from a caravan-dwellers knees-up was an unexpected surprise. No fights and relatively good-humoured though definitely not to everyones taste's. Played a game of pool with one of the locals - seemed friendly enough. The landlord looks like he could do with a good feed.
31 Aug 2008 21:15
Nice pub in a nice part of Staines. Unfortunately they've paved over the beer garden and erected a huge tarp for smokers. Shame. Beer and food good. One of the few pubs in Staines where you could take your mum.
31 Aug 2008 20:40
New landlord does decent food until 7pm. Much improved recently, although Courage Best the only ale for sale. Refurb is a cheap one but at least it's cleaner now. The crowd of smokers blocking the entrance to the lounge bar is a put of. Avoid the saloon bar at all costs if you value your health. Fairly affable set of locals now the chav kids have been given their marching orders. Quiz night on Tuesday attended by the same people that have been doing it for years so you'll never win, even with a wap-enabled mobile.
31 Aug 2008 19:49
Stop bickering - your supposed to review the pub.
Sawyers Arms has improved over the past few years. Had a decent pint of London Pride (not always consistantly good, though). Staff friendly enough, locals a mixture of slumming-it professionals with personal problems and builders, painters & decorators f-ing and blinding in unison. The food is good, with a mixed "English" menue and a selection of curries. As the TV is constantly on at excessive volumes it's impossible to deliver the kind of atmosphere that would bring the kind of customers that this pub needs. One of Feltham's oldest pubs - worth a visit as nothing has changed in a long, long time...
31 Aug 2008 19:34
A pikey hellhole which now seems to attract a slightly under-the-weather ghey crowd. Dreadful beer, weird Staines underclass regulars you couldn't invent with the occasional slummer with a taste for risk. Grim decor and ubiquitous sport droning on the tvs. In short, you gotta try it out once!
So bad it's almost good...
31 Aug 2008 19:24
This pub is in serious trouble... It's licence is being "reviewed" at present; London Pride is never on after Paul left; Courage Best occasionally on. Bottles of LP on sporadically. The new "landlord" (I hesitate to call him that)is perpetually drunk and isn't capable of running a bath. Bernie got rid of the Bolivian Marchers and even they don't want to come bad. The bar staff appear not to be turning up of late. Bar closed at 10 on a Saturday because of "no staff". I suspect all this is deliberate and this pub will either change hands for a song or go under. It is sad because the potential is there and this gaff is crying out for TLC and decent management.
31 Aug 2008 19:15
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The Old Red Lion, Staines
Closed early (just after 10) on several consecutive Sundays, so don't bother going for a nightcap. If you have the timerity to fancy a pint well before last orders, expect a friendly wave from the manager telling you precisely where you can take your custom... Thanks.
31 May 2013 00:34