please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Cracking pub serving its own ales as well as a variety of guests. The Sunbeam was excellent. The Blue Bell Brew House ales are reasonably priced at £3.10 per pint. Food is also excellent - proper home-cooked food, also at reasonable prices. Handy for the Transport Museum at Wythall. Well worth a visit. 10/10.
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went here with wife, two friends and our son.
our son had a curry, the rest of us had mixed grill.
the mixed grill was enormous.
all meals tasted great. nice range of ciders, and guest ales.
all the staff were friendly.
pub and garden very clean, and tidy.
other guest were very friendly.
we shall be back
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The bluebell now has it's own micro-brewery, brewer is mark shepherd brewer at the lamp tavern(rocking blues brewery). A few test brews have taken place, all beers have motorbike themed names. This weekend we had Harley barley a very nice 4.6% light beer with very nice hoppy finish. Looking forward to many more. Since the change of landlord , Alan has turned the bluebell back into what it used to be, a very popular local pub serving good beers and food
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I've mixed feelings about the Blue Bell. It sells real cider - always a novelty this far north. It's popular - a good sign in itself, plus it means the cider is fresh. But the decor is dated, and the three parts of the pub (bar, lounge & conservatory) feel disconnected. I visited on a Monday evening hoping to grab some food to accompany the cider. The place was busy, but the surly barwoman just grunted 'don't do food on a Monday or Tuesday' when I enquired. No reason, no apology - bit mysterious really (given how busy it was). I didn't bother pointing out that food service times on the website might be a good idea. Still had a good pint of Thatcher's, then went on in search of food. A bit of love, a bit of service, put the customer first and my rating would jump up.
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Hey spankingwitch7 must have had such a good time she registered herself (witches are usually female) on this site just to sing the new landlords praise!!! Good for her, although having only just moved into the area she'd already heard what she describes as disgraceful things about the landlord!!! So it would seem things are now OK at the Cider House, the staff are both welcoming and polite, the place is fantastic apart from the new Landlord being a Geordie - Strange the witch decided to joke about this? But still I don't mind Geordie's so to be fair to the new landlord I'll give the pub another visit if I'm passing. Maybe he or a member of his newly trained polite and welcoming staff will recognise me in my cloak waiting to be served . . . . . .
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Having just moved into the area i decided to try the blue bell. Found it has recently changed hand. The things i heard about the old landlords were disgraceful. I found the establishment clean,tidy and the barstaff very polite welcoming look great just fantastic! I have nothing but good words for this place and all you who have put bad reports need your head read. try the bulls head i would have took a tinny to ikea and drank it there!. will definatly return this place was fantastic and the new landlords are wonderful people (despite being geordies)
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Visited this pub several times lately for the Sunday carvery. Great value, great food and carved and served up by nice people. Inside the pub the staff behind the bar with the exception of one lady are sullen, lazy and rude. If your not a regular known by them you'll stand a long time waiting to be served. Its a shame really because this pub has a prime location next to the canal. Carvery 10/10. Bar service 4/10.
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In reply to john harley the pub has 3 different lagers,3 cask ales,8 draught ciders 4 are traditional the visits we have made to the pub since january have been very good . The outgoing caterers have decided to give notice to leave the pub,they have not been given the push as you state!
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What on earth has happened to this pub? The beer which used to be excellent is now undrinkable. A shame as this used to be an excellent pub for food and drink with a great atmosphere, it's non of those now!!! The only thing going for it is the Cider.
Note - The food is next, the people doing the catering iare being given the push...
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nice summer pub, good range of real ciders.
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Went for the fist time tonight to this pub I had heard so much about. Found the staff very helpful when it came to advice on the ciders of which there was a pretty good range. Simple, unpretentious pub that is cozy and inviting. Nice to find a country boozer that has probably hardly changed over the decades. Gastro pubs are fine but if it's a good range of beers you're after in traditional surroundings you can't go wrong with the Blue Bell.
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Lol. In 2 mins Andyshanter read everyone elses comment and posted another one, lmao. Arent you the barmen Bens freind trying to blagg off other people honest comments on behalf of your mate. I suggest Ben make his own comments instead of using either other people, or fake profiles, to do so. The pub is FULL of wackos.
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Just read more comments after posting mine and can't believe you are talking about the same pub! Either it has improved dramatically after all these comments (unlikely as my first visit was April 2009) or you are all mad / liars!! The food is brilliant, the place is perfectly clean, there is frequent entertainment. This is a good, proper pub, I think you should all stick to Weatherspoons!!!
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I think Sarah 1x1 must have gone to a different pub (or works for one and trying to rubbish the Blue Bell)!!
Never had anything but the friendliest service here and the Sunday lunches are the best in the world!!
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Crikey. I have wanted to go here for years having be a regular at the sadly missed Butchers Arms, Stoke (nr Bromsgrove).
Cider pubs do attract their eccentrics.
I'll give it a go anyway, Sounds entertaining.
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What you have to understand as a retail worker myself is... the main priority when working with the public in any sector is customer service. The customer comes first. It is not acceptable for paying customers to have to endure bitchiness, poor service, bad food, poor hygeine in any establisment. If jealous barmaids ect feel this way towards attractive women they should not be working with the public its as simple as that. Their are many attractive women everywhere we go what are they going to be jealous of ALL of them. Also another thing to take into account is the customer pays their wage and with a pub like this one they should be greatfull for any custom. Maybe female staff should find employment they can actually cope with.
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The place is full for carvery on a sunday, yes. Full of p-ensioners that cant get very far. They have to have something to do living in the country, just a shame they are greatly taken advantage being fed garbage.
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The place was full of punters on a Sunday afternoon - queues for the Sunday buffet @ � 6.50. Thatchers Dry Cider very enjoyable.
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I am local to this pub and myself and my family have frequented this place for years. While I do agree that the food is goddamned awful I have to take offence that the people are degenerates and while some of the female barstaff can be bitchy (as you get at ANY pub) the regualar patrons are simply there to have a good time and a laugh. The Bluebell is an old-school pub as opposed to other pubs that have for all intents and purposes 'sold out' buy trying to be trendy. You get what you come for at the Bluebell and many people love the place, not JUST locals.
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I agree some of the women have jealousy issues, and are very possessive and insecure, I also agree its not very clean, the food is awful apart from the chips, and is very boring and uncomfortable, all there is to keep you occupied is get pissed really, its mainly work men and old folk though who I thought were locals, but most arent locals, most locals wont use this place. Best off going to the bulls head, in fact the only thing this pub does have going for it is the cute barman, lol, I am still trying to figure out what hes doing there. But the bulls head is a much nicer place if your in the area, damn what experience did you have there then? this pub has a very bad reputation if I had known I would never have used it.
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Only if the truth is harsh Ladydonna.
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Stevey8, while I do agree with alot of the reviews regarding this pub that's a little bit harsh dont you think? lol.
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My friend and myself used this pub for a while... Terrible service, dirty, awful food, vile customer's. A collection of insecure, posessive, jealous ugly women desperately trying to hold on to their alchoholic partners convinced any other women that use's this dump will steal them, but just one look at any of these customers will tell you otherwise. Jealous catty female bar staff, sex starved men hitting on anything with a pulse, awful atmosphere, boring, absolutely nothing going for this dump, drug use in the car park. What a collection of total losers, how these degenerates can try and put others down is beyond me. Can see why trade has dramaticaly dropped. TERRIBLE PLACE.
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and boy did i get a feel for the locals alright. what a collection of troubled bitter people. although there are an odd few nice ones, the majority are vicious alcoholics. it wont be missed.
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meant to add theres no staying sober in this pub, its that boring and depressing all there is to do is get drunk, you cannot be sober around these people and around this place.
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I have to agree with Sarah here. i used this pub for a couple of months I had newly moved to the aera and wanted to get a feel for what the locals were like, and I have to say the food is awful, poor service its surely not first come first serve. the smell was so bad i used to have to spray my body spray around wherever we sat, no entertainment, not even background music, and ladies do not go in their without male company you get hit on by old fella's old enough to be your dad/grandads. Very much jealousy going around in this place, most uncomfortable clicky atmosphere. alcoholic paradise. some of the staff have attitude problems. Awful. theres much nicer pubs to go to if your in the area.
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and forgeting to mention the smell. it seems most go in there straight from work and the smell of dirty feet and sweat is sickening. hippies smoking weed outside. sexual harassment from very old unwashed men. if your in the area i could recommend the bulls head. clean, nice food, nice staff. much more pleasant worthwhile place to go with beautifull veiws from the gardens a much nicer class of customers.
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dirty dusty glasses, overpriced beer. extremely uncomfortable clicky atmos. braised beef in yorkrshire tastes more like tinned stewing meat. although well presented steak meals have an odd taste. carvery meat is cooked on fri for sun and is dry chewy and salty ants crawling in the sauces. baggettes were hard and tough to bite with yet again dry salty meat and for some unknown reason cheap salty crisps on the side. catty female staff. full of alcoholics. awfull was most unimpressed.
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Called in while doing a tour round Good Beer Guide pubs in the area, and found this to be a delightful pub by the canal. ovely warm fire, and it was great to see a guest real ale from a brewery that was not run of the mill. Good quality ale too.
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I think BeerBolshie is talking out his BeerBackside. Come here if you like your draught and bottled ciders (they might still sell bottles of Headford Ridge - mucho bueno). The ales normally pass the test too. MASSIVE SANDWICHES big enough to blot out the sun. As its near the canal you do get some mono-browed 'river-folk' but they need to write folk music somewhere and why not here. You also get your amateur Bell's Angels and other assorted petrol-heads in the bar so you may want to check out the quieter lounge.
That Brummie girl must have been a good shot - she should charge for that kind of thing or maybe BB just got confused when he got his head stuck under the cubicle door.
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BeerBolshevik - you're certainly not talking about the same pub I know and have been frequenting now for many years. Never known a problem with cleanliness, service or especially the excellent quality of beers and ciders there?!?
As for the female contortionist.... if true it sounds like an impressive, if rather unlikely feat given the layout of the loos and windows!
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What a hole
Dirty Glasses, saw a bird taking a piss out of the toilet window one night!
total dump, beer is crap, poor service, generally shit.
good selection of scratchings though.
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Frequented by (friendly) ageing bikers amonst others, The Blue Bell is very popular for its traditional ciders, real ales and good value grub (including the generous Sunday carvery).
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A true country freehouse with an ever changing selection of real ales.
Good value basic food like bacon sandwiches.
Popular with the locals, you'll usually find a tractor parked outside.
Summertime has the garden alongside the Stratford upon Avon canal and for wintertime, roaring fires. Superb.
Jeffrey - 22 Sep 2004 21:32 |
Stratford Upon Avon Canalside
Thatchers Cider on draught
Faggots Peas and Gravy
Liver Mash and Onions
doorstep sandwiches
planetearthisblue - 21 Sep 2004 08:04 |
