please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Sportsman appears to be the best pub in Croxley Green. So, we'd saved the best until last. It seems to have a loyal band of regulars. The ale selection is certainly the best in the area. Sharp's Doom Bar & Oakham JHB are the regular beers. Guests were Paradigm Juxtaposition, Mad Squirrel De La Crème, Mauldon's Eatanswill Old & Branscombe Branoc. There was also a real cider, which was Lilley's Rhubarb Cider and a full range of Saxby's bottled ciders in the fridge. Decent pub.
|
I must agree with you same old beer week after week , you can tell its tapped and put straight on the bar! ESB had not dropped when i was there, was told by a local that the owner has a transport business in spain, so the old manager and his mum are at the helm now . If its run like it was the first time he went away, he wont be gone long!
|
Just come back from sportsman but something is not right! . A number of beers on but tasted bland and not conditioned any ideas whats going on ??? they couldnt have won watford & district poty with the offering i just tried. Come on guys i love this pub
|
Its two years since i used this pub went in on a Sunday night 3 beers on, that went down to two, and didn't get replaced, complete idiot serving, the manager with the bald head was the loudest drunk in there BUT WOW WHAT A CHANGE went again as my local was closed for refurb. Six beers on all in good condition from cornwall to staffordshire old manager still there but now kept on a tight leash! a local told me the original people are back running it . Please keep it up, best ale pub for miles !!!!!!
|
Can't believe I've never reviewed my own watering hole. This is pub of the year locally. Not hard to see why. There is always an excellent selection of real ales on offer - six as often as not. If you like the lighter hoppier ales, then they invariably have the likes of a Quadhop or Hophead or Citra type beer on. Look out for the brilliant beer festivals they hold twice a year. There is a friendly, welcoming family feel to the pub from Jason, Tracy and Dan and all of the staff. And...they even let Dan loose with a paintbrush recently and so it has had a lick of paint.
|
Visited a couple of times over the weekend, drank some great beers D/Star,Oakham and from Tring all in excellent condition . The pub was having a mini-referb . The landlady with the attitude has gone!! Jason ,Tracy & Dan are restoring the sportsman to the proper family run pub it was .
|
Excellent pub with consistent quality real ale.
Good links to the local community make it a valuable asset to the area.
|
I have known this pub for circa 28 years and think that it is, by far, the best in Croxley. The staff, including the landlady, are always extremely friendly and the landlord and landlady do much to support the village. The beer is always very good with some excellent Cornish beers in recently. The customers are an eclectic mix and are always friendly. It is the sort of pub where you can sit in peace or join in the conversation. In short, it is almost the perfect village pub with an invariably warm welcome. If I had to make a criticism it would be on the lack of food and that dogs are now banned from being inside the pub. Otherwise it would rate a real 10/10!!
|
Always great beer in this deserved award winning drinking joint. Usually a pretty eclectic selection on the bar - Sharps Hayle Bay Honey IPA for example, a limited edition beer from Cornwall and beautifully kept and served at The Sportsman.
No frills is a good way of describing the place in fairness.
Quite a few of the reviews below, both good and bad, are from people who joined BITE just to post about this pub and they have not posted anything else since the day they joined... Just saying.
Gets an 8 for the beer alone.
|
Decent no frills pub with a good range of local beers from the likes of Tring and Buntingford. Note the comments about the landlady below but she was perfectly friendly on our visit.
|
It is a shame that the sportsman is no longer the nice pub it once was! at least its good to see that somebody in recent times has a good comment to make. however, the last post does sound more like an advertising campaign, which does make one wonder who wrote it. unfortunately, i have not received the same treatment when i have been in there, the new 'landlady' seems rude and unfriendly!
i feel that i shall have to find somewhere else to drink when i do go out.
|
A wonderful pub with great locals, friendly and knowledgable staff and most importantly eight great real ales.
The beer is well kept and the barrels turn over quickly keeping it fresh. The landlord brings in a range of beers from around the country, looking for quality and keeping his punters, including me, happy. I like a dark beer, and the landlord endeavours to get at least one on at all time. The regular beers are Sidepocket for a toad from Tring, Timothy Taylor Landlord and a very well kept DoomBar. The other five are ever changing.
I'm surprised to see some criticism of the land lady, who has always been delightful to me, and the rest of the bar staff have always been great for banter.
There is a pool table, darts board and live music on a saturday night, and the place buzzes! They also do small amounts of food, Cornish Pasties and Pork Pies, at least.
It truly is the best pub in the area, but there really is not a lot of competition! If you go there looking for beer you won't be disappointed!
|
Also I would like to add that it is such a shame to have lost a little gem like the sportsman to the same punch pubs up the green, it would be nice to see some consistency with the bar staff and customer service. A big big shame.
|
I used to always enjoy coming to this pub with my family, but recently it hasn't been the same, the service seems to be lacking and I do find the new land lady to be very rude to customers at times. I suggest a change in Land lady or your custom will fall. I will now be going else where for my drinks.
|
100% agree. Ale is kept wonderfully. however ever changing bar staff and a new 'land lady' who seems not to care for custom, ruin the atmosphere. a rating of 3 from me for the beer selection, unfortunately staff and busy road mark it down for my liking.
|
The best beer in Croxley, even the corporate Coors(Doom Bar and Blue Moon) is good. In general the bar staff excellent and knowledeable - willing to give you samplers of the beers.
However i only come back to Croxley evey 6 months and there is a noticeable change which I think may be due to the new landlords. A lot of the regulars have gone and it does not seem to have such a friendly atmosphere. The landlady does not seem to know how to treat customers - pub shut Boxing day, early New Years Eve and New Years Day no notices and her comeent was that people will find out when they get here won't they! Too much of a control freak for me. Still the beer out weighs this - for a while.
|
This is a proper pub good ales friendly staff nice customers .
My advice would be dont bother with the rest around here just try this one.
|
Went in today lunchtime and was received by friendly bar staff.
Six handpumps plus a cider available. For lager drinkers I saw Bitburger and Staropramen on the bar. Also some bottled Belgian beer on display behind the bar.
I had Buntingford Porter and Tring Brewery Side Pocket For A Toad both in excellent condition.
A proper pub and an absolute gem. Definately recommended.
|
Lovely proper pub and better than it used to be. Recommended.
|
The Sportsman is a tradional pub in every sense. The drinkers range from 18 years of age to 80 and the mix really works. The pub has a darts board and a pool table.
There are 5 Real Ales of which Red Squirrel Conservation & Timothy Taylor Landlord appear to be permanent with the other 3 always changing. The beers tend to be from local breweries including Buntingford, Red Squirrel, Tring & Marlow. The odd beer from 'up North in always welcome.
You'll get a great welcome in here with a great beer in a "propper" pub.
|
The pub was very good when the girls had it. It's even better now. 6 handpumps of real ale. When visitted yesterday 2x RedSquirrel + Landlord + SidePocketforaToad + don't remember :-) .
No posters up yet but a Beer Festival over the next bank holiday?
And it's Music Jam Sunday that weekend too. Can't wait!
|
Went yesterday for the first time in a couple of months. 6 real ales on and not a GK in sight thankfully. Agree with Croxley_Lex, easily the best pub in Croxley. And only a couple of people sitting at the bar, so easy to get served.
|
I like it, very friendly sevice. You dont have to wait too long to get served and the atmosphere is pleasant. Beer is good and has fantastic bands every now and then.
Only downside is too many codjas sitting round the bar....what is it with this country where people sit all round the bar....just allowing you to order drinks from the glass collection point.
In short Best pub in Croxley....nuff said
|
new owners, pleasant and friendly but nowhere near as funny as the ladies! Now no food and dogs no longer allowed. Pub moved from a really old style village local to a vanilla town pub type environment. Still busy however and the beer is well kept. But no dogs and no food so a shadow of its former self but really nice owners.
|
Great ale was certainly flowing this weekend at the Beer Festival at the Sportsman. Live band too.
|
The Sportsman has changed hands and some of the memorabilia has gone, but the new managers have apparently promised to keep the ale flowing, with local brews to the forefront. Let us hope they keep to their word. Still a good place to go and relax a while.
|
Good pub, the best kept real ales in the village. Always have a Tring brewery ale on, which is kept well. Crisps are a bit steep, but the cost is eased by the well kept beer.
|
"Sports" themed pub with old sets of Ski's and golf clubs and all-sorts of sporting paraphenalia adorning the walls.
Friendly clientelle and good staff made for an excellent atmosphere.
Very good selection of beers, including ales from Sharp's and Tring when we visited.
|
Good Beers. Good Music at the week-ends. Well worth a visit.
|
Love the eccentricity of the sportsman which sets it apart from the rest of the local pubs. Brilliant beer. Also one of the only local pubs which doesnt attract any chav kids. Often go for a drink here with my old man. Its refreshing to be in a pub with individuality. Also the annual beer festival is definately worth popping along to.
|
Good pub, needs a lick of paint inside though! Ales are fantastic although you might need a 2nd mortgage if you intend to stay there for a session! Well, no harm in paying for quality I suppose! Same 2 ladies been running the place for 12 odd years must say something!
Good overall, visit if you like your ales and are not skint!
|
Always a great selection of ales, always good service, always feel welcome.
And the pork scratchings are unbelievable.
|
Great Sunday jam sessions there.Saw a bunch of young lads play there about a year ago,a band called Undiscovered.Anyone know if they are coming back to the Sportsman?Or where abouts they are playing at present...
anonymous - 21 Aug 2006 23:24 |
As a boater I obviously visit the pub from the canal. It's a 15 minute wander through the woods to get there but I wouldn't contemplate going anywhere else - it's the polar opposite of chain pubs, a complete one-off, excellent beer, and it's also the place where my son, then aged 11, beat all the adult crew at pool...
|
Love the jam sessions on a sunday afternoon every month.Used to see a band called Undiscovered get up & do a few numbers,havent seen them for ages.GREAT PUB & GREAT BEER.
anonymous - 3 May 2006 09:51 |
Lively atmospheric pub with live music every week. There's usually a couple of new guest beers to try at each visit. A long-standing regular beer is Tring's Sidepocket For A Toad, a very nice pale session beer with character. Beer condition can be a bit variable but it's easily the best pub for real ale in Croxley by a mile.
On the downside it's very smokey, hopefully that will change when the new legislation comes in.
|
Such a shame they got rid of the old pub sign with the footballer in yellow and red. This is the land of Watford FC you know!
|
Regular live music venue, serving good real ale, lots of interesting sporting equipment for decoration. Pool table available.
|
