please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Well above average 'spoons and well worth a visit.
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Above average 'spoons. Interesting range of local ales and pleasant atmosphere.
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Easily cheapest boozer in Surbiton. £2.65 for a pint of Loddon's old Hocus Pocus (that was priciest of pints).
Even by Spoons standards was very busy for 4pm in the afternoon. Had to wait to be served but staff were alert so customers were served in the order they should be.
Décor inside pub impressive.
There are many 'orrible Spoonses, especially in London. This certainly isn't one of them. In fact I'd place it in the top 10/12 within the M25
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Large spoons housed in an impressive old converted cinema. The building retains many period features with an impressive ceiling adorned with planets and stars.
If can get very busy but found the staff to usually be pretty efficient and you do not tend to have to wait as long to get served as you do in the Kingston spoons. There is a number of levels to the pub so getting a seat isn't usually an issue.
It is quite a young crowd on Fridays and Saturdays and a bit more of an older one in the week. You also get quite a lot of students in there due to its close proximity to the university but that is no bad thing. You do also get the odd chav but then again it is a spoons so this does kind of come with the territory.
This is a must include on any Surbiton pub crawl even if it is the case of just going the for a few cheap pints of real ale before moving on to the pricier establishments further down the high street!
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First stop on Sunday morning. This is certainly an impressive building, with plenty of interesting artifacts to check out. With the start of the Wetherspoons international beer festival, there was a reasonable selection of beers - Acorn Black Oak, Shepherd Neame IPA, Daleside Sea Fever, Everards Regimental IPA, Batemans Springtime Oatmeal Biscuit Beer & Hooker, Caledonian African Pale Ale, Beartown Bearskinful, Adnams Broadside, Sharps Doo Bar & Greene King Abbot & IPA. Ciders were Westons Old Rosie & Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon.
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Didn't visit the mini festival, but in general I've always found the beer selection in the Kings Tun (another Spoons in nearby Kingston) to be superior to the Coronation Hall. Presume it's the 'landlord's' doing.
It's an impressive building, but the prices aren't worth staying around for more than a couple of drinks.
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Went here for a mini beer festival featuring London beers. I arrived early lunchtime but already 4 pumps were bent over - no beer on those pumps. Of the remaining 8 pumps, 4 were being used to sell Greene King Abbott and IPA. Of the remaining 4 pumps, 2 had non beer festival beers. I chose 1 of the 2 remaining but by the time I wanted a second, that second pump too was bent over. Doesn't Wetherspoon teach staff how to change barrels, the pub wasn't that busy? Early lunchtime and 5 of 12 pumps out of action. That is not the way to run pubs. What is the point of advertising a mini beer festival if only 1 beer is available. This pub used to offer a good range of beers but in recent years I have been disappointed with the beers available. I will not use this pub again for mini or twice yearly national beer festivals and I will recommend others to go elsewhere.
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I see I am not the only person to complain about rude staff at the Coronation Hall, Surbiton.
I used to like the place. It was my wife�s local cinema and in the late 1980s I removed the projection equipment, which I now use.
I took a friend to there for lunch and ordered a beer and a coffee. The girl who served me was obviously new to the job. No problem. I know what it�s like on your first day. She forgot the coffee and when it came, no milk or spoon. I requested a spoon and after a long wait one of the girls got one from the kitchen. My friend requested milk. It eventually arrived, but three (yes three) staff stood around not knowing what to do with it. My friend, somewhat frustrated as his coffee was getting cold, said quite politely �Give it to me and I�ll pour some into one of your small jugs.� At this point the Duty Manageress decided for some incomprehensible reason to take offence and told my friend that he would not be served again until he apologised. Not surprisingly, he refused.
When I went to order food the officious Duty Manageress would not serve me until my friend apologised. I asked her what he had to apologise for.
The reason for the lack of milk and a spoon was that it was the girl�s first day first day. I pointed out that any proper manager would ensure that new staff are supervised and not left to flounder.
They had run out of spoons!!! In which case, I said, I should have been asked for my table number and been told that a spoon would be brought over.
She then asked me if I had asked for white coffee!! I have NEVER been in a restaurant where I have had to ask for white coffee. Either the waiter has asked what type I want, or the coffee has been brought along with milk and sugar. I made this point, but no response.
As we had nothing to apologise for and were not going to get served, we left. I asked for the address to which I should complain. She just walked off and over her shoulder shouted �website.�
Her whole demeanour betrayed a lack of education, intelligence, training and appreciation of customer service. Her arrogance is symptomatic of someone promoted above her ability. Whatever happened to �the customer is always right?� I suspect that her aggression and synthetic anger was to cover up the fact that she was responsible for the new girl�s lack of training. Aggression is often used to mask incompetence. All this over a jug of milk and a spoon! She should be sacked for poor attitude and for not being up to the job.
I emailed Wetherspoons. Their automated reply said they would respond, but a fortnight later I have heard nothing.
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Very conveniently situated for rail and buses. Very high ceiling. Small upstairs area at the back. Clean.
Have a beer festival on at the moment, so more ales than usual; but they usually have a few decent beers. Food - fine inexpensive meals . Staff good too.
Far better than the Kingston Wetherspoon.
Atmosphere depends on what time and day you visit and where you sit.
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Interesting cinema conversion, with plenty of memorabilia on the walls. Dining areas on several levels plus a number of booths and a fair amount of regular seating. Large number of handpumps (12?), split about 50:50 between the usual suspects and more interesting items (e.g. Cotleigh Osprey, good value at �1.89 but a bit 'woody'). Very handy for Surbiton station.
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The Coronation Hall. A JD Wetherspoon Pub with a good range of ales.
I feel the person below may have gone to a total diffrent pub or has issue with this pub. First the pub does not have door staff and has not had for other two months. The pub serves a good range and well kept ales and ciders and from this the pub is in the current Good Beer Guide. On to the food the pub holds the highest hygine rating issued by Royal Borough Of Kingston Council throught the Scores on the Doors scheme. Maybe some of the customers are not to your liking but when I'm in there which is most days the staff are polite and friendly and make you feel very welcome and this is what has prompted me to write this comment. Also I was pleased to see Old Empire on sale again and it was a top noch pint.
Thanks
Beermonster
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Whetherspoon�s aren't known for being particular great pubs...and this one definitely isn't a great pub!
God where to begin!
The staff are extremely rude and arrogant. They are not polite; they are not informed about something called customer service. When a fight broke out the barmen once through my change at me as he was in a hurry to join in the scrap!
The place is incredibly dirty and I have been tempted to call health and safety in the past as it is revolting in there. The wallpaper is peeling. I dare people to look up at the ceiling and watch that as it peels and falls apart. The tables are rarely cleaned and the carpets are sticky...oh and the SMELL in that place!
The doormen are unlicensed (I overheard there conversation once) and rude but aren't they all...?
The food is revolting and the beer disgusting, I assume it's just hygiene problems? The owners of J D Whetherspoons need to sort this place out as it needs saving.
The clientele in a Wherspoons is always something to be desired... pikeys, slags and alcoholics but aren't they all! This place is to be avoided at ALL costs!
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Could be that two of us had a pint of Talisman on the same night as previous person and without doubt it was the worst tasting beer I have ever had. I suppose if we all liked the same things it would be a very boring old world. I love Fullers Pride and think its one of the nicest tasting beers around....funny old world aint it?
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Was this a beerfest before me? Or was it a Pilgrim Fest? Whatever it matters not as the selection of Pilgrim beers was "sanspareil". Six, I think. I was particularly taken by the Templar..a very polished beer with beautiful lacing. I also was impressed by their Talisman which a knowledgeable bargirl that "it has a new mixture". A greater depth of flavour than I remember and all ales at �1.69..bargain. Only criticism was the beers were a bit cold but better that with choice than a pub with a choice of Pride or Pride or.....BQ 9.9..would have been my first 10 if the temp was right.
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We had some very decent pints of Dorking Red India here last night. �1.89 a pint. Other ales on offer included Triple fff Moondance and ales from the Hogs Back brewery.
It would appear that some Wetherspoons pubs are making a real effort to support local breweries.
Lets hope it continues.
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Could be a decent pub if it weren't for some of the people who use this place. It also seems to be permanently busy even at 10.30am which means it can take an age to get a drink. Do yourself a favour and get the train to London for some decent pubs as Surbiton and Kingston are desperately lacking them.
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Went here last week as we do every week and discovered that some sort of flower arrangement had fallen off the building onto the pavement.
It took 15 minutes for us to be served because of lack of staff behind the bar...even the chef was delivering the cooked meals. Grabbed a second round of Abbotts at 9.10 and was told by guy behind bar that the pub was closing (presumably because of the fallen flowers) and this would be the last drink for us and the manager would be coming around with an explanation. The second load of Abbotts was revolting, no explanation was forthcoming and a guy with a mobile stuck to his ear told us to go. If he was the manager he needs a personality transplant.
Against our better judgement 5 of us were there again last night and although the Abbotts had improved slightly from last week's second pint the service was pretty dire and the place was not that busy. Maybe a letter to Wetherspoons H.O. might improve things at this branch.
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Very commercial, but does have a late licence so it is one of the few pubs in Surbiton open until midnight.
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Lovely building looks like an old theatre?? 9 ales on draught,friendly barmaid and only �1.89 a pint 4 guest ale. 8/10
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Fantastic place, really great atmosphere, cheap booze and loads of depressed old fellas sitting about starring into their pint glasses looking for answers. Live up the road so i'm in most days. Food an absolute joke but makes it even more amusing. Best pub I've been in for a long time and I'll be in tonight!
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A nice drinking establishment if you want to get depressed about life amongst lifes losers. IPA at 99p is the only thing going for this pub, I was there last month at about 11am and was greeted by two men abusing a lady who had just had a spot of lunch. If telling an elderly lady to f*ck off before midday is your bag, then this is the boozer for you.
Full of weirdo's and nonce cases.
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Just Had a Pasta and MeatBalls from here. Tasted Nice.
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'Discovered' one of the limited attractions of Surbiton on Tuesday early evening. The Marstons Pedigree was OK - it was the Pilgrims Bitter that really appealed. The food was ok - a bit tired as if the salmon had been around for a while. My buddy had the pork steaks, which he rated higher. With friendly staff, we were both pretty content.
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Typical Wetherspoons, good range of beer. No complaints about quality. Underrated on here.
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It is indeed a sympathetic conversion in so far as it is clear what the former use was and is celebrated in the decor and pictures on the walls. Seperate gallery drinking area with views over the main bar. Eight different ales on handpump, including 5 guests which rotate. Seemingly good turnover so beers in decent condition. Perfectly acceptable venue with the bonus of Spoons prices.
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Well for an ale drinker you are spoilt for choice...plenty criticise Wetherspoons pubs...but they are incredibly popular so must be doing plenty right..staff surprisingly knowledgeable considering the range of ales..the speed of sale almost guarantees a good pint...my Pilgrim Porter was superb..if only I had arrived earlier it could have been drunk with what must be the best priced breakfast in the universe! And what a sympathetic refurb. BQ 8.5
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Re the last comment - if you knew what you were talking about it might be worth reading! Seriously no pub sells real ale 2 weeks out of date!
I tried the Exmoor Beast on Friday night and I guarantee that would not be sitting around for that length of time.
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I have only graced this establishment once in my many years of drinking, however the one time I did, I was rather impressed at the range of beverages and food on offer. Of course being jdw it is remarkably cheap, not without its downsides however, with ales being served way below optimum pleasure levels, Id imagine to hide the fact that they were most probably off, by quite a few weeks at that. I advise sticking to the lagers.
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Like all the Wetherspoon chain this pub offers cheap booze and food and nobody can get near them for sheer value.
Because of this however, this place is full of red eyed chavs who look as if they have been living in a hedge, no-hopers from the ymca social services hotel who shout at the wall when they are skint and pikeys who get hammered on their dole money.
I have never seen any trouble there though.
Great place for its uniqueness and the human circus at lunchtime.
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Not a review but a response to a previous request !
The Coronation was originally built as a cinema. When it opened on 21 June 1911, the day of King George V's coronation (hence the name) it was capable of seating 600 people. Later renamed The Roxy, 1947, and then The Ritz, 1965, it continued showing movies until 1966. Subsequently used as a bingo hall. When the bingo venture ended, there was an abortive attempt to convert the building into a naturist health club. Now a Wetherspoon pub with a name very close to its original title. Hope this is of some interest. TTFN.
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A fairly decent JDW which doesn't seem to attract the "uber-chav" element seen all too often in Kingston. Have to agree with the previous comment about the fruit machines / ITbox though - stick a quid in and within 5 seconds you'll have someone peering over your shoulder ready to jump on straight after you. Argh - pikeys - NO!
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Agree with PunkRockBee about the doormen, very polite and friendly. A few small groups of chavs, some looking barely old enough to drink but the atmosphere was OK during my visit. Pub was surprisingly quiet for 9 o'clock on a Saturday night. Some of the bar staff much more friendly and welcoming than others.
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Suprisingly, the doormen are some of the sweetest out there. They're not as aggressive as most and don't go all Nazi-ish when it comes to ID and open the door for you as well as saying 'hello' and 'goodnight'.
The place is HUGE and lavishly decorated (does anyone know what the building used to be?) I like that it has a mezzanine level too. BUT, being a Wetherspoons, of course it's full of chavs and you can't get to the fruit machines or ITbox for fear of your life as this is where all the pikeys congregate to blow their dole money.
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Good for breakfast and that's about it!!
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He may know his real ales but why does he serve them so darn cold? My pint of Grand Union One Hop was too cold to taste. They advertise 'the coldest beer in town' but that shouldn't apply in this case (but it shouldn't be warm either).
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AVERAGE AT BEST
anonymous - 5 Feb 2007 00:32 |
One of the better Wetherspoons .Current manager knows his real ales.
anonymous - 4 Feb 2007 20:13 |
Best thing about this pub is the staff, they are really polite and I find them to be quick. The bad thing is it is so smoky, hits you as you walk in, remains until you leave. Its like sitting in a cloud. Overall tho, its ok for a spoons, better than the Tun.
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A unique pub with a very elaborate interior. There is gold gilding on the roof, with a relief of the solar system on one end wall. It is themed with artifacts from the cinema. There is plenty of comfortable seating with long bar.
I was served quickly and efficiently despite being a Friday evening and it was during their Half Moon beer festival. There was a fine range of 12 real ales, including some very unusual ones which you don't normally see in a pub.
The usual Wetherspoon food but I didn't eat there so I can't comment on its quality. One of the best Wetherspoons I have visited and is well worth a visit.
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From a Surbiton nearly pensioner - do go there quite a lot - and yes it is barking mad at times - but I enjoy the floor show! Drinks not really that cheap any more, teenagers in near bikinis and tattoos, just good if you go there early evening to meet friends etc. Hint - have straw in drink, as you never know! Decor is now diabolical - frayed seats, loos with no locks, tables dirty, but still go there!
anonymous - 29 Oct 2006 22:43 |
This is a follow up on my previous visit of 20 September last. To-day, 20 October was the first day of Wetherspoons Autumn Beer Festival. There we were expecting some great beers and all we got was 4 rather weak bitters plus all the usual ones, Pedigree, Abbott, Spitfire and Courage Best. As far as this JDW outlet was concerned - what beer festival?? No advertising nor any leaflets to say what was on offer. After 3 pints we left and proceeded to the 'Cap in Hand' at Hook.
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I visited this pub yesterday, 19 September and found it to be not as bad as described. They usually have a good range of real ales and are usually served in good condition. The leather sofas at the top end in the non-smoking area are falling apart. One chair seems to be supported by breeze blocks and the stuffing is coming out of the sofas. No doubt helped by some of their customers. The upstairs non-smoking area is awkward to reach if you want to take up more than 2 drinks. Some form of dumb-waiter would be useful (I am not referring to the staff|). Although the staff seemed to have changed again but the service was efficient.
I and my friends usually visit this pub about once a fortnight and we are quite happy with it.
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its a wetherspoons.........enough said!
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Great for a spot of brunch early on the weekend. Agree with previous comments, i.e. full of freaks. Non-smoking area is a pull to this pub, but shame it is so small considering the size of the pub.
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Love this pub - quick service at the bar, drinks are fairly priced and staff are nice. VERY busy on Friday and Saturday nights but what can you expect! Hard to find somewhere to sit occassionally which is a downfall. Great mix of people visit this pub.
anonymous - 5 Jun 2006 22:02 |
this is a vulgar place, full or vulgar people. For some strange reason they have also decided that a good idea in a pub this size is to make the smoking section a long corridor in the middle, where you can never get a seat and is always packed, where in the vast no smoking areas an echo can be heard. Stupid idea. Whenever i have been there, they have always run out of at least one thing that someone i'm with is drinking.
Avoid it.
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Little bit like watching the local wildlife in full techicolour......full of LA women, jailbait, Surbiton pensioners and missing links
Bloody brilliant
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Yep, the lure of JDW prices enticed us through the door. And we found a table in the gallery area and the beer was OK. But oh my goodness, the place was barking mad. And not in a good way. We had a superb vantage point to take in the squabbles and arguments, to observe the body language of "deeply offended" as well as "about to cop off with the wrong person". No fights while we were there but I can imagine there might well have been after we left. Maybe a good idea that there's no music - one less thing for the lively punters to argue about. Best as an early evening pub I'd say.
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I like the Corry Hall, but recommend that you dont go on a Friday night, WAY TOO BUSY! Always a good selection of ales on the go, some interesting pictures and articles on the wall relating to the history of Surbiton. I like how it is split up in a number of areas, makes it feel less big, ie too big. I find it nice during the day when it is quite peaceful, you can sit and have a chat and a beer with a friend without worrying that you are 'hogging' a table.
Doesn't have that 'cosey' atmosphere though, I like it and thats what matters to me!
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Was in there on fight night! Bottles being thrown, people getting hit with chairs, police with riot sheilds.... Just another normal night for the Corrie!
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Even when it's hot outside it is freezing in here because of the air conditioning. Like most Wetherspoons, a few lone drunks populate an aircraft hanger of a building totally lacking in atmosphere. Though is cheap if you want somewhere to start off with.
anonymous - 30 Dec 2005 09:55 |
Big Wetherspoons pub with a range of real ales
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A real depressing place, has no atmosphere and no music only desent if you are with a group.
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problem with the student bar at kingston uni is its really rubbish. i always opted for the coronation or the rising sun for a couple of pints on the way home when i was at uni there rather than go to the union.
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Is my local, will still be my local, but has gone downhill a bit of late. Especially on Friday nights around this time of year. Getting served can be a nightmare, due to one of two things: (1) Great big groups of students, none of whom ever seem to drink in rounds, all ordering in singles (and why can't they drink in their student bars? Aren't they cheap enough as it is?) and (2) Great big groups of 18-21 year olds, all necking vodka & Red Bulls or some other cocktail concoction that takes ages to make up in a great big jug (why don't people drink proper things like pints these days?)
It used to be over-21s only in days gone by, and was so much better then...
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The manager needs to get some balls and sort out the problem customers...once you let them get away with randomly abusing customers for one evening they'll come back everytime for more.
Looks like it may need a new manager with some balls to stop the rot.
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It is full of pikeys which is odd as they have a 'no hats' policy, which would have put most of the baseball cap/hoody combination wearing fraternity right off.
Apart from having the usual low Wetherspoon standards, rubber food, lack of atmos etc. my biggest dislike are the staff. on one occasion after ordering a pint and being told to hurry up while choosing an ale, we failed to gain anything other than a gruffly spoken "�2.20" from the bar manager - noi please, thank you etc. He then threw us out when I said thank you, nice to see service with a smile. lovely friendly place.
Chris - 25 Aug 2004 13:07 |
Is one great big room, zero atmpsphere (the bit up at the top is ok though if you can get a seat among the briefcase carrying suit brigade). Typical 'Spoons really, except not as nice.
Jane - 17 Aug 2004 12:07 |
best wetherspoons ive been to (though thats not saying much).
i found the clientle to be better than ur average wetherspoons.
yeah the beer is poor and there is not atmosphere and all wetherspoons are the same... but when ur a broke student that doesnt matter as much as the prices.
anthony - 20 May 2004 22:56 |
4 loud and obnoxious lads in the right bay window were shouting insults and obscenities to all and sundry on saturday afternoon. Apparently me and a mate were 'effing faggots' and thats just the milder insult,and repeated in cyclic fashion and nausium (i didn't even know faggots were on the menu, no meatballs listed either!)
The supervisor on shift didn't see this as a problem that needed dealing with ?
Oh, and have had wrong beer served on several occasions.
That supervisor should be sacked for permitting such behaviour on his shift.
jon-paul - 11 May 2004 13:58 |
Barmaids getting the orders wrong, dirty glasses, dodgy clientelle (including shady suit wearer pissing in the corner in the toilets). Still. It's cheap and close to the station.
Atz - 6 Apr 2004 12:29 |
Despite the comments above, not such a pikey venue, but does indeed feature cheap drink and food. The foods ok, the drink is.. well drink. Altogether my favourite Surbiton pub, because its close, cheap and its large (not filled with smoke)
Chris Thomas - 25 Mar 2004 17:52 |
For a Wetherspoons it's got quite a low ratio of drinkers to pikeys, ok, but not many surprises to be honest.
Scotty Boy - 13 Jan 2004 13:51 |
It's just another typical Wetherspoons pub..Cheap drink, cheap food, cheap customers.
crazyfunster - 18 Dec 2003 21:41 |
the ex brothel decor is its best feature in an otherwise standard wetherspoon format
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Take one of the most interesting old buildings in Surbiton (it used to be a theatre / cinema / town hall), turn it into a naturist gym but never open because you are really one giant brothel, then finally decide to be a pub with history. In theory a really interesting venue, but in reality just another soul-sapping Wetherspoon's, opening up in a high street near you trying very hard to harmogonise the town centres of England and give Pikey's everywhere a place to drink / fight.
Chris - 1 Dec 2003 10:31 |
nice cheap pub to get pissed in, just avoid the tramps and the SITA guys to the left of the bar
anonymous - 17 Jun 2003 15:45 |
The great thing about Wetherspoons is that they do try to maintain a cask ale at a reasonable price. The problem is that it attracts sad drunks. The lack of music and pure size of the place means that the atmosphere can be flat.
Mike - 24 Mar 2003 17:38 |
Very cheap beer, but no atmposhere whatsoever. Always seem to take an age to get served even the bar is huge. Often full of drunk old men!
Ilsa - 24 Mar 2003 16:13 |
Dull pub with with no atmosphere and poor (but dirt cheap) beer.
Angus - 19 Mar 2003 17:47 |
really nice decor (nicer than the kingstun - not hard though) - food selection is pretty standard but the sunday roasts are well worth it and poss the best value in the area. As with all these pubs drinks are cheap. Atmosphere can verge on the old persons getting lagered but other than that it's a great pub and the staff are really poite
simon - 30 Sep 2002 13:24 |
A Jewel in the Spoon, the Coronation Hall is one of the more imaginative conversions undertaken by this mammoth chain. Unlike the Kings Tun in nearby Kingston, the Coronation Hall is not ruined by filth, drunken yoof or staff that don't give a toss. The food is always prepared perfectly (not that much preparation is involved), and the staff are lovely. On the downside, it can take a while to get served even when the pub is not particularly busy. Give me Chicken Balti and a few bottles of Coldwater Creek in this pub and I am a happy man indeed.
Loz - 9 Aug 2002 11:57 |
The coronation hall is like no other weatherspoons i have ever been to (quite e few by the way) unlike most spoons the corrie has not got that dull unfriendly image that the rest seem to have or the robotic like staff that wolud not care if they were serving drinks or hamburgers at the local fast food shop, the corrie staff seem that they really do enjoy there work and they all seem good friends, even when they are not at work they are all a regular sight in other pubs and clubs in the area they always say hi when they see in and out of work. i would like to suggest that the rating for this pub should be raised to at least match the best in surbiton or even better as for the limited attrections that the pub has to offer the staff always seem to make a evening fly by (not only because of the cheap drinks)
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