please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I used to go to this pub about 12 years ago - travelling from Salisbury. I now live in Poole and was very saddened to see that it had closed. It was one of the main venues for the blues band The Producers - fronted by Harry Skinner (amazing guitarist and vocals) and Dave Saunders (Bass guitar and admin!) Best live blues in the Poole/Bournemouth area. I haven't tried it now it's The Ox. Maybe they should invite Harry & Dave back for some blues sessions!
LynR6 - 20 Nov 2015 18:14 |
"Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of pubs"...
The Central used to be one of the very best pubs in Parkstone and a personal favourite of mine, especially around 2003-06 when it was also a great live music venue. Brilliant atmosphere, landlord who knew what he was doing and just a great boozer all round- everything a pub should be!
Then 2007 and the smoking ban came along... First the Central was taken over by some metrosexual London types who stopped the live music, put a pool table in the way of everything and demolished half the bar to put a massive a telly in. They were also completely unaware of which local troublemakers had been banned for years resulting in a lot of middle aged hooligans getting back in, probably for the first time in decades, to argue and fight at the bar.
The next landlord to give it a go came about six months later and did a bit better- he undid some of the damage but it was never really the same again. Also I think being an ex- copper he took security a bit TOO seriously- searching people who came out of the toilets looking slightly happy and employing overly chuck out happy door staff. He also had an inexplicable policy of moving everyone out of the main bar into the comparatively characterless "Bar 2" at about 10 every night- needless to say, most of us just ended up going elsewhere.
So what was once the legendary Central is now "Ox", a generic, laminate floored coffee and cake restaurant for office ponces with a dress code and a list of "No swearing, laughing or smiling" type rules on the door. Absolute disgrace that quite succinctly tells the story of the decline of the public house over the past decade.
|
All boarded up now....probally for the best in the end...shame how a once great pub got into this state...
|
certianly got better since my last comment....most of the idiots seem to have gone and it has had a lick of paint...still not brave enough to start drinking the ales again though..!!
|
destroyed by the previous landlord....since the top of the bar was ripped out by these fools about a year ago it has died with none in there except a few cocaine hungry chavs. nice if you like your beer to taste like chip shop vinigar..
|
This used to be about the best pub around but unfortunately the new landlord pretty much destroyed it's atmosphere and all the reasons myself and eveyone I know loved going there overnight by ripping half the bar out, sticking a great big plasma screen in the middle of the room, stopping the gigs upstairs, and cramming a pool table in the bit where you used to be able to have a conversation. It used to be a 'real' pub with good beer and a really nice relaxed feel about it, great mix of people, some students, some old hippies, local, beery and musicy people. In one fell swoop it's been turned into chav central and I actually feel uncomfortable in there because it's full of leary lagery types. It looks like it's being refurbed at present and we can but hope that it'll be tidied up and put back how it was, but I'm not hopeful given the demonstration so far and Hall and Woodhouses, give the new boy a chance despite the fact it's been ruined - attitude.
anonymous - 16 Aug 2007 12:43 |
new management have made this pub feel more up to date and bar 2 feels like a small club/bar and has raelly good music every weekend, this place is great way to finish off in lower parkstone cuz there open till 2
|
The Central Pub has the greatest atmosphere i have ever encountered in a local pub. The bar staff are all friendly, warm people as is the landlord. There is always a really exciting atmosphere when live bands are playing in the upstairs music room and when DJ's are playing in Bar 2. This is the type of pub people from eighteen to eighty can enjoy as there are always different events going on. And,Congratulations to everyone at the pub for raising such a huge amount of money fro the Tsunami Appeal on Sun the 16th Jan!
|
I really like this pub. Music, but you can still get a table, friendly staff and drinkers. Prefer it to the Bermuda triangle, which always seems to be packed like sardines.
Chris C - 15 Jul 2004 22:24 |
I went there one night to see a band. I thought the place had a fantastic atmosphere. There are 3 bars. I like the live music room because it is upstairs. This means that you get people who want to listen to live music go in there and everyone who doesn't stays in the other bars. I have been there since and has been just as good every time I have been back that. This is the best place to go in this area for entertainment.
Neil - 23 Jan 2004 10:59 |
Went in there one lunchtime and waited and waited and waited to be served. The place appeared to be staffless and I was just about to leave when one of the regulars mentioned that the landlord had just popped down the road to the shops. As you do of course when you're running a busyish pub by yourself! Anyway the aforementioned regular went behind the bar and poured me a pint of Guinness. Landlord didn't seemed perturbed by this on his return. Not normally a Guinness drinker but this is a Hall and Woodhouse pub and I can't hack their crap beers. If you're in this area and want a decent pint give the Bermuda Triangle a try.
|
