BITE user comments - toolster
Comments by toolster
Benson Blakes Bar and Grill, Bury St Edmunds
Look,is this a bar or a damn restaurant?!
Yes yes yes......I'm sure they are nice burgers,but what about the booze and the prices?!!Jeeez!!
17 Apr 2013 18:45
St Edmunds Tavern, Bury St Edmunds
UPDATE:Reopened suddenly last year and the new Landlords have gone for the ,pint buck' again.
Happy hour 5-7pm weeknights.pool table.A few wankers in there,but they tend to follow the happy hours anyway.
Would I go in?
Nah,Its gotta be The Corn Exchange (Wetherspoons) if I want this sort of crowd.
17 Apr 2013 18:41
Looks unpromising from the outside,but go in!
Why?Because the beer is great.
Drank an unidentified golden ale for £1 a pint amongst a pleasant crowd.
One of the better pubs on my recent Northern tour.
Would definately go again (and i probably will one day)
17 Apr 2013 18:18
The Labour Club (Red Shed), Wakefield
Well,to a southern neo-fascist like myself,this was a very pleasant surprise.
Went in on a tuesday and drank pints for £1 a pint,thern went outside for a fag and looked across at the conservative club.You couldn't make it up really,could you?
Very quaint,but thats its charm.
'Nowt' wrong with the beer either.
Recommended.
17 Apr 2013 18:14
Great beer.Loved the White Lion.Very far-out carpet and nice little snug area with a fire.Food looked very good as it was brought out,though I did not eat anything as i was too busy laying into the beers.Large car park,Situated on traffic lights,so maybe people don't necessarily think to stop?They should do.
Will go again,possibly with droolian.
17 Apr 2013 18:05
Still hands-down the best Real Ale pub in Bury St Edmunds.
Its won CAMRA East Anglian pub of the year too.
An ever-changing range of ales,porters,ciders from breweries all over the country.You can easily get a top-notch pint of under £3.
No lager though.Plenty of red wine though.
A passionate,knowledgable landlord.
The pub is refreshingly idiot-free too.
The plan is simple,tables,no music,no pool or darts,only pork pies and excellent local pork scratchings,friendly regulars,many of whom practise the art of conversation.
Always busy,whenever you go in,and for very reason,because it s great.
23 Mar 2013 14:16
The Old Cannon Brewery, Bury St Edmunds
Whoah!!£6.10 for a small glass of wine?!
The nice lady behind the bar actually apologised when she asked for my money.
Big emphasis on the food,as with many pubs in Bury these days.
But this place has some serious competition in the ale market nowadays in the shape of The Bury Beerhouse (which is a 5 minute walk from The Cannon) and The Dove,which for me takes the biscuit in Bury for top-notch authentic ale and atmosphere.
So,while this is good pub it does require a walk form the town centre.
A walk which I would probably now take in the opposite direction and go to the Dove instead.
23 Mar 2013 14:03
The Beerhouse, Bury St Edmunds
An overpriced parody of the far superior Dove in Bury St Edmunds,but with far higher tariff overall.
It looks all 'oldie Worldy' but is in fact 1 of several business ventures of the owner.
I wouldn't walk out of town to visit this place,but I would the Dove.
Still,better than most in BSE I guess.
Strangely soulless...................
4 Oct 2012 20:03
Opened in the early 1800's
Closed by Greene King,so they could sell it off for la-di-da housing with some token 'starter flats' in the once beautiful beer garden.
Thanks Greene King,you utter breadheads corporate nazis.
4 Oct 2012 19:57
Visited alone in Sept 2012.
Served by a poker faced fat man whose response to my request as to if they sold Heineken with a flat,straight faced,'no'.
Then asked for Fosters which was met with a similarly charming 'Look mate,we seel what you see'.
Well,I couldn't see anything 'mate', because I was standing at the end of the bar at an angle to the pumps.
Live football competed with music,as visiting wealthy Londoners ate very mediocre food,served by aforementioned very grumpy fat barman as his trousers revealed a fat arse crack above them.(If only he could crack a smile).
This pub looks welcoming from the outside,but you'd be wrong.
It deserves some genuine competetion,then it might buck its ideas up a bit and employ some vaguely people-friendly staff.
AVOID.GET SOMETHING FROM TOWN.AWFUL.
4 Oct 2012 19:50
I am Bury Born and bred,This has ALWAYS been an awful pub.Quite possibly the most miserable landlord in the entire world.And the Ale is poorly kept.AVOID.
7 Mar 2011 20:28
St Edmunds Tavern, Bury St Edmunds
Yes,they've done a good job tarting this place,and its now unrecognisable to what it was.
But does it offer anything new to the other countless 'upmarket' pubs that now seek to serve the 'brown cords from London brigade' in Bury St Edmunds?Well..........no.
And the tariff?Very expensive.
So a nice paint-job,yet strangely sterile and generic in feel.
Bring on the Wetherspoons at the Corn Exchange site,then maybe pubs like this will have to sit-up and start to become more competitive price-wise.
It's high time that English pub culture was given back to the working classes,and these pubs do nothing to do that.
2 Aug 2010 21:38
Visited one hot sunny afternoon in June for a quick couple of pints.Staff friendly and helpful.They Switched on the world cup for me.A good pub for such games if you don't want all the England flag waving nonsense with just a few other patrons in ( The landlady is a self-mocking Scot who doesn't like footie)
interesting interior.good beer garden.
my favourite pub in sheringham.For a tourist spot,Sheringhams pubs are a liitle disappointing.
25 Jun 2010 22:17
Not good.Visited one Sunday June afternoon.Terrible service for a pub supposedly in a major tourist spot.
The food was staggeringly bad.Had a curry which was slop,alongside rice only fit for a rice pudding.Surprisingly expensive for a fosters lager �3.40.Avoid.
25 Jun 2010 22:11
Its a wetherspoons,so fill in the blanks..............
.....I only ever use for daytime pints on a saturday.bog-standard food at cheap prices.cheap booze at good prices and generally well kept.Thus, wide cross section of punters,with the inevitable odd pratt that may freak you out.
I have never had any hassle in here.
1 Mar 2010 17:45
Benson Blakes Bar and Grill, Bury St Edmunds
erm......you wouldn't be the owner, or a relative by any chance would you?....hmmm.
I am not a 'dinosaur'.I regularly drink in pubs,clubs,nightclubs up and down the uk.
My point was that this is basically nothing new or distinctive in itself.
'grew up in one,will probably die in one'.
any chance you could order some Old Rosie in?
Cheers
11 Feb 2010 21:27
Only open 6 weeks or so,but I Like what Roger has in mind for this pub.....guest ales with no frills but a warm genuine welcome.
Roger is a true devotee to real ales and the notion that pubs are for ales/having a relaxing pint or 4.
Dogs allowed.Chippy up the road.near the Rose and Crown.
Its very early days and this place deserves the support of anyone who appreciates good beer.(How about some ciders too?)
I will use frequently.watch here for more of my reviews..................
23 Nov 2009 18:02
Has this place changed hands?(I knew something was up when I saw Korky in the Grapes).....NO MORE HAPPY HOURS!!!(the only redeeming feature about this palce of late)...and,to make things worse....a really bloody rude old gal behind the bar.........i get the feeling I won't be setting foot in here anymore.
Another one bites the dust.................
15 Nov 2009 09:36
Benson Blakes Bar and Grill, Bury St Edmunds
Sorry,but I've lived in Bury St Edmunds all my life,and I have been crawling around its pubs for 25 years....7.5 out of 10 for this place?Truth?its where you go to look at the opposite sex late after pre-loading elsewhere.Simple as.Yeah,nice sofas,'groovy' muzak, blah blah blah.......a nightclub for people who don't like nightclubs.Yawn..................
27 Oct 2009 19:27
The Old Cannon Brewery, Bury St Edmunds
Back again for some birthday grub with me missus.Had a lager that came from nearby village which was surprisingly good!!!Lager in Suffolk eh?.......
Food was good but somewhat measly portion sizes and a '�2 for a side order scenario'.So you don't really know how much grub you'll get if you're new,so over/under ordering is a potential hazard.
I had Venison stew.Flattened in under 4 minutes.
But,hark at me,doing a pub review and going-on about food!.......but that was the purpose of the evening.Think i may use the Canon as an ale venue only from now on.Thats the problem when your girlfriend is a qualified chef I guess!
The Gunners Daughter is superb as ever.Still love the vibe which is a nice,Sunday lunchtime kinda thing.
19 Oct 2009 20:55
The King William Inn, Glastonbury
A very nice afternoon pint enjoyed sitting out watching the people come and go.Quiet,but it was half 4.I looked across towards the Crown,and i was glad of my choice.
Menu looked good too.
Seemed to change character at night,when i was looking over from the Crown.Bad choice.A few locals enjoying a bloody awful metal covers band.
Would enjoy another lunchtime session with no complaints.
6 Oct 2009 21:31
The Crown / Glastonbury Backpackers, Glastonbury
As a visitor to Glastonbury,the Crown initially seems quite an uninviting place if you walk past.
Summer sees the addition of outside tables occupied by local losers,which does not help the rather shady vibe to the place.
It's odd,because the Crown is so close to the George pub that locals tend to walk drinks back and forth between the two.
Added to this is the fact that both verge upon the market square,where many people sit to eat takeaway food or just chill out.
No,not in a rush to go in there again.Not exactly terrible,but it does seem to be a shit-filter for the local drinking population.
As for staying there to sleep?.......I'd sooner take my chances with an advert placed in one of the local shops.
Not bothered.
6 Oct 2009 21:23
The Riflemans Arms, Glastonbury
Visited on a beautiful autumn afternoon.Butcombe for my mate,wilkins cider for me.Both marvellous,and surprisingly cheap at �4.90 for the pair,quite inexpensive.Beer garden absolutuely packed.Well off the tourist route (though its on the way to the tor,kind of),which benefits the quality overall.A 'genuine' vibe to the pub with plenty of friendly locals about.
The best pub in Glastonbury.Will return at will.
2 Oct 2009 19:46
The Beerhouse, Bury St Edmunds
Now been taken over as 'Bar Curvo'.........oh,for Christs sake!!I had to laugh.
There was me thinking I was in a rural Market Town in Suffolk....turns out I'm on millionaires-strip in Miami!
Astounding naffness,but oh-so normal around here now when it comes to pub refurbs these days.Shit.
3 Jul 2009 18:19
The Elephant and Castle, Bury St Edmunds
'Knees up Muvva-Braaaan'!!..........
Well,yet another pub in Bury St Edmunds suddenly totally overcome with Chavs and 'diamond geezers' drinking stella and talking bollox.I can only think that they've been ejected from another boozer elsewhere.
A distinct 'Mockney' vibe in here.utterly forgettable experience.
Yeah,there's a beer garden,but its next to Parkway mini-roundabouts so you'll have to shout loudly at your kids when they're passing out due to the Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
Try walking a bit further into town along St Andrews Street.It'd be a shame to end up in here.
I worry about Bury St Edmunds sometimes.Jesus..........
3 Jul 2009 18:10
Dropped in on a June teatime for a few Wherries whilst cycling around the area and returned once more.
Clearly a pub that makes its money in the Summer Months from passing tourists and visitors to nearby Weybourne beach.
Nevertheless,good ales and an attractive menu.
One foreign barman there was a bit off when my missus 'only ordered chips' and the Wherry was off on my second visit,which was a great shame.
A lovely spot to sit-out on the veranda and watch people come and go.
So,apart from the aforementioned crap customer relations incident,a fine pub which I hope to visit again soon.
29 Jun 2009 17:47
once a great pub with a cross section of punters.Has been subject to constant management changes over last couple of years and its a shadow of its former self,with chavs now gawping at sky sports (hiss) and intimidating people outside when having a smoke out front.standard Greene King beers.I'd go into town for a beer if i was you...........
20 Jun 2009 13:21
Ye Olde One Bull, Bury St Edmunds
once a pub worth visiting off the 'main drag' of Burys pub circuit,the One Bull (Ye Olde has been added in last couple of years) is now food orientated and the place to go to try and pull some older,more professional skirt at weekends.
Most pubs are heading down the food route,sure,but give me the golden era 99 to 04 anyday,when beer and great free music was the attraction to this pub.
this was where all the hardcore ravers would congregate back in the late 80's prior to going out for a dance....ah golden days!
a whiff of pretension adds to a feeling of 'been here before' sterility about this pub.There all going this way baby............
20 Jun 2009 13:05
trendy wine bar,but quite good as such places go.nice dimly lit interior and music.2-for-1 cocktail offer a bit of a fib,as they tasted 98% lemonade with very little actual booze in.would visit again though.
29 May 2009 10:28
Almost at tearoom vibe to this pub.A quiet atmosphere and a nice place to watch people walking by.range of beers available.perhaps ideal for an afternoon drink whilst rambling around York,as opposed to a destination pub in the evening.
29 May 2009 10:20
Visited at 4pm on a wednesday.pub was completely empty,so i hesitate to serve any real judgement on the pub as i feel it would be unfair due to the odd time to visit.Landlord was good enough to switch heaters on though when we nipped out to rear beer garden for a smoke.Enjoyed an old rosie cider,which was perhaps somewhat more expensive than other York pubs.I always find anti-drug posters on pub walls a bit off-putting too.I doubt i could find this place again without the help of a locals directions.
29 May 2009 09:46
A great little pub with bags of character and a cosy interior.Perhaps it is indeed a little odd-looking outside,but do not be discouraged and head right in.Wide range of ales available and a couple of guest ciders were also available.I visited at 3pm on a wednesday and the pub was quite full.Definately a 'destination pub' for me in York now,and a serious contender for my favourite York pub of all.
29 May 2009 09:39
Probably my favourite pub out of the many to choose from in York.enjoyed a couple of old rosies ciders in the beer garden.friendly natives and staff and a good range of ales available.Dogs allowed in too,which is nice.Will def use regularly upon my return to York.
29 May 2009 09:32
The Masons Arms, Bury St Edmunds
RUDE-Jesus,I have never met a landlord/landlady who have such utter contempt for their own customers.
I look fairly average, but anyone would've thought I'd walked in naked when a got that once-over from the landlord as i walked in.
perhaps its just the way the bloke is,but I sensed a definite frosty vibe,and I'm not alone.
Try the Old Canon Brewery if you seek this variety of pub.Better food,ales,service and prices.
If you don't believe me,ckeck-out the reviews on here.
28 Mar 2009 17:24
WORRYING-Well,this pub's apparently on its last-legs perhaps?
Why?
Because I went in teatime,only to be told that most of the pumps were dry and the large vase-like glasses used during 5-7pm happy-hour were only 5 in number.(Maybe order some more from your brewer then?)
Generally,not a good sign.I worry for this pub's future.
Yes, the clientele are clearly 'at the last-chance saloon',but the King's is key in Bury Boozer history and its going down the pan.Well,it would if it wasn't blocked by a massive pile of bog-roll and covered in piss.(Lock missing,obviously)
This pub used to be occupied by a thriving after-work set,but they they rightly cleared off years ago when a new landlord figured that plasma tvs playing shit R n B videos would be better than the original chat and free music.Why do these people even figure that they can make a go of being a landlord?Jesus!
All in all,a past centrepiece of Bury's pubs seems terminally cursed by chavs,closet alcoholics, and shady knobheads in sportswear.What a shame................
28 Mar 2009 17:08
The Old Cannon Brewery, Bury St Edmunds
Well, a mate from out of town decided to use The Old Canon's B+B facility,so I found myself returning to a pub which I've always known was towards the top-end of Bury's range.(See my earlier review below)
This time around,I found myself much more appreciative of the Canon's relaxed and refreshingly Chav-free environment.Very much a 30+ professional vibe in here; refreshing after heavy prolonged exposure to Bury's declining standards elsewhere.(I'm a born-and-bred local by the way)
So, several Gunner's Daughters ensued.Fantastic pints!Then a great meal of similar excellent quality.(nice menu)Friendly 'hassle-free' service.All the beer is well-kept.
Improvement suggestion?How about a good ciggy-shelter?
All in all though,a pub I warm to as I mature from lager-bashing to real-ale fan.
Yeah,its a gastro-pub.But all wares are reasonably priced and the vibe is nice.Will use more.
28 Mar 2009 16:44
Went in around teatime.pleasantly surprised by the mellowness and behaviour of the natives.If this is the case later in the evening,i couldn't say!
Usual great prices and wide range of beers.The usual 'wetherspoons wait' to get served.Wouldn't bother with the food,but who goes to wetherspoons to eat!!!????
Will go again.
18 Mar 2009 21:15
My favourite pub in Bath.
Yeah,the staff are a bit slow,and it is the main gripe of an otherwise good pub.
Here is a pub that strives to keep an individual character and keeps its beer really well.
A bohemian atmosphere and half-decent beer garden.A destination for students a hippy-types with bread t spend.I lived in Bath between 94 and 01 and go back bi-annually every year since.
Try the guest ales or plump for a nice pint of Bath Gem.Beware though,they're not all nice!!
My no.1 destination for a pint when I return to Bath.
21 Dec 2008 19:00
a Cornish Dream.
I used to fish on the rocks whilst camping at nearby Talland Bay and visit the Blue Peter.
I was really into the scrumpy cider here and can just about recall very pleasant wanders back to get my rod after 6 or 7 pints in the Blue Peter.
Yes,its a wonderful place.
Great beer and staff compliment a relaxed atmosphere.A usually half-cut Landlord who loved 40's Trad Jazz has alas been replaced by a more staight guy. Very busy in summer months particularly around meal times.Never ate there.I was always too busy getting greased on cider.
Would've got crabs from off the dock if i had of been hungry.(Not hard in Cornwall in Summer)
If I could have been anywhere on 9/11 it would have been wrecked on scrumpy in the Blue Peter....so its a good job I was!
I will go there again if i have to crawl.
Just go and see for yourself!!!
21 Dec 2008 18:46
Curiously,I 've been a local all my life,but i never seem to even consider this pub.
I've been in a few times over the years.you could do alot worse in Bury I suppose.
Reputedly the most expensive pub in Bury for many years?But i suspect that this has now lost this accolade to one of the many pretentious wine-bars that are opening in the area.
Maybe a pub for a quiet chat with friends before heading elsewhere?
16 Dec 2008 14:46
The Beerhouse, Bury St Edmunds
Now a trendy 'yoof Bar' called the Gaff,on its second Landlord.
Its struggling,with very few punters.
Why oh why do people always aspire to the same old vibe when they take over a pub?.....Habitat furniture,pretentious bottled lager etc and not much else.
There are all these things at many other bars in the town centre.
if you're on your way to the nearby Brazilias nightclub then this may serve as a warm-up beer....otherwise,stay in the town centre.
16 Dec 2008 14:42
pick-up bar for employed Chavs.
super-trendy yet utterly soulless.
bar prices so steep they should call it 'one born every minute'.
Nice birds though.
11 Dec 2008 19:02
just don't!!!!
Go into town centre,but check your bag first.
11 Dec 2008 18:58
Use this pub!
Why?Because it it run by that rare creature.....a Landlord who genuinely cares about the local community aspect of his pub.
Yes,food is available.The pub is used by loyal locals and the beer is good.Lovely in the summer as the beer garden is large and child friendly.
Nice fireplace in the Lounge too.
Has a distinctly individual feel and still feels like a genuine Suffolk pub.
11 Dec 2008 18:35
This place was a trail-blazer for the art of knackering a perfectly good country pub in the pursuit of the food-buck way back in the late eighties.
Not a pub really now.
If you stand at the bar with a drink playing 'spot the local',be prepared to make way for punters ordering over-rated food.
Not expecting a pool table and jukebox to be installed anytime soon.
11 Dec 2008 18:27
Disregard review below-new landlord.
Yet another pub thrown to the restuarant business.
Yes,I know its hard to make a living out of beer....but these places should also serve the local community with a decent pint i feel.
Grew up in Horringer;Lived there for 20 years.
Food varies wildly in quality according to what time of day/week/year that you visit.
Depressing...............
11 Dec 2008 18:21
Once a pub of real individual character,The Fox has come to embody the classic scenario of how to rip the soul from a pub while going for the food-buck.'Diversification'...that's what they call it,right?
That said,the beer is indeed very good.
Not on my radar at all these days.
11 Dec 2008 18:14
A tourist attraction.
Something Greene King have picked-up upon,and duly cranked-up the prices!!�3.20 a pint??Oh,come on!.......
Not the best place to conduct a major drug deal of clandestine affair,as yes,its very small.
Nice enough,but a curiosity at best I'm afraid.
Lived here for 35 years,been in once.
take your camera.beware of frottage!!
11 Dec 2008 18:09
The Masons Arms, Bury St Edmunds
Yes,good food.good beer.Cross section of ages seek this place for quiet chat with mates or a decent pub meal.
Slightly snooty Landlord/Lady who assume you're lying when you point-out you've been given incorrect change.
Very nice beer garden though.
Worth a look overall for early pint or a meal.A 'safe' bet.
11 Dec 2008 18:02
Rose and Crown, Bury St Edmunds
Old-School pub.
If it feels a bit quiet and reserved when you arrive, have faith!
The ales are easily the best on offer in my hometown.Awesome draught Abbot/Abbot reserve.Silky smooth.
Quaint interior,vinyl floors,ladies darts team in residence.
Full of that thing Greene King will regret chasing and ripping out of virtually all the other pubs in Bury......character and genuine friendly landlord/lady.
Don't come here for luminous over-priced cocktails and designer-posers.This is no-bull original Suffolk boozer.
The last of the greats in Bury,my hometown for 30 years.And i love a pint!
11 Dec 2008 17:55
The Dog and Partridge, Bury St Edmunds
One of the oldest pubs in my hometown.
Question:Why are Greene King intent on making all their pubs seem like a naff chain member?
What they've done to the interior in this sterilisation-of-character process is shocking.
But yes,the beer is excellently kept and the average typical age of the punter has recently risen above 6th form age to make this one of the better 'authentic' pubs to visit in town.
Nice large beer garden for the summer too.
11 Dec 2008 17:44
Jesus!!Just terrible!!Well Naff!!a typical small-town chav-fest.
11 Dec 2008 17:34
The Old Cannon Brewery, Bury St Edmunds
Middle class but pleasant enough.The ale is indeed good.A nice interior and good food apparently.Probably popular with visiting townies attempting escape from 'Suffolk charm' on Bury's main drag.
This place is worth a look if you're an ale drinker,and probably is if you're not.
11 Dec 2008 17:31
St Edmunds Tavern, Bury St Edmunds
Once a good local pub tied to Market days on Weds and Sat.
Now a somewhat rough affair,with regular piss-heads holding Court at the bar.
One to avoid.
11 Dec 2008 17:24
Shell-suit capital of BSE.Plasma TVs pump relentless crap R+B satellite TV channels over your head non-stop.
Poor place has deteriorated badly over last few years,to become a haven for the teatime piss-head.
a shame.....
11 Dec 2008 17:21
Benson Blakes Bar and Grill, Bury St Edmunds
When is a 'pub' not a 'pub'?.......
...when it doesn't even sell Guinness!!
A desert for real ale drinkers or people not seeking pretentious cocktails.
bought 3 drinks in here.One was a pint,the other two concoctions of the 'lady variety'......�17!!
One redeeeming quailty is attractive clientele and reputed good food.
One of those bars with great aspirations but nothing of any real class to contribute to a Suffolk night out.
Come here to view contemporary rural mating rituals,not a pint.
11 Dec 2008 17:15
popular with market shoppers on wednesdays and saturday lunchtimes,the pub then evolves into Bury's last remaining live venue of any note town-centre-wise.I think u need to know at least 1 dodgy Metallica and/or ACDC cover to play here!!!
A large smokers courtyard with pool table.late licence till 2 at weekends.
Ultimately 'the' pub in Bury for a drink and a look at 'colourful characters' late at night.
Open all day except Sunday.
My local.
I swear the beer's a bit rough though.
11 Dec 2008 17:08
The White Horse, Whepstead
I'd defo give the landlady one.I reckon she needs it too,and likes it.
23 Sep 2013 17:55