Book Reviews
Bars Pubs and Clubs by TimeOut London
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Editor: Simon Cropper Price: RRP £9.65 Pages: 288 |
Publisher: Time Out Publications (2008) ISBN-10: 1905042183 ISBN-13: 978-1905042180 |
| Bars Pubs and Clubs by TimeOut London, 10th edition. London based, this book claims to be a guide to �over 1,000 of London�s finest gastropubs, destinations hotel and cocktail bars, real ale taverns and late-night drinking dens�. Split into 11 key London areas (eg. North, Central etc) the book is a detailed, coherent and easy to use guide which aims to offer impartial critiques of some of London�s most popular drinking spots. As our Beer In The Evening website is based on public reviews, I wanted to check out whether the same premises had similar reviews on our website as in the TimeOut guide. This way I can find out just how accurate the guide�s reviews are in regards to reflecting public opinions. Obviously if they are similar, then the guide proves to be reliable. There were some discrepancies between BITE and the guide, and often some of the positive points the guide reported were in fact considered negatives by BITE reviewers. For example, The Hawley Arms in Camden in the guide is described as being �as homely as it is trendy, with nostalgic childhood tat nestled alongside dedications from the likes of Razorlight and P�l�.� However, the fact that the bar attracts celebrities is considered negative by a BITE reviewer who says that �now it's been 'discovered' by Kelly Osbourne, Amy Winehouse and those sad bastards it's got its head up its backside. The last Saturday I went they even had a cordon outside and a doorman, choosing who should and shouldn't be admitted. I wasn't cool enough.� Other Hawley Arms reviewers say similar points, however, they also say how crammed it usually is which implies that for a lot of people it is still a very popular hangout, if only for a particular crowd. There are many other small inconsistencies between the two, but overall I would say that most the time the guide is spot on. Where reviews do differ is due to personal tastes, and often there are agreements to balance the negatives out. For someone like me, who having never really been out in London to go drinking/ clubbing, I would find this guide very useful. Not quite pocket sized, but still small enough to take out, there is a wide range of destinations to suite all tastes in all areas of London, whether you want a traditional pub, or a trendy bar. There are not photographs of each place which could make them harder to spot and to decide whether or not it looks suitable for yourself, but the positive of this is that you may feel inclined to go to a pub or bar you would never have thought of going to before. Most reviews give an idea of what sort of prices drinks and food are so at least you can get an idea of whether it is in your price range! The guide does not just have descriptions of each bar/ pub, but also at the back there are indexes for specific bars, and also specific requirements including haunted pubs, internet access, gay and lesbian bars, pool tables and even places that have poetry/ spoken word events, plus many more. The guide also comes with 19 pages of maps where I believe all, if not most, the pubs are situated so you do not have to rely purely on your own knowledge of London street names. There is also an underground map, a must for anyone who does not know the system inside out. My verdict? Well, at under a tenner for a compact, helpful and diverse bar/ pub/ club guide of London, you cannot go wrong. I will definitely be armed with this guide next time I head off to London. Summary
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