please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
What a massive shame. Im from Southend, although I havent lived there for 10 years, and I feel that this is a great loss. It was my old college haunt. There was never any trouble and there was great beer. What a shame. Southend, as if it sould shoot itself in the foot any more has done so. God bless the C&C. Sam
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Gutted, was a nice place as well. Damn you non-smokers to hell! Rahhh! ;)
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Pub is now closed - the pub clearance sale took place Sunday 1/7/07. I sadly never had the chance to drink in the C&C but it certainly looked a bit special with all of the beer memoribilia over the wall.
Oh well, another unique pub gone and yet more chain "tripe" to follow i presume. Ho hum, the quest continues.
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What nonsense from "boozaaah". Pubs aren't obliged to "accomodate" - or even accommodate - smokers. They could at least have tried it as a non-smoking pub to see how many new punters they got. Also, according to "essexblade" it's closing 30/6 not 30/7.
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Unfortunately this great pub is closing 30/7/07 due to the stupid smoking ban - there will be nowhere to accomodate smokers due to victoria circus being redeveloped to include a roof
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pub is closing on sat 30th june
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It's not closed yet, I visited it on Wednesday last.
Because of the continuing redevelopment of the Victoria Plaza it's difficult to find, particularly if coming from Victoria station as the stairs from there bring you out way above the lower ground floor.
Still an assortment of real ales, always a Nethergate.
According to the Tap Room newsletter it's due to close at the end of June so go there now while you can.
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A local contact tells me that it has indeed closed recently. A great shame as it was by far the best real ale pub for miles around. Fortunately I don't live in the area anymore, in fact I had my farewell bash in this pub.
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Just read in the local press that it's closing down - a great shame.
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I use the cork regularly. It's the best pub in town. Real ales and a traditional pub atmosphere. Food is ok and prices are great value.
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Visited on 23/12/06 and enjoyed the Nethergate IPA which was on reasonable form and, of course, a bargain at around �1.65 per pint. The Dark Star Original, although admittedly on 7/10 form, was still quite drinkable, flavoursome and a pint not to be rushed; the best beer in my opinion was "Britannia" by Buntingford which was a good all-rounder packed with flavour.
It was a good, enjoyable session, I think ncshepp (15 Dec 2006) must have been on a bad-beer day - all pubs have them - visit again!
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This is a pub in a shopping centre and as such is very claustrophobic. The beer is very badly kept, never has a head or retains one and the head never sticks to the glass. Most beers taste stale and even beers you are familiar with taste better elsewhere.
The landlord refuses to give tasters and the staff have no clue about the beers they are selling, how it won pub of the year is beyond me.
It has obviously sat on its laurels for a few years and allowed standards to drop to an unacceptable level.
Recommendation�give it a miss!
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Having enjoyed visiting this pub on previous occasions I was unable to locate it this afternoon. With the reconstruction of the concrete hellhole I couldn't find a way to get to the lower level and assumed that it had closed. Glad to hear it's still going though.
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A fantastic find. Only discovered the pub through this site, and others recommendations on here. As said previously, an absolute gem!
Again, it's a great shame about it's location, but once inside, who cares...friendly bar staff, good value food, and regulary rotated real ales.
We now get down there as often as possible for a drink and game of darts.
The only good thing about it's location, is the easy public transport links.
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Why this pub is situated in a heap of a place like southend I do not know. Only just found it due to the concrete jungle of Victoria Plaza being under either refurbishment or demolition (not quite sure which) but once inside felt quite at home. Barman very friendly, good choice of ales but only 3 real ales on view and one had been drunk. Memorabilia in the pub is great with walls decked with bottled beers, pictures, awards, beer pump labels and interesting road signs!!! A good ambience and recommended if only it was somewhere else other than SOUTHEND!!!!
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Cracking boozer, a jewel in an eysore of a town centre, and a pub this town centre does not deserve - a real gem, with good cask beer, Belgian/Dutch bottles, and friendly staff. Don't take anoy notice of the "full of old men" comments, as they're obviously made by someone raised on alcopops and cheese pasties.
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The shopping centre is just scary.
The pub is a gem though. Good range of beers (of vaying prices Nethergate IPA - �1.55!) and nice toasties.
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There should be a sign near this pub that reads:
For using your credit card so many times, abandon the wife and kids on this shopping trip to Southend and leave her outside in the desolate, wind swept concrete monstrosity that is Victoria Plaza. Head for the bar at this great Ale house and wallow in the fine beers that remind you of the days when you were single and had money in your pocket!
anonymous - 5 Apr 2006 11:35 |
Tried it for the first time on Saturday lunchtime. Nethergate IPA and Ramsbury Gold were both excellent. Top marks.
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This looks like a proper pub once inside (not too promising from outside) with memoribilia and plenty of wood. Had a taster of both the stout (Highgate?) and the Nethergate but neither impressed. The Gem from Bath did though otherwise it would have been the Bass.
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Big place, a bit scruffy and mainly elderly male clientele, but that's what you'd expect with this range of real ales and (at the weekend anyway) no food. The Nethergate IPA was wonderful, and cheap. Friends had the Yellow Snow but I found the name offputting! Go to this place while you can, because it's rumoured the shopping precinct that houses it is going to shut down soon.
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Southend's finest pub, and not only by default. Great beer, good service, and friendly atmos. I've never seen the 'pervy old men' that tash_xx refers to, just a bunch of fairly normal-looking people not looking for something other than lager and a shouting match.
If they could sort the speakers for the jukebox out, it'd be even better! 10/10, though.
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A superb range of ales last night. The Nethergate IPA, at �1.55 per pint, represents the best value around, and was a pleasant surprise. A Dark Star beer came on last thing, and was excellent. Tring Snowflake not too bad.
Perfect?
Would be if the last train back to London was at 2330 or midnight!
Can't recall why I only gave it 8/10 last year - 10/10.
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full of old pervy men, do not go in here if you are a under 25 year old lady!! and several of them hadn't washed in wks. only go in this place if you desperately need the loo and dont want to use vic circuses own loos
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Deceptive location of a shoddy shopping precinct hides this fine alehouse. Wanted somewhere that sold a decent pint after the Quakers game and was recommended the Cork. Biggish interior, fine and varied ales on offer, decent friendly folk, standard and good value grub. If i lived in this part of the world this pub would be a regular haunt of mine.
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Certainly one of the better pubs in the area. Good beer. An asset to Southend. Will give it a 7. Would normally have been a 6 but given the very poor standard of the other places I've visited in Southend I think it only fair that this place should shine a little. Well worth popping into.
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Visited on 23/12/2004. The good news is the pub is still open and the threat of closure is believed to have been lifted - for the forseeable future at least. The locals who drink in the Cork & Cheese are as friendly as they have always been, some would say, friendlier than the staff, and a choice of up to four beers changes constantly.
If, like me, you are visiting from London, NOTE that the last train back is 2306 from Southend Victoria, and usually leaves promptly!
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yeah, it's a great pub in the town centre, but located in an odd place, sometimes too many students spilling over from the Art college. great for ales. fruit machines are fixed here - beware.
Richard - 10 Sep 2004 00:11 |
Finally had a chance to visit this pub - and certainly worth it. To echo earlier comments, at last a decent pub in Southend!!
Definitely worth popping by if you're in the area - it would be criminal if this was shut down!!
7/10. (Would be 8 but the barman insisted on showing a friendly footy match rather than show England thrashing the Windies).
Darren in the City - 3 Aug 2004 14:04 |
ALERT!
This pub has been threatened with closure due to redevelopment of the Victoria Plaza. Urgently petition the local authority and, above all, VISIT THE PUB while it lasts, as this is one of the best pubs in Southend.
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Agree about the guest ales - saw a sign in there that said they'd had over 2500 guest ales since 1991. Not bad going by anyones (including my very high)standards.
However sometimes they have bands on which are so loud you have to shout in the person next to yous ear if you're sitting OUTSIDE. Sit inside and your hearing will be permenantly damaged. As long as you avoid the bands though this pub is worthy of any Southend pub crawl.
Django - 11 Apr 2004 19:26 |
A little oasis in a town that's now something of a beer desert. 5 or 6 constantly changing real ales on handpump. Had a splendid visit on 23/12/2002 and enjoyed Mighty Oak "Bingle Jells". The pub is hidden in the Victoria shopping centre. You will need to go down into the basement level to reach the pub. There's a variety of recorded music, and a buzzing atmosphere. Pump clips adorn the bar, and the walls are bedecked in old London Transport advertising posters. A must if you are looking for a decent pint in Southend. The good beer guide agrees this is the best pub in the town.
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