please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
CLOSED for demolition. One of four pubs lost as part of the 'Victoria Circle' redevelopment.
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A little bit of history: there was in the late 18th century as part of the then owners of the Stag Brewery and estate a public house named the Stag on the north side of what is now Castle Lane. How long it lasted, and when it disappeared, is not clear.
As part of the post-war rebuilding, and the redevelopment of the Stag Brewery, the (new) Stag was built on the site of the old cask yard, opening in July 1963.
(source: The Red Barrel - A History of Watney Mann by Hurford Janes 1963)
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oops - closing end MARCH, not May
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CLOSING END MAY 2012 :-(
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Nice place to drink, always friendly, but there's no beer :( Unless you include 'Smiths' as beer. LOL
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I've been a lunchtime regular hear for the last few years and could not rate it more highly. It's friendly and discreet and the portions sizes are always impressive. I am changing jobs soon and this pub will no longer be my local and it will be sorely missed. Well done all at the stag..!
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I find the Stag a very warm, friendly pub with welcoming staff and a good atmosphere.
There is a fantastic Fringe theatre upstairs which hosts some truly amazing shows.
The beer is good.
The staff always have a smile.
What more could you want?
Plus, many straight couples as well as Gay couples drink there. Very mixed. Very Tolerant.
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have drunk in the stag for approx 6 months,and found it to be a good place to go for a drink. alhough it is a gay bar,myself and my wife an friends have drank in there with no problems with either other drinkers or the staff. however, just recently my wife had to calm some one down who was getting aggresive with the door staff. she got the persn to leave the club without any further drama.
since returning both her, myself and friends have since been told we are no longer welcome there, even though she put herslf in harms wayfor their sake.
we were told that they didnt want our knd drinking in there, referring to both our job,forces,and our sexuality. we have lebian friends who work with us who have had leaving functions there, and we have not been allowed in there purely because of what we do and who we are, after having no trouble what so ever in the past there, except my wife sortin a situation out for them.
in this day and age, i find it disgusting that after fighting for our country,we are being turned away for no real reason other than we are not of te gay nature and i the armed forces.
as i previously said at the start, we all enjoyed drinking in there,as it was good place to go.
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Not bad place- quite nice interior & the christmas decorations were really thought out
Didn't think the bar staff were either un or friendly, the lad that served me obviously had got the job for his other attributes!.
Usual rubbish real ale selection (none) but this is not unusual on the 'scene'.
That said Becks Vier & Hoegaarden is better than the usual lager selection.
If near, worth a look- quite lively later on too
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Popped in for a quick pint the ale was ok.
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Okay regarding this whole "please" thing, of course it's polite to use when asking, but not a requirement to order a drink. And for that bartender to be giving Anne Landers lessons to customers, he should be out of a job.
I've had rude bartenders before, and rather then get nasty with them, let them finish getting your drink ready and then turn your back and walk out. No need to be rude, just take your business to another establishment that appreciates your hard-earned dough.
As for Stag.. meh. It's "okay". I will agree that the service is lacking and impersonable which really does make all the difference. They charge �5 to get in on the weekend. My recommendation is go there if you happen to be there in the week, but on the weekends, skip it.
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"first noone has to say please to a waiter."
Maybe if you had said "please" and treated them with a bit of respect, you might have received good service.
I have always found the staff to be very friendly, so I'm assuming it's just your bad attitude which caused them to be rude.
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as a new foreigner!!! I would like to say!!! this is the MOST terrible place I have ever been... WAITERS were SO RUDE... Even to remind a customer PLEASE word...!
first noone has to say please to a waiter... If the person is kind may add that word...!!!
Second if you repeat 3 times what u want for a drink... After 3 times you dont need to say '' PLease ''
So go away... will newer go there again...
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Exterior looks like a strip club, interior is nice. Hoegaarden and Star drinkable.
Good atmos/service. Fine for all comers!
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When going for a beer, other people's sexuality isn't really on the radar, so the fact that this is a gay pub, well, it's the 21st century, so who cares. It's actually a decent pub - I can't comment on what it was like before, but I did expect it to be a little, well, sleazy. In fact it wasn't. What it was though was very pleasant indeed and with no attitude. And it did have a nice chilled out kind of atmos. Which for a pub round these parts is amazing! Beer was nothing which is ever going to win awards, but it was cold and clean. Hell, even the door staff were polite!!
So I would go there again. Gay or not.
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Had a refurb... it's lost the spit-and-sawdust charm with the introduction of decent lighting and (what I think is) new furniture. Oh, and candles. Still worth a visit though. At least you'll be able to see what you're picking up now (not necessarily a good thing)
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nice bar but way too smokey .great bar service and atmos.
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Whenever my wife and I come to London this is a pub we visit, the fact it's a gay pub is really irrelevant - friendly staff, good clientele and decent prices.
Highly reccommended.
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Great pub. I often come here for a quick pint after work, read the paper, and wait for the tube to clear. Staff are friendly but not intrusive, and beer is good. A hideaway from the rest of Victoria, which can only be a good thing.
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Not bad at all. Simple, no frills gay pub. Probably not the best place to go to pick up, unless you're into the middle-aged gent, but I've never failed to have a good time in here. Zero attitude, good selection of beer, attentive bar staff, late hours.
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Had a gay old time in here on a few occassions - especially when it was the only place in Victoria serving after 11pm.
OK place though if you prefer the company of men !
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I work close by and this bar is the Best in Victoria. Never a dull moment.
Always enjoy going there.
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I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE STAG AFTER A WHILE AWAY, ITS HAD A PAINT JOB INSIDE AND ITS TRADE HAS REALLY PICKED UP, THE ACTS ON SUNDAD ARE GOOD WITH MISS ROSE GARDEN AS THE HOST ALSO THERE IS KAREOKE ON THURSDAY NIGHTS WITH DJ TINY TIM
tim holman - 31 Mar 2005 19:36 |
Last Sunday - who was that cabaret act? They were great. When are they back?
Peter Earlem - 20 Apr 2004 11:47 |
Regarding the tiolet issue... this was resolved a number of weeks ago. The toilets are now clean and smell rather nice, as do the bar staff, who are also attentive and helpful. It has a mixed crowd especially on a Friday night with the regulars, theatre folk and the city workers who fancy a few beers before heading home. The food menu is varied and very reasonable. I have eaten there before and the portions are more than generous. I think Gary is a little unfair in his gastromonic review and may want to try the food again. There is Cabaret every Sunday and a DJ every night except Mondays. I particularly recommend the Friday DJ - he's very good!
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Ed...ed...ed..really you have a vivid imagination...I frequent the Stag I would say on average at least once a week and your statement just falls apart. Hey yeah the toilets were bad and yeah it was fellow punters that cause the damage. At least we had a sign saying what was goin on and I remember seeing that cute barman in there several times mopping up our slops.Even at its worse it was nowhere near as bad as SubStation or XXL...or dare I say it the Hoist...and they are really bad....Ive been back in since and they are so much better and the trade is picking up as well...especially on Fridays....hehehehehe
Jim - 9 Jan 2004 12:39 |
I will not step foot into the Stag again until I am assured that the men's toilet has been fully repaired and thoroughly cleaned, hopefully, with industrial bleach. There are currently buckets under each of the urinals which are becoming encrusted with what looks like a digusting living coral. I don't think having a sign up outside the toilets for what must be coming up to 5 months saying 'bear with us' whilst the toilets are repaired is at all good enough specially when you consider the volume of customers the Stag has. Have they not heard of plumbers? It is typical that a pub or a venue with a captive audience like the Stag has not heard about the most basic customer service that would tell anyone else that health and hygiene are a top priority.
Edward - 14 Dec 2003 19:15 |
I've recently moved from Parliament (yes, full of poofs!) to work in Victoria and I now regard The Stag as my local in so far as a swift one at lunchtime or straight after work is concerned. I've have known of The Stag for 3 years and it really hasn't changed. It remains a 'local' and there is no air of pretention about the whole place .... more than can be said for the odd pub in Soho. My only concerns are a) there could be no smokers in the bar but you still leave with that lingering smell on your clothes, b) the food is completely naff ...don't attempt the Scampi .... or should I say, burn't offerings! lol That said, there is a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and effort is made to make you welcome. Go chill and indeed they offer mainstream 'act's to 'keep you in tune'. Enjoy .....
G
PS As my mother would say, you should see the toilets ..... they are very clean!
Gary - 29 Nov 2003 20:01 |
Used to be a top pub about 10 years ago, then it went downhill as a biker pub frequented by youths from the local club for the deaf and is now a gay bar. Not sure if they still have all that outdoor seating.
Gary - 2 Jun 2003 07:09 |
A really cossy place - with really good blokes!
george - 26 May 2003 20:35 |
