BITE user comments - Igwinder
Comments by Igwinder
Now a JD Wetherspoon pub, which should mean a decent choice of beer and reasonably edible food. Nice and tidy, fairly busy for a weekday evening.
Hopefully, with decent door staff, they can start to weed out the morons of old as this part of town could do with a decent establishment.
28 Jul 2016 15:35
Slightly more restaurant rather than pub but very pleasant indeed. I turned up with wife and 6 year old without a reservation. We were treated extremely well by the very polite staff who re-jigged and found a table for us.
Beer was 3 hand pumps - Adnams Ghost Ship, GK IPA and Abbots. No great shakes there.
Food was trying to be gastro with very fancy presentation and service but was fairly normal - nothing great but nothing poor.
Overall, a well organised and friendly place for a beer and food. I'd happily go back when next in the area.
8 Jun 2015 12:12
This is on the site of what used to be the Duke of Wellington and there the similarities end, thank God.
The whole place has a steampunk/ shabby chic look and feel with brass chandeliers, old workbenches, beaten up sofas, peeling paint on some walls, bold patterned brand new wallpaper on others. This is entirely deliberate and has been designed to appeal to the growing hipster influx to the East End. The advantages are that clientele are vibrant, cool and well behaved, the downside is the amount of beards and curly moustaches.
Ale is usually 3 or 4 handpumps, generally an Adnams, Doom Bar and some local brews, plus some pressurised IPAs and lagers.
Food is snacky but quite arty and appropriately priced.
The big drawback in my opinion is the 16:00 opening time. I'm sure it would tick along quite nicely with a lunchtime session available, so if the owner is reading.....
All in all, by far the best drinking establishment in the vicinity and will continue to be (until the hipsters get bored and move on).
11 Mar 2015 16:51
Incredibly busy on my visit, but none of the poor service as so many have posted. Service was pretty good considering, with 13 ales on the go.
Thoroughly recommended on any trip near Lime Street.
20 Feb 2014 14:55
Are there two Marquis of Lorne pubs near the Black Lion in Gillingham? I ask because the fatigued old pit I went in the other day was certainly nothing like the reviews below.
Clientelle was mainly old/ mutated/ hammered, ales on offer numbered one (a Christmas ale - in February), interior was in severe need of updating and the side bar was being used mainly as a storage area for excess stock and beermats.
The one plus was the amusing Action Man and Hitler dolls adorning the shelves; almost worth the agony of drinking there. At least the local yoof stay well away as there's no pint smashing the place up when it wont be noticed.
20 Feb 2014 14:48
The Old Duke Of Cambridge, Mile End
Apparently, the old girl has finally sold up to the land developers.
A real mixed bag, this place. Pretty pokey inside but clean and tidy. Big screens showing whatever you ask for. Millie always had nibbles on offer like nuts, sausage rolls, pork pies, that kind of thing, but never got seriously into the whole ale thing so beers were pretty standard chav lagers, Guinness and the odd Sheps or Greene King offer. Clientelle always of the old fashioned Eastender type.
In a different area this pub would not have lasted but is actually the best in the area by some margin. Shame that the ever encroaching Islamic influence will mean that there will soon be no local drinkers in the area anyway. So much for multiculturalism but that's for another forum......
20 Dec 2013 10:48
Pretty average considering the potential. Only two ales on; the Bass being pretty manky, the White Lion Ale decidedly better. The food menu was rather patchy but the food actually rather good. This is a far from awful pub, but if you have (alcohol free) transport, pop a couple of miles up the road to the Brotherswater for a better experience.
16 Dec 2013 16:47
The Brotherswater Inn, Hartsop
Of the 7 or so pubs between Kirkstone and Glenridding, this has to be the best by some margin. Airy yet warm, comfy yet sturdy furniture, 4 ales at all times, an excellent selection of malts, dog friendly (the landlord gets annoyed if not controlled properly and quite right too), great views. Staff are decent, service was fine. Definitely recommended.
16 Dec 2013 16:15
Now permanently closed. Bought by All Saints Church and to be used as part of the social hall complex attached.
20 Nov 2013 17:01
New ownership, thankfully kept (or even improved) the already good service.
4 ales, 4 ciders, a very extensive menu , plenty of room to sit (2 bar rooms, a back room and they will open the restaurant room if you ask nicely), toasy fireplace and a cat happily lording it up over everyone. Child friendly but gets busy in the early evening (as those little 'uns tummies get rumbly), so be advised to book if you want a barside seat.
Overall, very pleasant and no reason to change at all. Well done, Old Inn.
8 Nov 2013 12:12
Maybe a decent pub, maybe not. I will never find out, as I never got served despite a 10 minute wait and noone else at the bar requiring service. The young lady (not) working behind the bar should really understand the basic economic fact that a business cannot make money if it doesnt get round to selling anything.
Aside from no service, the pub had an air of football yobbishness and I would imagine those wanting a good ruck would find the place ideal, if only they could get drunk enough in the first place - not likely with that service.
I would rate it zero, but the hammered chap next to me had the decency to swear at the barmaid as we left, so it gets 1. Sheer quality.
8 Nov 2013 12:05
Decent hotel type exterior acting as a facade for an average interior and slightly poorer service. The barman, although friendly enough, acted as though he had taken a pot of sleeping pills and eventually served my pint of Doom Bar, which tasted as though the pipes had been thoroughly steeped in vinegar for the night.
The only reason I went there in the first place was to feed my young daughter and niece (not the same person; I'm not from Alabama) and the sign outside clearly stated 'food served all day'. To be told that the chef had popped out to 'do her horses' (perhaps for the burger menu?) was poor to say the least. I necked the pint of acetic acid and moved on.
One consolation is that this pretty shoddy place is better than the Masons Arms down the road. Avoid the whole sorry town and go to somewhere like Boscastle or Tintagel instead.
8 Nov 2013 11:56
After a very pleasant weekend in the Cwellyn-owned Big Bunkhouse, I find the negative reviews here a little hard to believe.
The pub is attractive from outside with immediate parking for 3 or 4 cars and plenty of roadside parking opposite. The few picnic tables provide ample al-fresco drinking opportunities. Inside is cosy with low cielings and a fireplace which looks like it would pack a punch in winter. The side room, with its more restaurant feel, is lighter and less beaten.
The staff were perfectly fine; the young French girl (she could be Belgian, I suppose) was particularly polite, the landlady rather helpful with bus info and the landlord nothing like the monster so many of the other reviews make him out to be.
Beer choice was extensive with 7 ales available. Prices didnt seem to be particularly exhorbitant.
Food here is definitely on the gastro side of things and is a little pricey as a result, but you get what you pay for and the Pork belly on Friday plus the roast on Sunday were both utterly delicious. Availability seems to be a bit hit-and-miss (lamb proving to be popular as usual for a Welsh pub) but this is understandable as the majority of the produce is locally sourced.
If the pub does have a downside, it is the pointless advertising screen; either get a proper telly or stick a picture there.
The pub runs the local campsite and associated bunkhouses and farm buildings. The campsite has excellent facilities and the 'no music' policy ensures a quiet atmosphere. The bunkhouse is well equipped but is clearly designed purely as a sleeping place (I guess if you want to relax, you go to the pub) as the diner/ lounge area is sadly lacking in comfy furniture.
Overall, a very enjoyable experience. So much that I have booked one of the farm dwellings with a group of friends. Dont change, Cwellyn, youre doing nothing wrong!
15 Oct 2013 13:01
The Rose and Crown, Hay on Wye
Looks lovely from the outside, but thats as good as it gets.
Landlord told us he was off to walk his dog so couldnt serve for 10 minutes. Told they dont do food (not a big deal in itself) so we asked if we could eat some of our own stuff. After much firing up of cogs in his head, he said yes, but we had to go to the back of the pub, so as not to give others the impression he was doing food (the place was empty and the weather utterly miserable, so he wasnt going to much passing trade).
The one ale he had was off (he warned me before trying it - why not just change the barrel ffs?) and his answer to 'do you have any j2o' was 'I can do you some orange and top it with lemonade'.
Its a shame when pubs are closing down left, right and centre to have a potentially lovely place being run by someone who, despite being friendly enough, could not really give a toss whether his pub lives or dies.
7 Aug 2013 16:50
Despite being a busy Sunday lunchtime, the bar staff allowed us to have some food at the bar. Reassuringly priced, the sunday roast was quite outstanding, the three ales listed in other postings were at their usual standard, the landlord very pleasant and the young lady serving quite lovely. All in all a splendid little pub and well worth a visit.
9 Jan 2012 11:18
Our first evening here as a group of 4 was absolutely fine. the food was of a good standard, the four ales available were equally good and the service friendly. The next day as a group of twelve was a rather different tale. A quick finish up of some flapjacks we had not eaten on the hill was met with more than some distain from the barman (not the same fellow from the day before); not eating your own food in a pub is an understandable rule, to be scolded like children for doing so is downright rude. I finished my pint and went to the Fish, which I can happily reccommend. I suggest others do so until this imbecile starts treating his customers a little better. Would have scored 8 or 9, now gets a 3 from me.
29 Nov 2011 13:08
Different in every way to its neighbour, the Bridge. Nowhere near as homely feeling, this is more than compensated by the better range of beer (Hesket and Thwaites being the main fayre at the time) and the polite landlord, who was happy for us to try samples before committing to buy. Walkers more welcome here than next door.
29 Nov 2011 12:55
A real gem of a pub in the village of Westwell. You will struggle to come across this place by accident, despite being only 10 minutes from the M20.
This is a Shep's pub but do not be distracted. There are usually 3 ales on pump and more available in bottles. Fine unless you are a a total ale snob.
Decor is very pleasant with hops adorning the ceilings, chunky tables and a fireplace (no need to be roaring in July, but I'm sure it will serve well in January).
Outside, the garden is massive, with a stage area (which probably doubles up as a dry area for the nicotine addicts), a bat and trap court , a wendy house for the kids (if you dont mind them getting dirty) and loads of tables and chairs.
The food is really the pub's showpiece. We were a group of 14 and they catered for us perfectly. Meals were slightly generous, to say the least, most of us being unable to find space for dessert.
Special note should be made that the staff were kind enough to open for us the next morning to serve breakfast .We were all camping up the road and the vast plates of sausages and scrambled eggs went down a treat!
22 Aug 2011 16:59
The Sligachan Hotel, Sligachan
May 2011. One night in the hotel followed by a few in the hotel-run bunkhouse.
It seems that the general consensus is that the hotel is in a great location but is sadly let down by everything else and I cannot offer anything vastly different.
The beer is not particularly great and is poorly kept. I had cloudy beer on more than one occasion, caused by the uptake pipe resting in the sediment. The whisky selection is utterly vast; you will be lucky to find a more comprehensive assembly anywhere.
Ther staff were perfectly attentive and friendly, but as they were all female, I would say that.
The toilet block is in a bizarre position in the middle of the pub rather than at one end. The smell, of both organic compounds and the chemicals used to destroy them, permeated pretty much all the bar. Not nice with your haddock and chips. The toilet block effectively creates a back room which contains pool tables and a host of arcade games. A total waste of space if you ask me. If I wanted arcades, I'd go to Blackpool, not Skye.
The food was acceptable but rather overpriced, although not scarily so.
The hotel itself is living on reputation and is massively overpriced. The rooms are nicely decorated and spotlessly clean but are really little more than travelodge standard, yet cost twice as much.
The bunkhouse is decent enough, but needs more toilets. Unfortunately, I had a bunk underneath the sleeping walrus from hell, so I can't comment on the comfort levels as I didnt get any sleep.
Overall, the Sligachan set up as a whole was rather disappointing and seems to be very aware of its captive audience. A pity really; I was expecting better.
10 Jun 2011 10:33
The Wasdale Head Inn, Wasdale Head
Easter 2011 visit. 4 male walkers/ climbers camping at the Barn Door field.
A few facts to start: This pub is under new management. The beers are generally local, but no longer on site. The outdoor toilets are managed by the Barn Door, not the pub.
Now for the opinions. The ale choice was excellent. Dark mild, American IPA and a plethora of tasty Cumbrian offerings were available and the barrels changed frequently.
I personally did not like the seating plan in the main bar area. The four seater 'cubicles' were all too easily hogged by singles and pairs of people. Only the most rampantly outgoing person would ever contemplate filling the spaces. The side room, with its larger tables and more open layout, suits my tastes better.
The indoor toilets (well, gents anyway) were fully functional and clean. The outdoor ones utterly stank, but as noted above, this is not the pub's problem, although it did prevent our group from sitting outdoors.
The staff were a mixed bunch, generally friendly considering how busy it was. I dont suffer from pointless xenophobia, so the foreign staff didnt bother me in the slightest; I could understand them and vice versa, which is all that matters. Special mention should go to June who went so far beyond the call of duty to make sure we were fed and watered (she made space for us to enjoy a full english in the hotel on more than one occasion) that she deserves a medal.
The morning cafe is an excellent idea, but the food is a little overpriced (�3.50 for a bacon sarnie, when the full english in the hotel was only �7.50). I would suggest staff churn out flyers for people in the campsite.
The food was acceptable, nothing flash here, Cumberland sausage, fish n chips, etc. Perhaps the price was a pound or so overboard, but nothing to break the bank. One note however is that the pub added 50 pence on card transactions and didnt take cards at all on orders under a tenner. Please remove yourself from the dark ages!
Overall, the Inn is getting back on its feet and I'm sure it will get back to its glorious best. Please get the Barn Door to sort out those revolting toilets, sort out the card surcharge and please never allow June to leave!
10 Jun 2011 10:09
Wagon At Hale, Chatham
With its semi rural location, generous garden out back, kids mini zoo, playground and a quite tasteful interior, you would think that this place has much to offer. The carvery style food is actually very tasty and service is swift, if slightly inept.
What lets this place down is its attraction to the 'Nouveau Pikey' brigade; fleets of Mitsubishi Warrior trucks, arms and backs covered in children's names and dates of birth (just in case they forget, I suppose), Stella and fags, plus a compulsive trait of making sure everyone else is aware of their existence by swearing, shouting at the kids, allowing them to act like the snot filled Giro fodder they are, all iced with the usual argument about everything and nothing.
Don't bother - a 2 mile drive up Capstone Road takes you to the Harrow. Much better.
8 Aug 2016 13:00