BITE user comments - hail_the_ale
Comments by hail_the_ale
The Barrowboy and Banker, London Bridge
Called in Tuesday evening, about 6.00pm. Very busy with the usual punters. Managed to grab a table and two stools by the stairs. Sat enjoying a pint of ESB with my wife, when a little mouse ran across the carpet. The mouse darted from under one table to another, back and forth. It's a good job that the female customers did not see the little chap, it could well have been bedlam in there. You would think that at the prices Fullers are charging in their central London pubs, they could sort out a small problem like a mouse!
22 Feb 2013 22:10
The Prince of Wales, West Brompton
Popped in mid-week early evening. The pub was moderately well fitted out but appeared to require a little more TLC. Service was slow, only two cask beers were available and after managing to get served, the one ale ran out, only Wychwood Hobgoblin left. No effort was made during our visit to put any more ales on. The pub appeared to be doing a moderately brisk trade. It was noticable however that quite a few strangers called in, had a look round, were unimpressed and left. Visited toilets just before leaving, they stank!
This could be a decent pub in an area of poor to average boozers if they only tried harder. I'm sure that the management could improve their offer and reap the rewards of an improved income.
3 Nov 2012 13:19
The Old Bank of England, Fleet Street
Called in here twice in the early evening whilst on holiday. The building has been converted by Fullers into an attractive drinking environment. The mainly female staff were efficient and courteous, the Fullers ESB was in fine fettle on both visits, the price however seems expensive at �4+ a pint. I'm sure I was only paying �3.80 pint in Fullers pubs last February? On the one evening, a loud mouthed, middled aged slob, slightly ruined the atmosphere by continually using the "F" word loudly, you could hear him halfway across the room. I would have thought a supervisor should have had a quiet word in in ear! Never mind, will call in again when next in the area, let's hope the slob isn't there again!
3 Nov 2012 12:41
Called in here early evening, even though it wasn't busy, the service was slow, staff seemed keener on moving furniture around, or cutting lemons and limes etc. Half way through my second pint, we were approached by a member of staff/landlady and asked to drink up and leave. It appears that they were having a private function and only those invited could remain in the pub. We felt quite uncomfortable and unwelcome and certainly won't be calling again. I don't enjoy having to bolt my pint down after having paid top dollar for it!
2 Nov 2012 21:10
Called in late Monday afternoon, pretty quiet. Ordered two pints of Nelson Powder Monkey (4.4%). When served it was pretty cloudy, it didn't taste too good either. We complained to the member of staff who served us, he seemed loath to do anything about it! In the end he went into the cellar while we stood about like a pair of thirsty punters. He eventually came back and replaced the ale with GK Abbot Ale. Not handled very well ! When we left half an hour later, the naff ale was still available on the pump. Come on Tim, your company are supposed to be the flagship of the pub trade. You need to train your staff better!
20 Sep 2011 23:21
Popped in 9.30pm, cozy, welcoming pub, quite a few imbibers in for a midweek evening. Ales from the Greene King stable on offer, Abbot Ale in good condition. Pub let down though by dirty, stinking toilets, the mirrors and wall tiles don't appear to have been cleaned for weeks, the urinals also stank! I would have given seven marks but have reduced to four marks due to loos!!
8 Jun 2011 10:01
Called in approx 9.00pm, largish one roomed pub, typical identikit pubco decor and excessive lighting, no atmosphere whatsoever. Two cask beers on offer, ordered two pints of 4.4% ale but it ran out, then ordered 8.0% ale, it also ran out! No offer made to put on another ale therefore we drank what the barperson managed to squeeze out of the beer engines! We won't be calling in here again. one point only granted because pub was clean!!!
8 Jun 2011 09:46
Have called in here quite a few times during the past few years, very hit and miss re real ale selection. Plenty of "Coming Soon" labels on the beer pumps and at times have ordered a supposedly available pint to be told "Sorry, it's run out"...is this Tim's idea of how he wants his pubs to be run?
The Palladium is now looking tired and knackered, the carpets are dropping to bits and generally the place is need of a refurb, behind the bar in particular looks grubby.
Come on Wetherspoons you've a great building here that needs some loving care and attention and managers that should do better.
12 Sep 2010 21:33
I've called in here a few times, early evening, for a pint and although all the real ale pumps have labels on stating "Cellar Cool" the pint is usually room temperature. This pub has a Cask Marque plaque outside therefore I expect better especially at the "top wack" prices charged! Maybe Cask Marque should inspect here a little more often??
12 Sep 2010 21:12
We popped in here for a pint last Monday afternoon, Fullers London Pride cloudy and had back end of barrel lack of taste! Although the Red Lion is an interesting pub, full of character, it appears grubby and uncared for, the bar servery front and cental heating pipes in front of same have not been cleaned for months. It makes you wonder what the kitchen and cellar are like?
We left the half drunk pints and went for a decent pint elsewhere (we would have returned the ale to the bar, but there was no sign of the barmaid/landlady?)
Have given 2/10 for interesting and historic only boozer
20 Jun 2010 22:43
Called in last Sunday afternoon, first pint, looked like "thunder and lightning" also tasted on the turn to vinegar! Returned to bar, male member of staff admitted that it was "crap" but it always tastes like that!...not the response you normally expect. Replaced by Stonehenge Sign Of Spring..much better.
It would appear the management (or at least the staff) of the E & C think that it is acceptable to sell cr*p ale because when we left, they had not taken same off the handpull and continued to offer it for sale. Sorry, I can't remember what the beer was.
One gets the impression that this pub is trading on its past history, come on, buck your ideas up
20 Jun 2010 22:17
I am amazed that this hostelry is still Cask Marque accredited! I called in for a pint in June 2007 on a Monday lunchtime. The first pint I had of Ringwood Best Bitter was returned, only fit for putting on chips. The pint was replaced with Greene King IPA, this pint was again vinegar!!!. Returned same and ended up drinking a J2O, ugh. There is no excuse for serving c**p ale at any time and in particular, not immediately after a busy weekend. Needless to say, I contacted Cask Marque re the above experience, hence my amazement that this establishment is still accredited.
PS The beer garden was totally worn out on my visit, creeky tables, hardly a blade of grass to be seen!!
Come on Greene King, you and your licensee must do better than this ???
19 Jun 2008 22:51
Called in the other night, only Draught Bass available, tasted okay but was warm. The lady behind the bar seemed keener to play pool than do her job, the bar counter was covered in unwashed, dirty glasses whilst be supped our pints. This pub is a bit like entering Steptoe's yard, there were four old TVs piled up against one wall! The Snowdon could do with some TLC!
6 Jun 2008 09:42
Called in last night, tables strewn with dirty glasses and plates etc. Real ale selection poor, only the usual Pedigree, Abbot and a Conwy Brewery beer available, plenty of "coming soon" ones though!
This Weatherspoons is very inconsistant in its standards. Come on management, do your job properly.
(We didn't stay for a drink, walking straight out again)
6 Jun 2008 09:31
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The Penrhyn Arms, Penrhynside
Thirsty Boy must have had a few before visiting the Penrhyn Arms! Have been in a few times on various evenings during the past few months. Very hit and miss with regard to ale selection, at best six ales on, two being Marstons. Sometimes only two Marstons ales plus one or two others. Certainly not a "truly magnificent alehouse" in my view. Good selection of ciders though. Pub could do with a little bit of "TLC" the word grubby comes to mind.
Would have to recommend the Albion in Conwy, or the Red Lion in Old Colwyn as better pubs with better selection of ales, two best pubs in Conwy according to the regional newspaper, the Daily Post. Give 'em a try, you won't be disappointed.
5 Aug 2013 23:45