please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Large and busy Wetherspoons. Tables were at a premium on a Saturday afternoon. There doesn't seem to be much competition in Hornchurch. Ales were Greene King Abbot & Abbot Reserve, Ringwood Old Thumper, Cairngorm Wildcat, Dorset Brewing Company Jurassic, Ruddles Best, Caledonian Por La Playa & Goffs Lancer. The cider was Bottle Kicking Cider Company Raspberry & Pomegranate. It was nice to see toilets on the ground level for once in a 'spoons. Service was efficient. Easily the best pub in the Hornchurch/Upminster area.
|
This is the only pub in Hornchurch and the surrounding area that appears in the 2014 GBG.
My first visit last night and I was pretty impressed.
This is an older style 'spoons with a decent selection of ales on the hand pumps. I had several pints of Wicked Weed's collaboration with Everards which was Sir Ryan @ 4.7% and also a pint of Burton Bridge Brewery's Top Dog Stout @ 5.0%.
By 7pm on a Tuesday night the pub was neigh on packed, most tables were taken, food was being served pretty rapidly and plenty of beer & wine was being downed.
It's a shame this 'spoons is so far from my house as it's a cracker that I'd love to have as my local.
|
One of the better Wetherspoon pubs that I have been in (and I do frequent them quite a lot!). The only complaints that I have (and it is the same with all Wetherspoons - is that the clearing up of tables is slow and shoddy and all Wetherspoon pubs are very slow at serving. Need more staff! . Many times, I have sat down at a table to find empty beer glasses, plates of left-over food etc. This place gets absolutely packed out on a Friday/Saturday night, so if you want a decent table and seat - get in there early!!!
|
It is true that this pub has a wide selection of real ales. I think the beer quality can be a bit variable but they have always changed beers for me without complaint. I suppose opinion will always be divided on Wetherspoon pubs which is why the pub scores a bit low, Spoons by their very nature attract a mixed crowd who go to pubs for different reasons. The pub is good for a lads night out but personally I would love to see the place cleaned up a bit. The tables are always sticky with the beer, there are dirty seats and I never really feel relaxed there, particularly if you pop in on your own for a quick beer.
|
The low score for this pub amazes me. They always have large collection of well kept - note that for a Weatherspoons pub - inexpensive pints on, The food is not bad and good value. I've never seen any trouble in there but I suppose you can get some strange types in there. The police did come in once when some students were getting a little over boisterous, but they were no trouble really. I believe that it is in the CAMRA guide
|
paid a visit to this pub early morning bar staff friendly beer ok,only thing that
spoiled visit were a group of people who were unable to string two words together without f this and f that male and female, would i visit again possible.
|
Last week paid a lunchtime visit served in 30 seconds and the beer was topped up without asking and the barman was very attentive to his regulars of whom most are over 60.Beer was good quality and for 189p a pint I hace no complaints of this JDW pub.
|
i get and totally understand this rating the pub is full of idots and most of the staff think they are running the place including one girl who wears so much make up im suprised she can stand, she runs around the place with a face like a smacked backside not really doing much but talking......... they have one under manager that thinks she is a bloke and wants to bar everyone that smiles and lets the scum in that other managers have barred......... When you do go in their on the occassions that the actual manager is in and the decent staff its goo dthe atmosphere is better the staff actually work and the scum that is barred aint in their. other than that it is what it is...... a stop off before you go out thats full of regulars that do not work yet can afford tp get off their faces daily.
anonymous - 11 Mar 2010 17:40 |
Really don't understand the low rating with this pub. One of the better Spoons and certainly one of the best pubs in Hornchurch.
Excellent range of real ale, usual menu and plenty of seating. Visited yesterday (Friday) and whilst it was busy with a mixed clientele the atmosphere was good, the service sharp (at least 6 bar staff and 20 minutes for a mixed grill) and all in all a positive experience.
|
Judging from my visit last night, it's nowhere near as bad as the rating suggests. Good range of well-kept beers sold at �1.89 a pint - what's not to like about that? The pub was busy, but the barman spotted me wanting to order and took his time to recommend one of the beers.
If you have a visceral dislike of Wetherspoons, this place isn't going to change your mind, but I've been to many worse pubs than this one.
|
Been in a few times and beer is cheap and in good condition and the staff are pleasant to me of course you get the usual lonely blokes drinking in there every day and there is a few dodgy blokes who have served time for killing their wives but I have never seen any trouble in the day time I cant talk about nights as I usually stay in.
Wetherspoons are great for a cheap pint what more do people want.
|
Everyone seems to have forgotten this is a spoons. You get what you pay for. IMO the ale is good , the service is OK and if you avoid Friday and Sat night the clientelle is not a problem. Popped in last week to watch the England game - didn't get accosted by Chavs or lynched by 99p a pint alkies. Knockers get over it - if you want real crap go to the Spoons in Romford.
|
Ive never set foot in here. Ive been past it several times at weekends on a bus and there is always a sprinkling of drunken chavs staggering about outside. Probably better to drink earlier in the week.
|
It is interesting reading other peoples views on this pub - which is basically the same as all Weatherspoons pubs. I have always suspected that the real reason their beer is so cheap (apart from the rumour that it is all near the end of its shelf life)is that they hardly employ any staff, and probably pay those they do employ a pittance.
I go here quite regularly, when it is quieter, and there is always a good selection of beers on, and it is quite well kept. Their food is quite pleasant and good value.
All Weatherspoon pubs do have that 'fin de siecle' look about them, but that is part of their charm. I can't stand pubs with fake oak beams and horse brasses that look like they have been designed by the ad men, but enough about Ember Inns....
|
Interesting to note so many moans about the service. Tim Martin doesn't read this site otherwise there'd be changes made. But no, it still takes too long to get served. Typically, there would be four or five waiting to be served and one bar person trying their best. The other three are delivering glasses, bottling up, polishing pumps and anything other than selling drinks efficiently. The managers haven't grasped that if there are customers, the staff should stop whatever they're doing and serve them. Oh and another thing, in order to make sure that they can get away early, they polish the tables and move you down the pub and close off a whole section including access to the ladies', the rear smoking area and the rear fire escape. On Sunday nights, one of the managers locks the front doors, typically at 10.30 (published closing time is 11.30) so that his staff don't have to have the bother of serving anyone else, as they are now frantically doing jobs that should be done prior to the pub opening, not last thing at night.
Having had my moan, when you actually get served the staff are good-natured, polite and pleasant. Most of the time they know what they're doing and serve an excellent pint. There are eleven hand-pumps with ales for every taste. If I ever get a (very rare) bad pint, it's changed without too much hassle. They are currently in the midst of a beer festival where bitter is �1.50 a pint as opposed to (now) �1.90(I've rounded the prices up from the absurd �x.x9). The food's generally as good as you could expect for the price. The Thursday night's curries are brilliant. They do a Phaal every so often and it blew my son's socks off. I thought it was just about right. My wife likes the korma. I just wish it were nearer. Now that the Plough (strangely not in this site's lists) in Cranham has just closed, perhaps Wetherspoons will take it over. I'll certainly go there if they do. I have only one other gripe about JJ's and that is that they celebrate every other saint's day but St. George. Why?
|
Been to jj afew times,half price drinks, people sitting lonely wondering who they are.Early evening drinkers loading up before their clubs.The Real ale of my choice seams to always run out after 1 or 2 pints.Some dodgey old charectors like Johny Baker bragging about how much scrap he sold that week, or Stewy the"Terminator" Plasterer on how many jobs he has started but cant complete.
|
Well my little group happened to be in Hornchurch for our pub crawl that we usually do every few months and I was really surprised to find that the whole layout of the pub has changed. Wetherspoons has added some more high tables, and got some more stools to sit on, and there is also now a sofa seating area at the front. The smoking area is down the back where the kids used to sit, and the rest of the pub is now non smoking, which is great as we don't smoke. You also don't have to breathe in second hand smoke when you walk in through the door. Can't wait for the ban to come in. I asked the manager what was happening with the smokers when the smoking ban comes in, and it appears that Wetherspoons have bought the car park at the back and are going to turn it into a big beer garden. As for the "chubby asian looking fella" if you knew this guy you would know that he knows his ales, knows his lagers and knows his wines, and he is one of the most helpful bar managers I have known (ask staff in the Hogshead what real is and see the reaction you get!). I believe that he is actually Scottish!!! The pub is looking tired and does need a lick of paint to bring it up to standard with the rest of the pubs in the area, and up to date, but then this is JD Wetherspoons.
|
was in here friday afternoon , they have changed the layout so the smoking area is now the old non smoking area , bit strange but month n bits time all gona change , had a pint of fosters a jd n coke n a coke and got change out of 6 quid (70p to be precise).
this is the cheapest pub in hornchurch , and as such does attract a fair few habitual drinkers , but no probs during the day , unless the postman are in , bar staff are bit hit and miss
the duty manager fella everyone moans about isnt that bad sometimes.
the food and the drink are typical weatherspoons fayre but if u go in you get what you pay for , beer and it does some good beer , the decor does it no favours though
|
I used to use this pub all the time, for no other reason than it was cheap and not far from my home and work. But i've stopped going there now for so many reasons. For a start, it smells. And i don't just mean a bit like stale beer or anything, it actually smells like sick whenever you go near the bar. It's as if the carpet is soaked in puke, or the actual bar itself is made of solidified bile. Rank!
It also gets far far too busy, and the lack of music means people chat more which is great, except that the volume of noise generated from hundreds of peoples voices gets so loud that it's noisier than if they played music. You find yourself really having to shout above all the other voices just to get yourself heard.
All of this and you're not even at the bar yet. And when you do, well, thats when the real trouble starts. It's AGES before you get served, and you have to put up with being surrounded by chavs and watching girl after girl get their drinks while a fella in his 20's like myself just gets over looked because i'm not flirting with the bar staff. And as i mention the bar staff, it's worth pointing out just how bad they are. If you get a smile out of these lot, or if they act like they might have a sense of humour, then consider yourself priviliged. The majority of staff here (but mostly just the men) have got some serious attitudes. One chubby asian/indian looking fella in particular is so snide and full of attitude that it can only be for two reasons, 1.He's a nasty kind of bloke, or 2. He's trying really hard to be a nasty kind of bloke. To top it all, this bar man seems to be some kind odf manager and he also can be seen on the door some nights with the bouncers. If there's ever a reason to avoid going near this pub, then that is surely the strongest one.
Avoid at all costs!
|
was in here the other evening , tried a pint of the xmas real ale which was nice and well kept , every pub has its bad days but this has more than the others
anonymous - 17 Dec 2006 13:49 |
I have not been into this pub for a while even though I live close by. I have to admit that I forgot what I was missing. Great ales, great service and a nice friendly atmosphere. After taking a look at some of the posts written by some people I wondered if it was the same pub that I am reviewing now (good excuse for a return visit). The pub is cheap, but at the same time I have found the service excellent. If people don't like it then they can always vote with their feet I suppose as thats what I would do. The staff have changed since the last time I was here, but the managers are all the same apart from the "Harry Potter" lookalike. Everyone calls him Harry Potter aswell. The managers are friendly and helpful and the staff are wonderful. I also agree with the other posters regarding the management style in this pub. It is something I have never seen before in any pub I have frequented. The managers are obviously running a tight ship here as they do not stand for any nonsense from anyone nor will they tollerate anyone being rude to their staff. I think that it is great and refreshing to see that the managers defend their staff in this way. I was also in this pub on Friday 8th Dec 2006 at around 9pm, and I saw the manager personally eject two Chavs who had verbally abused a female member of bar staff. I must say that I did not have to wait more than 2 minutes to be served, I was served in turn and I counted ten bar staff working that night. If I had to wait "30 minutes" for a drink, I would have gone elsewhere and never gone back.
|
Sorry, I meant Friday 8th Dec.
|
Yes, I was in there the night I wrote the review. I was also in there on the 9th December. Three deep at the bar with four bar staff. One of whom took absolutely no notice of the order people had been waiting, if you were female you got served straight away. A complaint was made, what did he do, serve another woman who had got to the bar as he was explaining "It's not my fault". The manager served us straight away at this point [after waiting 30 minutes].
Oh, by the way, the reason it's packed isn't because it's great, it's because it's cheaper than the other pubs in HX. It's like saying The Sun is the best paper because it sells the most....
|
I have to agree with real ale man. I was in this pub tonight and last night and the place was packed out so it can't be that bad otherwise people would not go there would they? The selection of real ciders is really good as I have not seen cider available like this anywhere and it beats Strongbow hands down (it tastes like cider and is strong). They have 11 real ales that a feiendly old man in the corner told me change every day. They have doormen now at the door and they are polite, friendly and actually open the door for you and say hello when you enter and goodnight when you leave. All in all a really pleasent experience. Thommo were you really at this pub when you wrote your review, or where you elsewhere as this pub is nothing like you describe.
|
It is almost a year since I reviewed this pub. I drink in here probably about 3 times a week, and I still think that this is the best place for a pint. The place sells real cider, loads of different real ale that changes every week and the bar staff are great and I never have problems with them. There are about 6 Managers in the pub, so help is never far away, and I have always found them to be polite and helpful. I would suggest to Baz1664 that if he has a problem, he should make a complaint to the manager rather than whinge on here. The overall manager (who I believe is the rather tall chap) certainly does have a no nonsense approach to dealing with any sort of trouble. I once saw him eject and barr someone for life for f'ing and blinding at a poor member of bar staff who was new. Good on him I say. Would you want to go to work and be sworn at like that. It is good to see an employer actually looking out for their staff. Personally I wish my boss was like that, and I think this sort of management keeps out the scallies. The pub is always packed so it can't be that bad.
|
I've just returned from there. What a joke. Service is terrible. It's a shame as they do decent beers.
My friend asked for Okocim and was given a completely different beer. When he questioned it he was told 'Well it's the same sort of beer'. Cue looking to a fridge with about ten bottles of Okocim in it.
They had a fantastic two bottles of Tyskie left when we arrived [19.45].
They need more staff and clued up staff at that.
|
I feel compelled to review this place as it could be one of the best Wetherspoons with just a little effort. I am not a Wetherspoons fan at all but have enjoyed the several visits I have made here - principally because it serves two or more real ciders straight from the container! The atmosphere is better than almost all Wetherspoons - even in the evening the chav count is tolerable. What desperately lets this pub down is the service. All previous comments about the service are true. I was once waiting with about five other people when one of the girls became confused with the till. What happened? The remaining two girls stopped serving customers and the three of them gathered round the till and served no-one for at least three minutes, utterly ignoring several of us pleading politely for a pint. On the plus side, the manager asked a table of drunken Essex meatheads to leave when every other shouted word was f*ck and every passing female received assinine comments. Come on Wetherspoons - sort out the staff and this pub can be great!
|
some of the staff from llyods are going here so hopefully the service might get better and quicker ,
anonymous - 11 Sep 2006 11:45 |
sorry I forgot, at least the stale smell of the bar has gone that only leaves the stale, untutored (cos you cant blame the kids for lack of training and management)and bolshy staff.
|
Could you please explain to me how a friend of mine was called rude by the staff of this "pub" for purely pointing out to the young girl who had walked past him twice, served two patrons that had arrived at the bar after him and then attempted to serve a third patron before he made a comment? As there were at maximum ten people standing at the bar of which only 4 were wating to be served, I find this incredible on its own, However when I went to the bar I was also accused of being rude because I had been standing with my friend? and you wonder why this pub cant earn a casque marque? you never will with this type of service!
|
I have just moved to Hornchurch and I must say that all the bad reviews are a little wrong. I felt intrigued by this smell and the Gareth character, so I set out to find the truth. I stood at the bar by an easel for most of last night, and I could not smell any wierd smell. I got chatting to a friendly member of bar staff, and she informed me that the bar had been replaced a few months ago. I also had the coldest pint of Fosters I have ever had. I asked a manager how the beer gets as cold as this, and he said that Wetherspoons was rolling out some kind of new super cooling system that cools the beer to just below freezing point, so when it is served it is freezing cold. Just what you need on a hot sunny day. They are just missing a beer garden now. When I asked about this Gareth character I was informed that he had been "reassigned elsewhere". From what I could gather this chap is now working for another pub company in a pub called the Golden Lion in Romford. All I can say is people have mentioned things that are wrong with this pub, but at least the problems are getting fixed instead of being ignored. It appears to me to be well managed and in good hands. The bouncers even said hello to me when I entered and good night when I left. Never heard this before.
|
Last time I was in here was about six months ago, but this time there is an interesting smell coming from the bar. It smells of vomit. I thought the smell was there to stop people congregating around the bar, but I was informed by a member of staff that it is beer rotting the bar. I was told that this is being fixed next week. There was a sign on the door to confirm this. I will wait to see if the smell lifts after the "works" are completed before passing judgement. The smell does eminate around the pub, and a few people had complained to management about it.
|
Nice little pub and with decent prices, always worth having a quick drink in. Most the bar staff are polite and have never had a problem getting served. However after a while the pub does seem quite dull and a trip to the other pubs around playing music is always on my mind.
|
I at first thought....mmmmmm, old, smelly...no music.
But after the initial shock you realise its very easy going, not pretentious and certainly not fancy. Lovely pub with really good food for the price. Weekends are banged out but still good and nice staff to boot.
|
this is one of my regular haunts and i do like it here , and the mixed views of gareth are correct , one day hes ok next days hes the sort of person who drinks in llyods , being a regular hornchurch drinker you get to know the staff and the beer and this is a fair pub for a weatherspoons , have eaten in here a few times and ive got to say the food wasnt bad , as usual with weatherspoons you get what u pay for , but the range of real ales and ciders is superb and well kept , and you do get a few chavs on a friday n saturday night but this is due to other pubs being stricly id only , but a nice pub normally
|
Visited today.For a Wetherspoon's it's not a bad pub.Plenty of beers and the staff were very friendly.Only thing missing was Gareth.Seems he has moved on.As the staff said,there are two sides to a story.Yes.Will definately give it another visit.
|
A lovely pub with a relaxed atmosphere, which is something hard to find in Hornchurch. There are no intimidating bouncers at the door and the service is quick and friendly. The food has certainly got better over the past month or so and now comes on time, and is hot. The pub could do with a refurbishment as I have been drinking in here for fove years and this pub has only had some new mirrors up on the stage area. In contrast Lloyds Number 1 has been refurbished 3 times in four years, and it is a hell hole to which only the scum of the universe drinks there.
|
Alright for a cheap drink but you really do 'GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR' in this pub.
They no-longer serve Bacardi & Coke, it's their own brand Bacardi/rum which they don't tell you and it really is disgusting!
The bar always smells as if it's been wiped down with a dirty cloth and is well known for its smell in Hornchurch!!!
|
First of all I would like to say that I use this pub probably about four times per week, because of the range of real ales that they do. I am also not frightened to place my name on this web site when writing comments, so that anyone can respond to my comments. The previous two people have decided to withhold their user Ids and the reason, only they know. I felt compelled to comment as I have seen Gareth in action, and God only knows how he got a job here, let alone a Management position. I have seen him ask a family to leave the pub half way through their dinner as they were 5 mins over the childrens license time limit of 6pm. The man asked to finish his dinner and then he would go. Gareth then said that if they did not go the Police would be called. This was a family with two young children aged about 8 years old!!!! I have also seen Gareth forcibly bring an old man of about 60 to the ground, and then drag him out of the pub by his ankles (Gareth is a big powerfully built chap about 22 years old and the old guy was only small and wirey). I do believe the Police were called by a customer about this incident. Last night I had cause to complain about no toilet paper in the toilets. Gareth spoke to me very rudely, and then ignored me and carried on watching his friend play fruit machines All in all the pub is a great pub, with a large selection of real ales. The staff are friendly, and the other managers enjoy a laugh with all the customers, (the lady manager is very very polite and very helpful) but when Gareth is on duty the staff appear to be unhappy, on tenderhooks and there is an atmosphere about the place. Polite, helpful and friendly was the term one �anonymous� poster said. I would hate to see this persons idea of aggression.
|
anon 27th jul that was one person who said that u made it people [get it right] i have used this pub on and off for years, as the pub managers change so does the pub all i can say is it has been better, as a woman all i can say is i feel safe in there and have not found Gareth or any of the other staff rude in fact they are as helpfull as they can b .
anonymous - 24 Aug 2005 10:50 |
i think what the last two people said about Gareth is totally unnessasary and incorrect. he is a polite, helpfuland friendly man. there are no staff in there that fancy themselves, and all the staff always work hard, the girls do not just stand around and chat. plus if you have got such a big hang up with the staff why do you just stop drinking in the pub. i think jj's is great.the food is always nice, and the bar staff are mice and friendly. the pub is a nice place to drink and socialise, even for the younger generation. there is a good variety of drinks on offer, and your always looking to get a lot for your money aswell as good value. i love that pub
anonymous - 9 Aug 2005 13:55 |
A great pub which caters for every person in Hornchurch, and it is always full on a weekend. You are lucky to get through the door. Managers and staff are great, and you always get served quick, even on a weekend. Food is good, but I agree with what other people are saying, and that is Gareth needs to turn his attitude down a bit. There are some fit barmaids to make up for it though
anonymous - 27 Jul 2005 23:23 |
I have been using this pub for over 11 years, and this is the only place in Hornchurch that I think is decent for drinking. It is clean, tidy, comfortable and presentable. The bar staff are also great, apart from a few lads who seem to fancy themselves, and a few girls who are always talking and do not appear to do much work. All five of the Managers will go out of their way to help you except one called Gareth who can be a little rude and lazy. The best thing about this pub is that there is no music to attract the wrong element.
patty - 23 Jul 2005 18:00 |
the Bar staff are great and friendly and some of them are well attractive, but the manager is well lazy!the only prob is that it is well dirty and the glasses are not that clean.maybe with a different manager this would be the perfect pub
|
I love this pub. Plenty of real ale and real cider, no trouble and no Chavs in sight. The ages of customers in this pub vary from around 25 upwards. All the scumbags in Hornchurch, chavs, and gangster wannabees drink in Lloyds at the other end of the High Street, so this is a nice safe environment to be in.
The food they do is also good and excellent value for money. We often frequent the pub during their Curry and Steak nights.
|
Used to go there during lesons when i was at college up the road.
i still look 15 so i have no idea how i got served back then.
still, was a fairly decent place to have a few bout 4 odd years back, cant say i have gone back there since though. i have have found better places to meet mates in.
if i remember rightly the drinks were fairly cheap, as it is with most wetherspoons.
never ate in there so i cant comment on that.
|
It's a wetherspoons, nothing more, nothing less.
anonymous - 26 Nov 2004 12:20 |
This pub is fantastic. A warm and friendly welcome is given as you walk in through the door. I have also not found a pub that sells the range of beers that JJ Moons do. They have 11 different beers on every time. These beers are all micro brewery beer, not the usual Spitfire or Greene King IPA that you find in most JD Wetherspoon pubs. They have also recently started to sell real cider. I cannot find anywhere else that sells this. I feel like I have died and gone to heaven when I walk in this pub
anonymous - 19 Nov 2004 21:14 |
