please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This has now closed as a pub. It's now a Chinese restaurant called 'Hometown'
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I don't think that this is a pub any more. Although the bar is still there and there are handpumps, I don't think that they are used. I certainly haven't seen anyone sitting at the bar drinking. it is currently a Chinese restaurant called 'Hometown'
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Currently closed. It is rumoured to have been bought by someone to do with the Great Western opposite. Work started on some internal redecoration in 2014 but little has been done so far this year. Whether it'll ever reopen is questionable. (Probably go to student flats like nearly every other closed pub in Exeter.)
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A good place to wile away few hours over a pint (usually OK, check first) with the best free entertainment in Exeter looking out the window watching the near-misses and susbsequent altercations from drivers attempting to negotiate the complex double-mini roundabout immediately to the front of the pub. Chinese food great.
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Just had a pint in here today.
The pint of scrumpy jack that i had was good so was my mrs. pint of fosters.
It's hard to see why anybody would ever come in here with wetherspoons up the road.
It is however very handy for the railway station.
The place did look a bit run down and dirty.
5/10
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The Jolly Porter was done up on the cheap by the brewery a few years ago, and the quality of the workmanship is now beginning to show - wallpaper coming off the walls, flaking paint, rotting windowsills. The landlord is obviously trying to improve matters on a limited budget, new curtains and a lick of paint, but the place is still shabby. I can't understand why they can't get a glazier to repair the windows, rather than crudely screwing a piece of plastic to the frame. Still, at least it's better than the bits of old crisp boxes which used to cover the holes.
A particular attraction is the toilets - missing tiles where various dispensers once were, taps which only turn off when pulled up, occasionally working (for a few seconds) hand dryer. A favourite diversion of mine is counting the disinfectant blocks in the urinals - the maximum I've managed to count in one urinal is 28. I can't understand the need for so many - perhaps it's to save water? I've never tried, but the sideways leaning toilet on the sloping floor must be a challenge to use as well.
Part of the pub is occupied by a Chinese restaurant, which is very popular with the local Asian community. The takeaways are good, and you can have a beer while you're waiting! Unfortunately this has severely reduced the seating in the pub itself.
They generally have 3 beers, Deuchars, Doom Bar and Abbot. I suspect that the turnover of the Abbot is not very high, as it often has a definite 'tang' which is sometimes (but not always) cleared after they've pulled through a few pints. Although I've never been a fan of Doom Bar, on the couple of occasions when I've drunk it here, it's been fine.
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This has always been a friendly locals pub (except of course when it was closed) and ideal for a stop off if changing trains at St Davids. The new Chinese restaurant is excellent and very reasonably-priced and also very friendly
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Now has an eat in and take away Chinese food section.
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I was in the jolly porter a few weeks ago and it has a reasonable selection of ale's ,it is a friendly pub with friendly fellow drinkers. It has a pool table and jukebox with a good selection it also includes a dartboard and has recently refurbished one part and now serves chinese/thai food.
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Oh dear,it was a long weekend in May and they ran out of real ale!
Basic meals at reasonable prices.
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Seems to have re-opened, but without the nice Thai food. There are 3 handpumps (Deuchars, Doom Bar and Pride) but looking through the window on my way past, they rarely seem to be all on at the same time. Doom Bar seems to be the most commonly available - one of my least favourite Cornish beers, Deuchars is too weak and I don't think Pride travels well outside London, so I haven't been in to see if they're kept in good condition.
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On June 17th 1966 I met my wife-to-be in The Jolly Porter. I was at the university and she was a nurse at the RD&E in Southernhay. The latter lasted only 2 years more, suffering a serious fire. On the other hand, our relationship has lasted for 43 years and counting.
All the more poignant then to hear of the closure of the pub a couple of months ago
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Seems to be closed, although there's nothing externally to say so. It hasn't been open whenever I've been past during the last couple of weeks, no matter what the time or day.The only difference is that the piece of paper at the door giving the opening times has been removed. Shame if it's permanent - they did nice Thai food, too.
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Visited here on a train journey to Exeter - nice pub, friendly owner (or was he just a barman? - think he was the owner though), food on offer too. Big seating area with large screen TV, but also a more cosy area with real fire for more intimate pints; pool table too. Worth a look, I would say.
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This is the first time I've visited the Jolly Porter since its refurbishment earlier this year. It was certainly in need of tidying up and they've done a good job. The Jolly Porter is grade II listed and they've taken care to make it nice without ruining it's character. It's now very attractive both inside and out and is a very pleasant pub in which to have a drink.
There was a good range of beers available, Theakston's 'Best', Sharpes Doombar, London Pride and Abbot were on when I visited and I believe they usually have Courage Directors too. The Doombar was excellent and reasonably priced, too.
There's a lot of choice of drinking places near St David's Station. I think the Jolly Porter is the nicest and is well worth a quick visit if you've time to kill while waiting for your train.
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JP is now closed for 5 weeks for a refurb under the new company. I was there from Dec 2004 to May 2005. Back along, anyone who came in would remember Paul + Paula, Andy and Martin behind the bar and I joined just after P+P left. At that point, we had an awesome bar and the most expensive pint was �1.96 - Kronenbourg. We looked after our ales and tried to get on with as many customers as poss- think we managed quite well. Under the reign of Spirit Group, we managed to keep the prices low under temp management and Mark "Egg" Adams. It all went downhill in March 2005 when the pub was taken over by a holding company with none of the backing of a decent brewery. "The Pub Company" was run by people with no idea of the local trade or clientele, and was the cause of the spurious opening / closing record. For some reason there was also a bad stock take at this time, and the beer was bloody awful....
We've welcomed Darren and Claire to the pub now, who used to run the Ship and Pelly in Heavitree and they're doing a bang up job of getting it back to how it used to be.
It's never gonna go back to how cheap it was in the hey day, but in fairness at least you can leave the toilets with dry feet these days.
DanielJudeCook, can't blame you for what you said about how bad the pub was, but hopefully if you read this, you'll give Darren and Claire a chance to change your mind.
On a separate note about the refit, it's gonna open the pub up a bit, give more space in the main bar, and as far as I'm aware do a proper clean thorugh.
Acoustic music (open mic) on the Monday evenings was working pretty well, and I'm sure the incentives to return will continue.
Cheers!
Ginge.
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Only an infrequent visitor to Exeter nowadays but I can confirm that it was shut last Friday evening, which can't be a good sign! A real shame - it used to be such a nice pub.
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This pub is open and closed like Jade Goody's legs. I wish they would make their minds up what to do with it. By the way, it is no longer a cheap pub. The new brewery owners put the price of my pint up by 55 pence overnight!
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The Jolly Porter is 'Closed Until Further Notice' according to the sign on the door. (Good job too, considering the way it's deteriorated in the last couple of months).
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New management seems to have destroyed this once-great pub - higher prices, completely different bar staff, and not an ounce of charm let. Shame, really.
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What the hell happened to the JP? Just went to Exeter, and popped in for a beer. All of the decor, food, and soul has gone, half the decoration ripped out, it was truly dire, and used to be one of the best pubs in the area. A true shame. We made our excuses and left. Please ignore earlier 5th May post.
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This is a very good pub - good beers, food, usually a good atmosphere too. A nice mix of locals, students, and inebriated lecturers. The best pub in the St David's area.
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Good ale including Sharpes Doom Bar. Visit in arvo so atmos difficllt to judge
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Great pub, cheaper than the student ridden Wetherspoons up the road and good luck to Mark, the new landlord. You'll not be disappointed if you drink here. As a note of comparison, you'll pay around �1.95 for a Guinness here but �2.60 20 yards away at the Great Western Hotel.
Ollie Reed - 30 Aug 2004 15:50 |
this is the closest pub to perfection I have ever had the pleasure of entering.
It has everything a pub should have and more; cheap beer, great atmosphere, pool table
incredible jukebox, dartboards, hot bar staff the works.
Go there it's amazing. I'm there so often I can barely remember where I live!
Dave Carter - 18 Mar 2004 15:13 |
small traditional pub, opposite St Davids station. Good beer, decent food, low lighting, jukebox and very cramped pool table.
moosifer - 12 Oct 2003 11:56 |
