please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Wellington Arms was our first stop of a Sunday crawl of Southampton pubs. It's a backstreet corner boozer that feels a little worn around the edges. But it has a decent range of ales and some friendly locals. Ales on our visit were Triple fff Alton's Pride, Red Cat Mrs M's Porter, Brewhouse & Kitchen Double Tide Stout & The Wellie Gull & Fullers London Pride & ESB. Bowman Amerigo was pulled through whilst we were there. I believe there were more ales in the other room. There is no real cider though. Worth the effort to find.
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This is one of very few traditional pubs left in Southampton. No restaurant in sight. When we went in last week there were 12 real ales on sale. I had a great pint of one of my favourite tipples ESB. As a traditional boozer I must give it a 10.
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A lovely old pub, an architectural delight full of old features from I would guess Victorian times. A very good selection of eight real ales in great condition, I had a Black IPA from Tripe fff called Jabberwocky which was a sheer delight. I am really looking forward to going back very soon. Of the pubs in Southampton that i've visited..... and there are lots of tip top pubs there this is the pick. 10/10 seems mean I wish I could give a higher score.
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The best pub I found while working on a contract in the Southampton area for 10 months. Traditional layout with two narrow bars on either side of the serving area, and extra rooms off to the side. Fascinating if somewhat chaotic collection of pictures and bric-a-brac. Incredible range of beers. Landlord is friendly and an enthusiastic quizmaster on Thursdays evenings.
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A good pub for real ales, beer quality and choice. The only downside I find in the times I have been in is the sourfaced miserable older woman who was serving - same woman the four or so times I called who has the attitude to turn your beer sour !
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Absolutely excellent pub, great beers and great atmosphere with log fire burning on a cold winter's night. Having just moved to the area I can feel very privileged to call this my local.
Sampled a pint of Swift One and a Harvest (?) bitter the other night and both tasted delicious. My girlfriend's cider was a little suspect though - perhaps the lines could do with some attention?
I thoroughly recommend this boozer.
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Still maintaining a very high standard. Had a wonderful pint of Flowerpots IPA.
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Excellent pub with excellent beer. Highly recommended.
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I was on a business trip in Southampton and somone recommended the Royal Oak to me. About the only thing to recommend this terrible pub is the strong phone reception that allowed me to get onto BITE and search for something better. Certainly the Oak's one real ale (Directors) was cloudy and tasted far from fresh.
I'm glad I did and I'm really glad that it recommended the Wellington Arms. It's a beer-drinkers delight. There were 6 real ales available from the likes of Ringwood and Brakspear and a few other hand pumps with labels turned round suggested we'd arrived just a little too late to try several other beers, including Old Thumper. Two of us tried at least one of every brew available and can report that each one was beautifully looked after, fresh and tasty.
The pub itself is clean, spatious and friendly with an attractive small paved beer garden at the back. Another pleasant surprise was the affordability of the beer - a great excuse for that last one for the road.
In summary, a superb little pub, the best we could find in Southampton, and definitely worth the 15 minute walk from the centre of town. If only there were more like the Wellington Arms in Southampton!!
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Still excellent as ever with a great range of beers and a landlord who looks like Hulk Hogan.Now a contender for best pub in Southampton.
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This excellent pub hit the headlines in 2007 when it was anointed as the UK consulate for the tiny Carribbean island of Redonda in an attempt to circumvent the smoking ban ('foreign territories' being exempt). While this effort appears to have failed, it highlights the sort of place it is - a proper drinkers pub, with as mentioned a friendly, chatty landlord and a friendly local feel. It stocks an impressive array of Ales - Fullers ESB & Pride, Ringwood Best & Old Thumper, Adnams Bitter & Wychwood Hobgoblin as well as, on my visit, guests in the form of Brakspear Oxford Gold, Youngs Bitter and Triple fff Moondance. An excellent pub that I will definitely visit regularly.
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Visited last Saturday and it's as good as ALWAYS. Robinsons Trouble and Strife & Everards Sly Fox being the pick of the 9 ales on offer. Friendly locals and an enjoyable atmosphere which never seems to change. Will return soon and hopefully catch Happy Bob next time.
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Had a pint of Palmers that wasn't right; turned out it was the end of the barrel and was changed happily and without fuss; next pint was good. Real atmosphere, a really good pub.
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This is without doubt this best pub in the world. Bob the landlord is a fantastic host, always welcoming and has a good selection of real ales that are beautifully kept. The pub has an atmosphere and character that leaves you relaxed before you even sit down. I've had so many wonderful evenings there I've lost count. This is a pub where you can go in and sit down with friends and talk all evening with being drowned out by loud music. There is always a good crowd in and after 25 years of drinking there, I've never seen any trouble.
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Dropped in here for a quick pint last night, the first time for about 6 months and glad I did. they had 10 real ales on, I had the Hobgoblin, excellent. Only wish I lived a little closer. This must now be THE real ale house in southampton, followed by the south western and the guide dog.
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I found this pub by chance, and what a good find it was. Excellent beer (very well kept Ringwood OT), an interesting mix of customers and a warm welcome. Will definitely seek this place out next time I'm down this way.
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Now more-or-less perfect.
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This place was in my copy of the Good Beer Guide from 2003 so, whilst waiting for a gig to start at the Guildhall (about 10 mins walk away) we took a stroll down.
Well worth the walk, the locals were friendly and the landlord was excellent. My smoking buddies made me sit out in the dark beer garden but we enjoyed a couple of well-kept pints of Old Thumper and the landlord let us have a sample of some American beer... it was nice, but the Ringwood was just the ticket that night.
Definitely gonna keep this one on the radar for future raids into So'ton, well recommended.
Lever - 26 Nov 2008 20:30 |
A new lease of life after Bob now runs free of tie. Fabulous beer range, well kept. A gem of a pub.
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In here yesterday, beers were the first five as listed by Trainman below together with Broadside, Oakleaf Nuptu'ale and Hole Hearted, Thwaites Flying Shuttle and Flowerpots Goodens Gold.
Friendly pub, good beer, excellent.
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Brilliant pub good atmosphere and interesting decor. All beers sampled were kept very well only wish i could have stayed longer!!
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This is still a wonderful traditional pub in the heart of a residentual area. Bob the landlord certainly knows how to keep beers at their best. The pub has a very cosy atmosphere and is the best in the Southampton area. You are always assured of awarm welcome.
As a latest news update, the pub has become Redonda's official consulate in the south with the Landlord Bob Beech also received a knighthood from the island's official cardinal, who just so happens to be a regular at the Wellington Arms in Freemantle. Redonda is a tiny Caribbean island of and is just a square mile in size, a remnant of the cone of an extinct volcano rising almost 970ft from sea level.
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First and best pub on a good S�ton crawl yesterday. Adnams Bitter, ESB, Ringwood Best & Old Thumper, Pride, Hobgoblin, Marstons Pure Blonde, Batemans Combined Harvester, & the superb Jennings Crag Rat. Three room pub, turn right on entry to a smallish but welcoming lounge, carpetted except for tiling around bar along which is an iron footrail and barstools, and which ends at the rather quaint access door, full length, olde shoppe style. Opposite are upholstered booth seating and wood tables, the bar counter is covered in old pennies polished to such a high shine that much original coin character is lost but an unusual decorative touch nevertheless. Left to slightly larger similarly furnished public, old tanners are the bar coins here and military caricatures decorate the walls. A nice old fashioned touch is the handbell chained to the bar � �please ring for service�, a piano stands in the rear corner. Further on to a snug with more old military pictures, a table inlaid with chess board & another with backgammon, beyond this to a courtyard beergarden with cast iron tables/chairs and an extendable awning. Even the corridor to the loo is impressive with framed breweriana. Friendly guvnor, very good beer, top-notch pub. Lots of buses seem to go up Shirley road if you don�t want to walk.
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Superb range of proper beer, nice garden. Looks tiny from the outside but is huge inside with lots of interesting little rooms including a non-smoking room!
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Great landlord. Welcoming without being over bearing. Keeps great beer and always serves in the 'appropriate' glass. Well worth a visit.
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Bob the landlord is very friendly and he has a great selection of real ales
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Really great for real ale, lots of guest beers at good temperature. This land lord knows how to keep a cellar, and is friendly without being "in your face". He seems to enjoy his job, and so do most of his bar staff. (this wasn't always the case in times past).
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Friendly local with excellent beer. Non-smoking room at the back and a beer garden. Good natured pub quiz on Thursdays.
Did I mention the excellent beer?
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