Top End Bar, Ashton under Lyne

Very funny indeed Caskales. Nicely done, I'm sure you have hit the nail on the head for all the BITE reviewers who actually go into pubs!

7 Apr 2020 15:49

The Bear, Crickhowell

I stayed here for a few days recently and it wasn't quite as 'good' as I'd hoped. But plenty of plus points.

Imposing building - there's been some form of inn here for the best part of 600 years and current building is clearly a seriously old coaching inn. The main building is across a couple of levels with the usual small flights of stairs between levels that you'd expect in a place of this age. There is a separate restaurant but one can eat in the bar areas too. The bar areas themselves are large so drinkers and eaters are well catered for in terms of space. I stayed in a room in the 'annex' next door - I expect a converted stable block in an attached imposing courtyard. My room was large, clean and comfy but the furnishing seriously out of date. Good bathroom though.

Inside the main building - low ceilings, dark beams and so on, all as expected in a place this old. But it struck me as bit gloomy rather than 'olde worlde' - perhaps some lighter furniture may help. That said - pleasant atmosphere.

Bar service - as mentioned, the drinking area is spacious but the serving area is pretty small and four or five punters at the bar soon overwhelm the rather inefficient staff.

Ale - lacklustre. On one night had a pint of Rev James, sadly undrinkable. Sent it back and got a pint of 6X - that was adequate at best and they didn't turn the Rev James clip around. A pub like this should, in my view, pride itself on its ale; they didn't.

Food - poor experience in the restaurant, too many things to moan about to list. In the bar on another night it was very good - a decent steak from the highly rated butcher which is 100 yards from the pub. Nice :-)

Its still a 'six' overall from me and worth looking in if you are nearby - Crickhowell is lovely and a superb spot to explore the Brecon Beacons.

Last and least, I've been posting on this site for knocking on 14 years I think. There were a few posts in 2012 and 2014 that on reflexion were probably a bit ill advised and "up my own arse". But I think this is probably my penultimate post - sorry its long and rambling, but the intent of BITE was (and still should be) to allow people who actually love pubs and go in them to pass on their experiences to like-minded individuals.

9 Jan 2020 18:54

Bar Txt, Croydon

Just an update on the status of this place.

It had been well and truly closed up for long over a year but happily reopened a few months ago. Its now called 'The Joker' and is an 'off-shoot' of the pub in Brighton of the same name.

I haven't been in yet, but whenever I go by it looks pretty popular.

I'm having a dry-ish January but will go in soon and post a proper review; I can only score it '1' as I haven't been inside. In the meantime, its good to see a long closed pub come back from what appeared to be permanent loss.

9 Jan 2020 12:51