please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Now JJWhispers - bar and nightclub.
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Tickled Ivory is now in Guildford, aim for Harpers then walk along the road towards the police station and the courts, it is sort of opposite lion's den. To be honest though, it is a tad pretentious, the music is good but the drinks are over-priced, �3.70 a pint!!
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If this place is in Guildford, why the Reigate address/map and all ? Is H File on a trip ? Init.
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Location, location, location! This bar has now relocated to Guildford, appealing to the non student brigade with an over 21�s entry policy. My girlfriend and I came here last Friday night (12 Sept) around 9ish and we were greeted by burly bouncers requesting ID from us. I�m mentioning this because one of them grew quite inpatient with me as I didn�t rapidly produce anything given my girlfriend had my passport in her bag!
Inside, the place was fairly busy and I was served reasonably quickly at the bar by an efficient member of staff. A Gaymers and Red Bull came to �6.20 � a tad pricey - so make what you want from that if anything about the prices of drinks in here! The crowd was predominately men and it was evident this was generally an older gathering of people, certainly aged 30 and upwards. The atmosphere was tranquil and there was not a pretentious feel about the place. There was a bit of talent around, but being with the missus I was not searching for H-Files, but if I was, this is a place for �older� H-File victims.
The d�cor is fairly stylish in my view and there are several seating areas as well as a couple of sofas near the piano and relatively small dance floor. Between the bloke playing the piano, there was funky house playing as background music. Yet, the plethora of �cheese� songs sung by the bloke playing the piano gave the impression Tickled Ivory was simply like a Flares bar but with an air of sophistication and without any students.
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Now in Guildford!
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TICKLED IVORY HAS GONE. Please update.
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Tickled Ivory has closed down!
Booked a table at the replacement jjwhispers and went there with three friends, well oh my!
Aggressive doorstaff, who had no record of our booking
eventually we were let in, there were 20 or so people inside 10.30pm friday night.
What have they done to this place, we got approached by four shaven headed thugs asking if we wanted a drink, they pestered us all night eventually getting the message they left, the place filled up with chavs and thugs and a bad atmosphere appeared. The decor is early 1980s its obvious they have spent some money on this venue but how could they get this so wrong,"tacky", "Seedy" and what is that Arabian room
there were only 5 people in it.
On leaving the venue a fight started by the door, which the doorman had problems approaching, once we had negociated our way round it we were pleased to be off the premises and heading for the taxi rank.
This place is tacky, expensive and very seedy. We wont be back, its dreadful!
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"Not that I'm saying theres' anything wrong with that mind you" only kidding
anonymous - 6 Aug 2007 20:03 |
Now a gay bar!
anonymous - 6 Aug 2007 20:02 |
I had a pretty reasonable night here the other er, night. A bit expensive, and a bit poncey, yes; but not the 7th circle of hell as suggested by some of the reviewers here. Mind you in did get in before 10, which helped.
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nice beer great music a very nice place to go but after 11 ish the door men want to charge you silly rates and as you say no and walk away they offer you a deal sounds like some one is on the take maybe .
anonymous - 1 Mar 2007 01:48 |
Were to start. Well the prices seem a good point. �3.70 for a pint of san miguel, I'd half expect to pay that in London but in a bar in a market town in Surrey, i don't think so. Fortunatly we got there early enough that we didn't have to pay on the door. To be honest there's just not much to recomend about the place. It seems to be one of those places that turns the lights down to hide the shabbyness, it looks like it's been given a cheap paint job. I assume it markets itself as a live music venue due to the name and the piano at the back. Trouble is the band on Friday were bloody awfull, I know they're just a pub band but come on I've seen better on the x factor. Each to their own i suppose but I don't think I'll ever be setting foot in here again.
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To be fair,this sin't that bad of a bar for Reigate.Granted it's over priced but I've always had a good time.It certainly beats Liquid Envy!
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Couldn't agree more about the patrons of this place. I've only been there once but that was enough. I got talking to two ladies? in another pub the other week, as soon as they said they were from Kingswood I spotted the more money than sense condescending attitude. Then they mentioned the tickled ivory in Reigate and how good it was. God did they fit the
"Daddy pays for everything" stereotype. I was most happy when they left and I could talk to genuine people. Genuine, not a word I'd associate with the tickled ivory.
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Grossly over-priced and pompous, self-important pseuds' corner in Reigate, the owner of which seems to think that it's worthwhile to pay �5 entrance fee after 10PM on some days - not because of the quality of the atmosphere or entertainment, but purely because young Reigate folk like to be flash and they tend to equate maximum feel-good factor with maximum spending. Full of lurvely laydeez who all look like they've got a bad smell under their noses. Classic Reigate.
The bottom line is Tickled gets away with its heinous over-charging because it has a comfortable monopoly on that sort of more-money-than-sense yoof market. It it was in London competing with hundreds of other similar faceless bars it wouldn't last 5 minutes.
There is rarely any live music in there now, and what there is is usually third rate (I believe one Steve Brookstein once plied his mediocre wares here?!), and it isn't too melodramatic to say that the term "Piano Bar" might be a trades descriptions issue - a piano is always sitting at the back but usually idle in favour of piped Elton John or whatever. Not even any real ale either (oh sorry that's for old has-beens!).
It'll always be popular, but for entirely the wrong reasons. I saw Piers Morgan in there once chatting up some silly bird, plying her with champagne - says it all! Low on style, zero on substance.
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This wine bar is awful. Both the attitudes and prices here are something to behold!
I also keep noticing that the negative comments posted by disgruntled patrons on the Tickled Ivory section of BITE keep on disappearing...
This clearly is a blatant attempt by the proprietor of Tickled Ivory to lean on BITE's admistrator's and thus stifle debate, gagging those customers which know just how bad his service really is (he could of course improve his attitude, nah, perish the very thought...)
The surroundings at the Tickled Ivory may well be fairly luxurious in comparison to your average Public House, however both the Management's and the customer's attitudes are something to behold. The term 'Knightsbridge wannabees' has never been so aptly applied, but this is the kind of negative custom that Tickled Ivory can expect to attract as it does possess a very negative atmsophere to begin with.
This is the kind of night out that you can expect to encounter at the Tickled Ivory: "Surrey's most expensive Chav-Magnet outside of The Embassy nightclub"
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This place epitomises everything that is wrong in the licencing trade. Crap management, crap bar staff, intimidating bouncers, shit beer and high prices.
Far more interesting places to visit in Reigate.
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�3.60 for a pint of Amstel.
Special offer: �15 for a 4 pint pitcher of Amstel.
Correct me if I am wrong, but does that not make it �3.75 per pint if you buy it in a pitcher?
So it costs more in the "special offer"?!?!?!
You would literally have to be an idiot to drink in here.
anonymous - 15 Jun 2006 14:36 |
Oswald keeps going back for more. Learned his lesson yet? Nope.
The staff are rude in here. However take a moment to see what they have to put up with. 5 or 6 hours of serving gurning, obnoxious idiots, maxing out their cards in the hope of a shag. I'd be pretty pissed off if I had to wait on morons.
Obviously Oswald is struggling with the concept of not drinking in a place he hates, but like I said - Morons.
Still, if you manage to ignore the wealth of idiots in here, you can actually have a good night. Music varies in quality but then so does my kebab afterwards.
anonymous - 2 Jun 2006 12:44 |
POOR, POOR, POOR, POOR, POOR ATTEMPT AT WHAT IS CALLED A PIANO LOUNGE AND BAR! LAUGHABLE. VERY SLOPPY SERVICE, MUSIC VERY AMATEUR, HAVE NOTICED IT'S ALSO TRYING TO BE A SPORTS BAR (IDENTITY CRISIS) JUMPING ON THE FOOTBALL BAND WAGON (MOST OTHER PUBS AND BARS IN THE AREA ARE DOING DRINKS AT �1 A PINT OR HALF PRICE DURING THE GAMES. TICKLED IVORY IS DOING 10% OFF! IT ALSO ADVERTISED TO WATCH THE GAMES IN A SAFE AND FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT, THERE WAS A BIG PUNCH UP IN THERE 2 WEEKENDS AGO AND ANOTHER SCUFF LAST WEEKEND! IT'S AS SAFE A BAGHDAD!). OVER PRICED, POORLY MAINTAINED, COCAINE FUELLED ESTABLISHMENT. AVOID
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Dear All,
Just thought I would add, I've seen on other sites the comments on this place and have read the comments on this site and have realised that the comments made below are most likely from the owner as they are his innitials!! Says a lot about this place and how desperate they are. Maybe they should spend more time and money on the awful decor, poor performers, rude staff and better management!
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Dear All,
This is not a very nice place at all. I was ther last weekend, there was a fight, very rude horrible staff. Ignorant stumpy manager/owner. I would avoid at all costs. Very expensive, music out of tune and very poorly performed. Have to pay to get in and it's not worth it.
The Cage down the road is a very nice little boozer with no wannabe's drinking in it.
Hope to see you there soon.
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The comments so far seem a bit strange to me. For a start its clearly not a pub of any description. Its a piano bar. If your looking for a pub then your in the wrong place and will be disappointed.
I've been here about four times on the weekends and had a great time each visit. The live music is great, the entry fee and high prices keep the redhill contingent out generally as do the strict bouncers who clearly have a good idea of the clientele they want in here (attrative, well off professionals who are going to have fun, in the 25-40 age range, spend lots of money and not cause trouble). Because of this the atmosphere is great. I'll not praise it any further as its popular enough on weekends. Only down side is its only open till 1am on Saturdays and there's predictably no real ale.
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Its a shame cos this place had the potential to be really good- live music, late license, funky decor and attractive barstaff :) but everytime I've been its rammed full of pretentious, city type-wannabes who have a created a really unfriendly and bitchy atmosphere.
Basically if you're stuck in Reigate and want a late night drink, there are worst places than the Tickled Ivory that you could be...but be prepared to witness some remarkable acts of arrogance from your co-drinkers and have your wallets ready for what will inevitably end up to be an over-rated and over-priced night out.
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Will 2 said :
"Would rather go here than somewhere like the Angel."
Yes indeed that about sums it up. It is just a bit better than the ASBO hole the Angel. Not my bag at all.
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Oh sorry, forgot to add, one of the people I was with, is 32, looks it, and got asked for ID.
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Completly dislike this pub. Extremely rude bouncers. Extremely snooty. Refused us entry on the grounds of being "too casual" when the couple in front of us were very scruffily dressed. On the other hand, went to lunch here once. Extortionate prices for what I thought was a very weak "panini", I'm sure I could've done better going to "coughlans"
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Great discription! is that you burn? depends on what night you go in there but he's not far out Thurs-Sat
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An interestingly designed little booze outlet. Tiny bar, little walking space for through traffic, and toilets so small you get trapped in the doorway as you enter (magnificiently irritating whilst trying to negotiate your penis out of your trousers whilst barging through various other penis-holding drunks). Booze is fairly expensive but the rest of Reigate seems to have followed suit so don't try and move on once you're in, just order a shit load at the bar. Good music, invariably bad people (self-appreciating wanna be city boys and marsupial looking forty year olds clutching boys' arses), and a wealth of arrogance (no doubt due to the more than obvious consumption of marching powder in the toilets). All in all, a great placed to get hammered, pick up one of your old school friends' mums and dance like a limbless chimp (all visible on the 'Ivory Cam')..........In fact, a bit of a joke really.
anonymous - 1 Jun 2005 08:31 |
Seems to be over-21s now. A bit posh but I guess that has the advantage of creating a nice atmosphere. Would rather go here than somewhere like the Angel.
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I don't fit in here. Full of immaculate people but I did get the most drunk I've been for a long long time! Usually rammed and smokey, take lots of money. What is nice is they have comfy leather sofas, live music and table service!
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Great Great place, full of life. Staff are just brilliant, music is perfect and the drinks are served properly and always with a smile. I highly recommend this bar to anyone. There's a door charge after 10pm on a friday and saturday but well worth it.
Sarah B - 10 Nov 2004 04:24 |
known as the pickled ovaries. say no more.
Richard Kemp - 26 Aug 2004 17:33 |
Have to agree, it's really not all that. Over priced and very unimaginative drinks selection. I suspect the main reason it does so well is mainly due to the late license.
AJ - 3 May 2004 01:19 |
It is over 23's now, I've only been once and it was quite nice. Very very busy and very difficult to get a seat but the live music was excellent as was the selection of beverages and atmosphere. Quite pricey but well worth it.
Take your ID.
smuj83 - 19 Mar 2004 13:33 |
heard alot about this place from friends in Reigate, it is very london, doormen were very friendly even with the less desirable! great music some guy on a guitar & girl singing,good choice of bottled beers although they were a little steep, my partner was enthusistic about the flirty barmen, he made good G&T.
sam - 19 Nov 2003 19:13 |
Went there last night and had a great time! The piano player they had in was fantastic; cant remember his name, but he played every (well, 99%!) song requested wonderfully.
expensive drinks of course, this is reigate, but very friendly bar staff making it even better!
I think they're making it an over 23's bar now..or it already is, not sure.
anonymous - 17 Oct 2003 19:47 |
When it first opened it was great, something different. But has nose-dived into the sort of predictable night out that Reigate has come to offer. Really good to get regular live music, but unfortunately the choice of music will make you want to jump in the priory pond, sporting a pair of concrete boots. With a slight change in direction, this has the potential to be a good lively place. But needs to get rid of the depressing music and liven things up. People who are awake will generally buy more beer, and have a better evening!!
Monkey nuts - 23 Jun 2003 17:25 |
Awful beer on tap, bottles at a stupidly high price, has a piano / live act on most nights at a riduculous high volume and reminiscent of Margarita Pracatan.
Nice !!!!!
monkey - 23 Jun 2003 16:58 |
