please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Went to the re-opening and enoyed it. The pub was super packed and spilled out into the Sherborne Rd with a great friendly atmos. The bar staff were extremely good, well done.
|
Is in the process of being completely renovated - grand opening is on Saturday, 25 May, 2013.
|
Rough diamond sort of a place, great to see 3 real ales on tap, tried all three and i was impressed.
Landlord has his heart in the right place and is doing a good job in difficult circumstances. This pub needs our support and i would urge anyone with a love of real ale and pubs in general to give it a go!
The pup company have talked about knocking down this 150yr old pub and building flats. we cannot let this happen, so come on, suppoet your local
Landlord is planning a beer festival over the easter wekkend, with pints costing just �2. what more could you ask for?
Come on, give it a try
|
It's open again! Bit strange walking back in there this evening but a lot of features there from before. Very surprised indeed, I never thought I'd see this house open again.
|
|It's sad to see that this old pub is now shut I rememeber this Pub back in the late 70s and 80s when Ian and Carole ran it, That was in the pubs hayday Since they they left the pub started to go down hill and now has reached the bottom
|
Seemingly shut (no sign of life at any time on Saturday), and looking like the sort of pub I love too !
|
As for the last comment about closing during the day.........it is now closed 24/7. The Soldiers is no more, I have it confirmed by two people I know that it closed down around two weeks ago. The end of an era of one of the oldest pubs in Basingstoke.
|
I think this is the only pub in Basingstoke that still closes during the daytime. Mon to Thurs it opens 11 - 1430 and then 1730 - close. There was an experiment with all day opening some time ago but this did not continue. I have heard a whisper that the daytime opening will cease on Tues to Thurs, meaning doors open at 1730 every night. We shall see.......
|
1st I will start with the good - The Real ale is top class.
Now the Bad - The Landlord appears to sample the top class ale far too often. Most nights he can be found far the worse for ware. When he has had one too many he becomes one of the most annoying people you can meet!
The pub its self has become very tired and is in need of refurbishment. Unfortunately I don't think that the money is there to do it.
The public bar most of the time is occupied by what I can only describe as Chavs.
If you want to enjoy a good quality real ale in nice surroundings I suggest you go to the Crown at Basing.
|
Went in towards the end of last year on the recommendation of the Good Beer Guide but wasn�t overly impressed. My Loddon was freezing and the place seemed very tired, like a 1960�s council house. Didn�t really feel welcome either, had no wish to settle down for a session.
Plenty of reading material scattered around, so a bonus point there, assuming you can still focus.
Perhaps it was a bad day. I�ll try it again at some point if it reappears in the next GBG.
|
My favourite locals pub in Basingstoke. Nice & quiet with a friendly couple running the pub. The real ales are the puppy's pips & the prices are much more realistic than anywhere else around here.
|
Has this pub got a website? The Good Beer Guide 2004 reckons it has but it doesn't work
|
Nice and chilled out, ideal for a nice afternoon
|
I liked it myself actually, just a quick visit on a lunch break. Very peaceful. Ideal for a real ale man.
|
Very good food yesterday. I had the jumbo sausage and chips which was a nice big plateful and a lovely bit of salad too. Excellent value at 2.30 and cooked really nicely by Gill. Also nice pint of Youngs bitter (3.7%) on at the moment, with an unusual guest in the shape of The West Berkshire Brewery's 'Full Circle'.
|
It's here! The Hopback Brewerys Entire Stout. Very lovely, very earthy and an aftertaste to die for! A lovely range of ales here at the moment. Try it, you will like it.
|
I have been informed by Neil the Landlord that the Hopback Entire Stout after the Porters has run out. A rare treat in this neck of the woods.
|
On Friday I was at the presentation of a certificate by CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) to Neil, the landlord. The certificate was to the pubs services to real ale, and I thorougly enjoyed the occaision. Give the ales a try one day, it really is worth it!
|
If you haven't tried the Soldiers, please do you won't regret it. They do a lovely drop of Porters you know, very moreish. The ales are Porters, Debaurs and Courage Best, with a guest ale which changes every so often. At the time of writing it is a nice pint called Butcombe Bitter. According to Neil the Landlord it is very popular and might have a permanent home in te Soldiers soon. I can tell you that the pub has one pool table, darts and SKY tv in the public bar. On draught also includes Fosters, Kronenbourg, John Smiths Smooth and Guiness. There is also lots of reading material in the Lounge bar, includng books on the history of Basingstoke, and that of Hampshire villages. Very relaxing. Try it one day, with a nice pint of Butcombe or Porters, and the knowledge that you have all the time in the world - bliss!
|
I love this pub! Very friendly amon the locals, the landlord can be a bit funny though but he's alright really. If you like a choice of atmosphere the loune bar is the non - swearing bar with the traditional look, and the bar with the pool table is the swearing bar which is a bit rougher. I enjoy going to this pub. Give it a try one day!
Alex - 15 Nov 2003 09:38 |
