BITE user comments - gypsygrrl
Comments by gypsygrrl
As stated by many below, the food quality can vary at The Squirrel. However, the beer is consistently good, as is the staff's service and attitude. A great local.
6 Jul 2010 23:11
Oh dear. Visited again a few weeks ago. Had a conversation with two bar staff that went something like this...
Me: A pint of real ale please, and do you have any other cider? Looks like the Bulmer's is finished?
Staff: The Bulmer's is off. We have X, Y and Z bottled ciders.
[I take my pint and exit downstairs to the garden to consult with the cider drinker on his requirements... after which, I return]
Me: I'd like a bottle of cider Y, please.
Staff: Ooops, sorry, it turns out we don't have any cold in the fridge. Would you like a warm bottle with ice?
Me: I don't think that the cider drinker would be too happy with that.
[I exit again to confer with the cider drinker a second time and to tell him that buying cider here is a challenge best met by himself. The cider drinker returns with a bottle of pear cider that seems to tastes a bit like bad perfume.]
So, not the most positive experience with the staff and drinks. The garden is quite nice and I'm sure it will be packed during the Airshow in a couple weeks time. The car park often seems full and although we didn't eat there, the aroma eminating from the kitchen was very nice.
As for the comment below arguing that Farnborough could use some better pubs - I definitely can't argue with that. Certainly that new Wetherspoons that's due to move into the Centre is bound to give some of the locals a run for their money. Big chains aren't usually my style, but the Swan doesn't seem to be giving me any reason right now to choose them over the new guys.
6 Jul 2010 22:06
Visited a couple weeks ago and the staff were accomodating enough. The food was fine, and the beer was as good as usual. I have to admit that I really haven't had the bad experiences here that some of the former posts reflect.
6 Jul 2010 21:29
Passing_By is right about this one. Great atmosphere during the England-Germany match (not the pub's fault about the result!). There were also burgers, hot dogs and chips available.
6 Jul 2010 21:06
The Thatched Cottage, Farnborough
Passing_By, I can't argue with your assessment of the Thatched Cottage's character, but I beg to differ with your assessment of its ale. Your post leads me to believe that you have not been to a certain pub in the vicinity of the Farnborough North rail station. If you want well-kept real ale, go there.
6 Jul 2010 20:46
One of my favourite Basingstoke Canal-side pubs. The food can fluctuate in quality, but the beer is always good. I've enjoyed several visits over the recent years. Seems like it's time to go back and have a look.
30 May 2010 18:51
The Thatched Cottage, Farnborough
We used to go here often enough. We don't anymore. I've received a few pints of "off" ale here. A problem that I don't seem to have had with any other pub that serves real ale. I even had words with staff about it since they were reluctant to change my last bad pint for another, and insinuated that I must not know what real ale tastes like. I brew my own ale, I'm a CAMRA member, and I drink real ale in pubs often enough to understand when a pint is off. Their attitude was a real shame, since the building oozes with charm. I've only been back a couple times to sit in their garden, and I now order lager if I'm pursuaded into giving them my custom at all. I much prefer real ale, but no longer trust the management to serve it properly.
30 May 2010 18:28
Seems things haven't changed much since my last visit quite a while ago! The lakeside patio is still terrific. The food is still awful - mediocre if you're lucky. By the bar, they are still posting a list of dishes that they cannot serve due to unavailability of ingredients... some things never change. We rarely visit, and when we do, it's for the outdoor atmosphere, not the food. Go for a cold lager or drink in the garden, if you must. I'd love to be able to recommend this place for other reasons, but can't.
30 May 2010 18:10
Fox and Hounds, Church Crookham
This pub has a fine location, right on the Basingstoke Canal. We didn't spend too much time inside, as the sun was shining. Their garden is tidy and pleasant. We actually did have Sunday lunch. Sounds like the portion sizes have improved since deligirl's visit. I'd rate their food as average, however, and perhaps a bit pricey. Their beer and cider were in top form. I'm sure we'd visit again, especially if we happened to be walking or cycling along that stretch of the Canal.
30 May 2010 17:57
Kudos to the not-so-new-anymore Landlady for really turning this place around! She's thoroughly cleaned up the pub and its reputation. The Trades is the Local that we use most regularly now. In no way does it deserve the low rating that it has on Beer in the Evening. She had it redecorated some time ago and the place looks and functions terrifically. The atmosphere is friendly and lively at times - it's a good community pub. I am very pleased that real ale / guest ale is on offer now, even if it tends to be from the larger breweries. The refit has given a nod to Farnborough's local history too - there are several old aircraft/airfield photos up on the walls - a nice touch, I thought. The Sky screens, sport on offer, darts and pool table guarantees entertainment and activity if you want it - and if you don't want, there's never any trouble having a quiet pint too. The patio area is clean & well-kept and there's ample parking. All-in-all a very strong Local. The only thing left that could improve the Trades is if there was food on offer. This is not a criticism, however, because you can't have everything, and I understand that serving food is expensive and probably not hassle-free. The Landlady and Staff deserve a lot of credit and positivity for resurrecting the Tradesman's Arms back into the world of Great Locals.
2 Apr 2010 13:17
The Thatched Cottage, Farnborough
Wondering whether the Thatched Cottage has been recently purchased by the Spirit Group? Was in there a couple nights ago and it seemed like their food menus had changed to Spirit Group menus. Lots of 2 for �10 deals.
Still some very good guest ales and good atmosphere.
4 Jul 2008 18:21
Visited the Canal Inn on a Saturday afternoon back in May 2008. We found it a very friendly place - with good food too! A couple of us who went there for the pub lunch are vegetarians. The Canal Inn had plenty to offer them as well as the usual pub favourites. The food tasted homemade, rather than the microwave grub that many pubs seem to serve up these days.
There is also a roomy garden area, though not a lot of seating there.
4 Jul 2008 17:57
The Coach and Horses, Castle Bromwich
Very large pub. This historical building is absolutely gorgeous inside if you take the time to look around - I wish they'd spend the money on restoring it to its former glory. Most of the doors have been sealed off, the only one open when we were there led into an unsightly car park.
The food is average - the Coach is owned by the Spirit Group, and mostly sells two-for-one meal deals at prices around �8 - �11. It has a few good-sized inside seating areas; the garden is large but seemed not to have many tables out when we were there. There's also a patio area with tables for smokers.
The crowd was mixed and included families with children, middle-agers and the younger set, who were mostly crowded around the bar area.
The drinks prices were much cheaper than in the South - got away with two pints for less than �5 - which is pretty much unheard of around London and the South East, where prices are now usually at least �6 per pair.
30 May 2008 12:35
The Snakecatcher, Brockenhurst
Stopped in here for a quick one. The place was nearly empty inside but the tables were full in the beer garden. The beer garden is much smaller and less well-situated than the Rose and Crown. My impression was neither bad nor stunning, really.
30 May 2008 12:17
Visited a few weeks ago. The pub's main attraction is its massive (60+ tables?) beer garden and patio, which includes several covered gazebos as well. It really is lovely there on a warm day.
We had a meal, but as other reports here have indicated, the service was horrendous. My husband bravely waited in a 10-deep queue for around 20 minutes just to order the food. The meal was a bit expensive for fish and chips and a pie, but the quality was alright.
It also took a while to get served at the bar. As I was walking away, having already been served, it sounded like someone in the food queue dared to complain about how long it took to get served and the woman behind the bar basically said, "...if you don't like it, you can go elsewhere..." Not exactly what I'd call a smashing attitude. Perhaps they feel they don't require more customers - the place was packed when we were there.
30 May 2008 12:09
Dropped in out of curiosity - wanted to see what they've done with the place. It's been refurbished & refurnished well enough. Seems like it has more of a wine bar feel now, however, than the atmosphere of a pub. They've gotten rid of the pool table and dart board - dining tables now reside in that area. A parrot in a large cage also now makes the Alex it's home.
I have it on good authority that the men's room hand dryer is now functional.
They have a decent-looking pub grub menu (I didn't try the food, however) but it does seem a bit pricey. The usual selection of lagers and a couple ales are available. They also have pear cider and three varieties of wine on tap! One of the former Tumbledown Dick employees was the barman when I was there several nights ago.
30 May 2008 11:46
The Prince of Wales, Farnborough
Visited several weeks ago on a Friday late afternoon. We aren't regulars (only because the Prince is a bit out of our way) but we didn't have any trouble getting served, as we were the only people in the place when we arrived. It must only have been the hour and not the pub, however. By the time we left the place was packed. The Prince is cosy, friendly and the landlord serves up superb ale and cider. Keep up the great work!
22 May 2008 14:49
The Queen's Head has indeed been recently knocked down to make room for a block of flats. Perhaps not many will miss it, however I would venture a guess that not many really wanted flats there either.
In any case, the Queen's Head is no more. Another of the many pub closures occurring across Britain.
22 May 2008 13:48
Holepuncture is spot on. Haven't returned for AGES because the food was just disgusting and the service was non-existent. Last time I went I was cycling by on a hot day and the waterside ambiance seemed to fit. The menu had been dreastically reduced at that time (summer 2007?) Had a beer & that was about it. I was not wowed. There is so much potential for this place. Maybe I shall return now that I've heard that the place has changed hands.
26 Mar 2008 16:40
The Thatched Cottage, Farnborough
One of the better pubs in the Farnborough area. The food improved somewhat when the new landlady took over. We had stopped going for quite a while as the food used to be terrible. The garden area is good, especially when it's warm, and it seems to be quieter than some other pubs with outside seating. The dart board could be situated in a better area. Decent pub in a beautiful old building.
26 Mar 2008 16:22
The Ham and Blackbird, Farnborough
The food here is sub-standard. Not sure why they are allowed to have a Cask Marque - I don't think there was any real ale when I was there. Probably they get the rail crowd and office drinkers from across the road & from the town centre. Now that the Tumbledown Dick is closed (temporarily) there aren't many alternatives in the area. But there aren't many above average pub alternatives in Farnborough anyway...
26 Mar 2008 16:14
This pub has to serve some of the worst food I've ever eaten in such a venue. Due to this, we haven't returned in ages. The garden is huge and lovely on a warm day, however it is *not* the kind of place to have a quiet pint and chat as it fills with loads of energetic children. The beautiful tree for which the pub was named has been removed.
26 Mar 2008 16:03
I have to agree with Gazza. Popped in last weekend to have a look-see. We paid �6.80 for a Polish lager and a Bulmer's. Far too expensive. The refurb has been done to a modestly high standard (yes, could have been an even higher spec). I think they have potential to attract quite a bit of money when the airshow is on, however, the Swan may now be a bit too posh (especially if all you want is a reasonably priced drink) for many Farnborough & North Camp locals. We may return for a special occasion, however we have already heard from other locals that the food service was poor, although the food itself was good.
26 Mar 2008 15:48
A decent local. Good quiz on Tuesday nights. Never been served a bad pint, but service can be slow on a busy Friday or Saturday night. Dart board (tiny area and board could use replacing) and fruit machines. Other clubs/activities there too.
I wouldn't call the place rough, but clearly a bit of an element remains - overheard a punter's conversation about a stolen motorbike a couple weeks ago. It also seems to be the place for builders to rub elbows in the late afternoons.
25 Mar 2008 16:50
Been in here several times. Never thought it was that rough - at least not compared to the Tradesman's Arms! But I've been served two too many bad pints (must disagree with Consumer1's comment that they serve a good pint) here and that's why I don't stop by anymore.
25 Mar 2008 16:36
The place is a bit rough. The Scotsman was still there as of a few months ago. I have been in there several times and have never witnessed any kind of violence, however.
Wish they would clean up their act a bit, as they have a better darts area than the Courthouse (across the road) and also have a snooker table. Lovely rottweiler dog called Denzel. Friendly staff. No food. Men's toilet in need of repair & clean up.
25 Mar 2008 16:22
I have to take issue with the anonymous post below - I just didn't like the possible negative tone regarding "has a policy of not being family friendly". Personally, my partner and I (and I'll bet that we are not at all alone) often *prefer* to go to the Squirrel *because* they do not have facilities for under 14s. That means that they don't cater to *children.* Not *all* families have small children, you know.
We are tired of going to "pubs" which cater far too much to the kiddies. Perhaps a new term, "kubs" could be invented to describe places where one can no longer go to enjoy a quiet pint, but instead, one must endure stereophonic toddler tantrums while the kid next to you repeatedly kicks the back of your chair.
So Hurray for the Squirrel (and Ember Inns) for bucking the Kub trend! Their beers and ales are good too. Their food is alright (but not terrific). The staff is friendly and efficient enough and we've always been able to go and have a calm drink in a mellow atmosphere.
25 Mar 2008 16:11
The Plough used to be one of our favourites. But after several menu changes during the course of about a year, when prices shot up and food service levels descended beneath the Earth's crust, we have not returned. Last time we were there we noticed that the place was practically empty - they used tp pack 'em into the restaurant area a couple years ago. Such a shame since there is a shortage of pubs in the Farnborough - Cove area that serve a meal that doesn't taste like it came directly from a microwavable packet.
25 Mar 2008 15:30
The Heron on the Lake, Fleet
As previous comments reflect, this pub is now in the McMullen chain. Still had on tap, Country, Cask and a seasonal. The beer was in good shape and the pub itself had changed little since I was last there and it was a Chef & Brewer. I really do like to spend a Summer afternoon at the Heron... the deck on the lake is excellent. Had soup of the day - cream of broccoli; could have used a bit more blending but it tasted good. A dish of olives also went down very well. Best of luck to the Staff - hope the change goes down well. I see no reason not to return and enjoy myself there on those warm Summer days.
7 Jul 2010 20:12