BITE user comments - Sahara
Comments by Sahara
I actually like this pub a lot and for a Wetherspoons I love it. (try the 8 bells in Dover and you would understand).
We come to Poole twice a year for the bike nights and there is nowhere we would rather be.
The plastic galsses mean we can buy cheap and wander amongst the bikes. Cheaper by far than the other two pubs, also had great views of Brownsea Island.
28 Apr 2011 13:47
The Clay Pipe Inn, Holton Heath
We were at Sandford Caravan Park last May and to be honest, felt that we wre being ripped off at the on site prices. We had noticed the pub on our way into the campsite and decided we would give it a try.
OMG!!! The food was astounding. Small fish and chips arrived promptly, with two huge fish fillets and more chips than you could shake a stick at. And the price was great value for money.
We are back at Sandford in a few days time and will be having all meals at the pub. You would think someone at the camp site would realise that they are being out classed by their neighbours!!!
28 Apr 2011 13:37
tipler1964, all i have to say to you is really??? For the record I am not the Bet Lynch of a wife, who happens to be called Teresa and is an absolute gem. I am a regular and captain of one of the two darts teams. I am not on benefit, I work damn hard everyday and there is nowhere better to go after a hard days work, than The Lion.
The place is a bit run down, I grant you that. But that is down the the brewery not the landlord and lady. The heating and hot water, again, we're waiting for the brewery to provide the maintinance that they are meant to but don't.
I find that you would call either my partner or I "thick", "variety of loser" or "general moran" very offensive. There are some people who may resemble that description when they've had a couple of beers, yourself included no doubt on occasion, but the vast majority of us work for the NHS, DWP, HMRC and UK Border Agency. Not what I would consider to be bad jobs and certainly not jobs taken by the people you describe.
You say that the beer was not cheap and on this point I refer you to George Osbourne for constantly increasing the tax on alcohol. But the Lion is one of the cheapest pubs in town.
I understand what you mean about it being a bit creche like. It can be. But again, most of the mothers aren't on benefit, they work and are on maternity leave or, in some instances, are lucky enough to have a partner who earns enough that she can be a full time mum and chooses to meet her friends.
The two things that you missed about the place, were the blatantly obvious sign showing we run a Winkle Club. This basically means that every single week, every single regular gives money to the charity. That money stays within Dover and has done a hell of a lot of good. Over the last 10 years or so we have raised over �70000 for Dover. That money has gone towards mobilty scooters (given away by us free of charge), towards the soft paving in the play parks etc. Things that the local authority should do, but don't.
Secondly, we are a family. We are there for each other through thick and thin. Bricks and mortar are but a shell, the heart of the Lion is the people and I feel truly sorry that you couldn't find the rainbow in our bubble. How sad for you.
18 Apr 2011 14:04
Oh Dear!!!! Dover-Smurf, I was a regular at The Albert for along time and if there has ever been a pub with an in-crowd then it was all of us sitting in The Office in The Albert. And in case you aren't sure where The Office is, it's the bit of the bar next to the pool table.
I chose to leave The Albert for The Golden Lion because of the back stabbing going on in The Albert. We don't have in-crowds in The Lion, we are a family and welcome and respect all new comers.
Rab and Teresa are not even aware that this debate is going on at the moment, they don't need too, they know how much they are loved and respected and the fact that despite a recession we are one of the busiest pubs in Dover, unlike The Albert which was dead every night last week, which I know for a fact because I walk past it every night from work.
1 Jun 2009 13:16
I am sorry you had such a bad reaction to what is one of the most cherished pubs in town. Yes, the landlord may be a bit rude at time, but usually it is for a very good reason. The pub was painted aproximately a year ago along with the new carpets and work is still ongoing, altho the recession makes it a bit hard to spare the cash.
We don't profess to being a large pub and the walls around the pool table are somewhat snug, but we still manage to use it for two pool teams in the local league.
Furthermore, there is NEVER any trouble in this pub, unlike the others that were mentioned and that is due to the landlord, landlady, staff and regulars.
And yes, we will be doing our annual St Georges evening on Saturday 25th April with the usual mess dress and ball gown theme. I can't wait for what will be yet another spectacular night.
And for the record, I am a regular not staff!!!
21 Apr 2009 14:43
The Golden Lion, Dover
Tipler1964 you really are a prat and I'm hardly surprised that Rab spoke to you in such a manner.
My previous response did not attack you, merely gave an alternative view, that you may have missed.
Yes, the Lion has gone and that unfortunately means that the support network and charity we provided has gone and that is not a good thing for Dover.
The brewery cannot sell the pub they were so desperate to get their hands on, by increasing the rent to over �1500 a week, because they failed in their basic responsibilty to maintain the building.
I generally try to see the best in all people and am more than willing to discuss/debate, however, I do not suffer fools gladly and you sir, are a goddamn FOOL!
Word off advice though, I wouldn't bother with the pubs in Dover these days as the Lion Pride move around now and can be found as a group in The Albert, The Park Inn, The Eagle, The Ellie, The Priory, The Eight Bells, The Nelson, The Harvey, Funky Monkey, The Red Lion, The Louis Armstrong, The Boars Head, The Dewdrop, The Carriers and The Sea Angling Club to name but a few. And you have clearly stated that we are all thick morons, so you wouldn't want to be in the same vicinity as us, now would you?
As I said previously, the Golden Lion was a shell of bricks and mortar, the regulars (nurses, civil servants, engineers etc) were what made it special.
23 Jan 2012 13:47