please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This place is now called the Newbury. It had obviously been busy during the day yesterday, as there were glasses strewn everywhere. There is a bar area to the left as you enter and a larger dining area to the right. The clientele appeared to be mainly local office workers, many of whom had obviously had a few too many. Ales on were Ramsbury Gold & Bitter, Greene King The Newbury Best Bitter, Upham Punter & Timothy Taylor Landlord.
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Correction. Guinness is �4.20 a pint. I've now tried the food which is very good. I'd try this place, particularly if you're in Newbury on business or trying to impress your date. It's got more class than any other 2 boozers in the town centre combined.
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The Purple Lounge is no more. It had an appaling reputation as a result of the purple paint fiasco and basically punters voted with their feet.
Now re-opened as "The Newbury" (there's original for you!) it's a smart up-market aiming place with an emphasis on food - but not so much that you'd call it a gastropub.
Beer on pump is Doom Bar and Otter Bitter (nice to see Otter in town again) and the service is good and friendly.
Now the downside. It ain't cheap. Guinness was �4.40 a pint (ouch!) and bitters in proportion. Still it is a very noce pub and, for once, I don't mind paying over the odds for a pleasant place to drink. The guv'nor of the Lock Stock & Barrel could get a few lessons from this place.
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Anything positive I could say about this place went out the door when the Polish people who now own it decided to pain the facade purple- despite it being a grade 2 listed building.
Soo good you can't see through the windows as to what is happening inside- probably because it's empty.
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Got to agree with Chelsea _ Greg,went in there back in november with a mate ,backs to the wall quick drink then scarper!!!
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My earlier comment was based on when it was still the Bricklayers Arms. Can be dead during the day - I've been the only punter in there some Saturday lunchtimes. Beer's OK but the Sky TV screens are too overpowering for a pub this size.
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newbury's only gay bar. whether this is a good or bad thing depends on which side your bread is battered.
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closed down.
Now reopened as Purple Lounge, more of a wine bar than a pub,very nice interiors and a good food.
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i happened to be in newbury last week 15/11/09 IT WAS SHUT!!
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Good lively pub, but they would not serve me tap water and they did not have any beer only larger available. So did not drink here.
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Only pub in Newbury that regularly opens 'til early mornings.
Personally, I'd rather go home to bed.
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Not a bad pub, looks quite pretty, fairly busy but the beer is awful; not looked after at all. We left ours and moved on.
anonymous - 10 Dec 2006 11:13 |
This pub has improved immensely since the new Manager took over. The staff are cheerful and friendly and the service is great! The Manager is gorgeous too which is always a bonus for the ladies :)
The pub looks nice inside and out and the beer garden is having a face lift just in time for the summer! Attracts a good crowd with a really good atmosphere.....S
anonymous - 18 Apr 2006 13:36 |
New managers a bit of a hunk,reminds me of a beefy 'Tom Cruise' from the Top Gun days,think his name is Paulo but i'm gonna call him Maverick. See you sunday big guy, Oh and the pubs had a bit of a new look too and the menu looks great.......V.
anonymous - 14 Apr 2006 14:26 |
Used to be a good bar when Gregg was the bar manager - still on the other hand the takings are up. Now they have a DJ who'd be better suited to an old folks home - Shabba.
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