Beach Bar, Freshwaterback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
After a brief stop at the Sun Inn, Hulverstone (not listed on here), we pulled in to the Beach Bar at Freshater Bay. It is part of the Sandpipers Hotel, but doesn't really have much to recommend it. The bar has a modern look with a large area set aside for pool and a big screen showing Sky Sports News dominating the main bar area. The outdoor area including a terrace and a children's sandy play area are badly kept. 2 ales were on - Skinners Keel Over & Greene King Abbot Ale. It seemed fairly popular with locals, but I wouldn't pay a return visit.
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Now called "The Beach Bar" and apparently under new management since the lot that did the refurb went bust shortly after last summer. That's what the barmaid told me, anyway...
Child-friendly, faux-leather sofas, fairly comfortable but rather lacking in character. Beer fine, with a varied selection, but not spectacular, and it would have been good to have seen at least one local beer on tap, which wasn't the case during my visit. I don't think they do food, but to be honest it wasn't on my mind during our visit, and I forgot to check! So basically okay, but lacking the character it had before. Date: April.10
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Currently developing a taste for the home brewed 'whisky ale' very palatable. Would like to see more microbreweried ales here.
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Generic ubiquitous bar. Service ok and ale range acceptable, but don't bother going out of your way for it.
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I agree with the last comment. I recently visited for the beer festival. The range of ale and cider was very good although when I first entered the newly refurbished bar I wasn't sure if it was the same place I visited back in March!! Back then, it had a sense of character. Now, despite the service and food and booze being good, it feels like a generic bar that could be anywhere.
Bit of a shame, but its just been done so shall return in the future to see how things develope.
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In the process of refurbing and renaming - apparently the landlady thinks 'Fat Cat' will remind people of City bankers and the punters will stay away. I don't think we are that stupid are we? It hasn't harmed the famous Fat Cats in Sheffield and Norwich. Anyway, the pub looks more like a hotel bar now, mores the pity. Tasteful beige bar stools and tables and chairs instead of the old baggy sofas. All character expunged. The beer was a bit pedestrian compared to the old pub too. Well kept though. Maybe it will pick up when the refurb is complete.
chick - 24 Aug 2009 16:06 |
Went walking around IOW for the weekend, and stopped here for lunch. The Fat Cat bar looks like its been shut down for a while, but the associated Sandpipers hotel bar was open. Great selection of real ales, and decent outside area to enjoy the weather. The only let down was that we ordered filled baguettes, which cost about �5.50 - these took over half an hour to arrive, and then were poorly filled sandwiches rather than baguettes - very disappointing, and not value for money. 8/10 for the beer, but 4/10 for the food, so a 6/10 overall.
Oktup - 27 May 2009 13:13 |
Unwelcoming, small bar, no space to get to bar because of seated locals. Poor range of ale.
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Unfortunately this Pub/Bar and its associated Hotel is now in receivership and is closed at time of writing (26-11-07). I'll update when and if anything changes.
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Part of the Sandpiper Hotel but the bar didn't have the horrible 'hotel feel' about it. A really nice cosy pub with a games room if you're so inclined. Also an attractive large garden/patio area. 4 real ales on which were all well kept. The staff were very helpful and friendly. We were in a bit of a hurry to get the bus so they did us a take away sarnie. Lovely bread and generous fillings - the meals looked very tasty too.
chick - 31 Aug 2007 19:50 |
Does a good range of ever changing real ales. Food is very good quality, and lovely sitting outside
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Went here in September last year, weather was fantastic and we sat outside and had lunch. The food was absolutely wonderful and a really lovely setting...and not expensive!!
anonymous - 23 May 2006 12:32 |
Loved it, you have got to try it, food and Ale excellant, visited it the summer of 2005 had to go back another three time, just to make sure, wonderful
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