BITE user comments - cliffpatte
Comments by cliffpatte
The Pavilion End, Mansion House
People seem to be missing the point of this pub. It has large TV screens and shows the cricket when it is on in the Summer time. And that's really the only reason to go there.
17 Aug 2012 12:09
This pub is only one point away from being perfect. It is in the middle of the City near to a Tube station, serves cold lager and cold Guinness in the proper style. Pat the manager is a top bloke. The food at lunchtime is reasonably priced and ok. the only minus point is the upstairs toilet. If you like real ale, it is OK but not perfect, but then I don't like southern Ales anyway.
15 Jun 2011 11:00
I am somewhat puzzled by the glowing comments made about this pub in the past. The pub is architecturally and decoratively from the standard Victorian/Georgian London Pub family with a stained, polished bar and the usual assortment of ales and lagers arranged around a horseshoe bar in a small form factor opening onto a terrace on the Thames.
Unfortunately the decor and apparent ambience is not matched by the service from the bar staff under the management of the redoubtable landlady Barbara. I was told that the arrangement of newspapers, flyers, glass collection area and drip trays was in a fixed arrangement causing only 10% of the entire bar area to be available for putting down your pint and/or handbag without either getting them soaked in previously poured drink or moved by the bar staff so as to not cause the tourist paraphernalia to have to be moved out of place.
After making a complaint to the bar man about the shoddy service, surly attitude, lack of drinking space and the prolonged absence of the landlady in person to discuss problems ("Don't bother phoning next week, she won't be in for a while"), I left my unfinished, warm and slightly off pint of Guinness on the bar to follow my friend who had left half of her white wine spritzer (that�s with Soda Mr Barman by the way) on the bar after being told to move her handbag off the bar and onto the wet drip tray to the bar up the road. When we got there we were told that a lot of people come into that bar with complaints about the Grapes attitude to paying customers. For me the pub barely gets a mark out of ten at all.
30 Sep 2009 15:05
I'm not sure what Dartman means. The pub has only one darts team, but we play in two leagues. This is a fantastic pub, and whether you want to throw darts or not, its worth a visit. Just please don't sit by the dart board on Wednesday or Thursday evenings, thanks.
13 Dec 2006 11:25
The Scarborough Arms, Whitechapel
The comments from Stella Steve are out of date, as the management changed at the start of 2004. Not sure about Rex's comments, as the two barmaids (Sue and Tracy) are very efficient. It can get a bit crowded for example on Friday lunchtimes and if there's a darts team or two in the pub. Choice of beer is very limited, and Punch Taverns don't give the landlords much option to change, which is a shame. Good atmosphere though.
28 Apr 2005 11:59
The Bell, Cannon Street
A city institution which offers speedy service and a choice of real ales as well as some cold lagers. Well worth a visit.
17 Aug 2012 12:11