please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Sorry to say that I feel money has been spent ruining what was my favourite pub in Bridport. Went in 10 p.m. on a Friday night and there was hardly anyone in there. That says something.
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First of all, disregard all previous reviews of the George, because it is under new management after a thorough refurbishment, and reopened in December 2013.
Locals feared that Palmers would spend a fortune on ruining the place but in fact it has been well remodelled and enhanced without spoiling the pub's unique atmosphere. The management have listened to their customers and understand what makes the place work.
The ale is all Palmers, with Copper, IPA and Tally Ho! on tap. Bar space has been reduced with the coffee machine now on the counter, but there are plenty of tables and stools at the "drinking end" with the extended "dining end" having a good atmosphere, and the kitchen is still open to view. The food is excellent and reasonably priced - ranging from sandwiches and simple pub grub to restaurant standard dishes. There is still a separate "snug" which can be a haven on busy nights, and the place hasn't been as busy or as popular for ages. A great start for Julian and Annette and their staff.
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Old fashioned and amiably scruffy town centre local with good lunchtime food and most of Palmers range on tap.
Gents upstairs and reasonably appointed apart from the fact that the lights are on a timer and there is no movement detector in the throne room. Make sure you make a mental note of where the door latch and paper are stowed when you go in. The disabled loo downstairs is a bit better - if the lights go out in there, just lob a spare loo roll in the direction of the door and they come back on.
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I'll declare an interest - I've known this pub for thirty years or more, and despite several changes of landlord it has always been a bit special to me. So much so that I changed jobs and moved house to be able to spend more time there. In all that time, it has hardly changed, right down to the cracked glass in the corridor, badly altered shelf behind the bar and dodgy painting of reposing sheep.
The current landlady took over earlier this year (2012) and understands the soul of the place well. There has always been a careful balance here between a drinkers pub and a place to eat, with neither aspect dominating, and despite a couple of false starts, the food side is now set to pick up again with the return of the former guv'nor as chief cook.
The pub may be amiably scruffy, but the kitchen is spotless so have no fears about that. If you want a sanitised space with anonymous uniformed bar staff and cook-chill ready meals, Wetherspoons is nearby.
Occasional live music by the likes of Jim Reynolds, Custer's last blues band and other locals.
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Fairly pleasant place to have a pint, but as many pubs in this area very expensive.
At least i could get served in here unlike across the road at wetherspoons
7/10
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Great pub, decent honest food and a top landlord..
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A unique atmosphere and beers were excellent. Nice food (especially lunchtime) The service is a little 'laid back' and all helps to add to the interesting pub experience. Palmers beers were in great condition.
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My opinion of this place has changed. It is totally unspoilt and serves a good pint - although bar prices, like all Palmers pubs are total ripoff. That's the brewery's fault not the publicans...
anonymous - 16 Mar 2010 18:21 |
Visited on two evenings whilst in Bridport for the weekend. Tally Ho was on - in great condition.
As on last visit there was a lively crowd of people - differing ages and styles. We have never eaten in here so cannot comment on the food. I like the place.
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I usually find 'George Hotels' in the middle of towns to be fairly pretentious and dull places, but this one is full of character, serving as a local pub, eating house and coffee shop and doing it all rather well judging by its popularity. It's certainly fine as a pub with a good range of beer and a lively atmosphere.
Floyd - 26 Aug 2009 20:44 |
The George has an air of neglect about it.Last week the barperson was very quick toserve and she was exceptionally polite, the beer was i'm afraid mediocre.this pub probably survives as it is at the hub of the two main streets in Bridport.Having mentioned the streets in Briddy it soon occurs to a visitor how straight and very long the streets are, the reason for this is that the main industry was rope making ( it had to be twined and stretched), rope was called when used to hang someone a "Bridport dagger" oooooh! Gory stuff!
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Awful pub. Ordered a coke and apple juice and x2 meals. Never got given drinks and after half an hour asked for them again and they thought I hadn't paid for them!! I had Lemon Sole, which was awful....was �12 odd and it only came with new potatoes!! Tasteless. My partner had a tuna mayo baggette and it had no mayo!! Never go back!! Very poor service!!
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Best pub of the weekend - and we went to plenty! Nicely decorated and a great atmosphere on a Saturday night - friendly staff and customers - quite a few looked as if they were in from the Electric Palace. Despite only having the one real ale on, Palmers IPA , it was in tip top condition including the temperature.
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Stopped in here for a bite of lunch - decor bit drab but the menu had looked good so we gave it a go. Wish we hadn't. The magnificent sounding fish pie was so foul, I haven't been able to look at another since. The 'sauce' was water with bits of I don't know what floating in it along with the most tasteless fish I have ever had. And it tasted of washing up liquid. One forkful was enough to put me right off. Other half had a chicked dish which did not taste good at all, but nowhere near the fish pie. I asked for the fish pie to be taken off the bill and was met by a puzzled look and it was taken back to the kitchen before a reluctant agreement not to charge for it. Hitherto the staff had been quite good, but didn't seem to like the complaint, which I would be reluctant to do - but this was so bad there was no way i was prepared to pay up and say nothing.
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This pub is very dirty, it has been for years ! Anyone eating in here must have some kind of death wish ! The beer is none to clever.
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This place was a find on a rainy Saturday lunch time.
A good town centre pub that strikes just the right chords. Traditional, but not too much Olde Worlde Charme. Warm, but not overpowering fire going, 3 kinds of Palmers on tap, varied pub menu, a bit crowded but if you were willing to wait a bit a table would open up. The kind of place that makes both a good boozer and good food destination. It isn't spectacular in any way, but it hard to fault.
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Just re-reading my review below about the food and realise I may of given the wrong impression. The food is exactly the kind of thing I want in a pub, good, simple and functional - not a load of flashy rubbish.
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Excellent traditional pub.
We went in on a Saturday lunch time, the pub was packed but the place still felt cozy and the environment was very relaxing. The staff were friendly and the locals exceptionally so. It all made for a very warm atmosphere.
The food wasn't exactly exciting, but it was pleasant and reasonably priced.
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I last went to this pub about 6 months ago and I found it to be a nice traditional style pub. It is in need of some investment though. Very busy on Saturdays.
Staff were all very friendly.
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Health hazard !
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In defence of The George. I have been there several times and it has been fine on each occasion. The food is a highlight with imaginitive dishes in good portions. Indeed on Saturday lunchtimes you have to be quick to get a table. My only gripe is that I hate having to order between other peoples shoulders at the bar, which is the case here. Nevertheless, the barlady has always been attentive and I have never had to wait more than a minute or so. As for the beer. Palmers has never been a favorite of mine so what I have recieved has been in keeping with expectations. Can get crowded. Definitely consider this place for the food if nothing else. Makes a great break from the market on Saturday - but be there at 11.59!
pxk99 - 30 Dec 2006 20:07 |
Beer was like vinegar when I called. �3 a pint for Sarsons and a load of hooray henrys in residence. Probably Londoners done for the weekend acting the squire in front of locals.
anonymous - 30 Nov 2006 21:32 |
A good pint of Palmer's and despite the other comments, it wasn't a rip-off. Perhaps the other visitors had spent too much time in the awful Wetherspoon's across the road.
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What a rip off! Prices that would seem OTT in the capital! The beer was OK but not wonderful. Full of chinless students when I went - all with daddy's credit card no doubt.
anonymous - 22 Jun 2006 23:27 |
Beer prices match central London. Can you believe that Bridport pubs (Palmers ones) now manage to sell lager at �3.15 a pint! Too cliquey by far. Food suspect.
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