please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I dropped in here whilst the New Prince (Prince Of Wales) was being refurbished. The place is very tired and has the feel of a dark old student boozer from the 70's that has been forgotten about. I have been told that they have regular bands on. I guess financially, this place will be struggling and the property developers must be hovering!
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An absolute hole.
Pretty sure the short guy behind the bar is on the take. Prices seem to be made up on the spot, got told 3 different prices for the same pint in one evening.
Obnoxious, foul mouthed idiot in a denim jacket started shouting. We left.
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Have been drinking in the Bun Shop/Brave New World for the past 20 odd years and after all that time have now been barred by the drunken supposed owner!! I was talking to a friend when she passed and said to my friend "Here now!" pointing to anther part of the bar! I said "How rude, I'm in the middle of a conversation" she repled "If you don't like it, then F**k off annd find somewhere else to drink!!" I confronted her and all she had to say was "Pick on someone your own sex" Bit difficult unless she's transgender!!!
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THE STAFF ARE GREAT - BUT FIGHTING A LOST CAUSE.
this place is very nearby, so sadly it has to be my local if I cant be bothered walking an extra 10 mins to a better place.
The manager and employed staff are friendly and try hard with live music, event nights, a well tended garden and a good weekly quiz.
But all their efforts go to waste when the owner seems determined to drive custom away with over-loud music, foul looks and rudeness from the barstool that she seems rooted to . The decor is tatty and tired and no money has been spent on the place since the late 90s. There was a time when they ran out of stock on a regular basis, but someone seems to be paying the supply bills now.
it also had a reputation for a high turnover of managers, some being sacked overnight, But the latest manager and his team have survived a relativly long time, and his efforts seem to keep the place going.
It is spacious, so easy io find tables. The juke box also tends to have a good selection, but the owner tends to pump up the volume too loud to be able to talk.
It is a good place to watch big sporting matches, which gets a good atmosphere. But a lot of locals disappear as soon as a game finishes.
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Have started drinking in here as I've just moved around the corner and what a find it is! Great live music, friendly bar staff and good beer!
Purrs - 16 Nov 2011 07:57 |
Spacious knocked through pub with colourful decor more appropriate for a tapas bar. Popped in for a quick pint while the footie was on the big(-ish) screen on a Sunday. Only ale on draught was Doom Bar in decent nick. Not busy but not quiet. Pool table in a separate room to the left hand side as you look at the place.
And when did it change from being the Bun Shop? It must be nearly thirty years since I went in it as such but it lives long in the memory.
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I had not been in the brave for quiet a long time as i live in irland
beer was ok, but there was some strange people there.
staff seemed friendly enough, i did manage to avoid an old love suprised she can still weel herself in.
music nights are good nice to see there are still some talanted people around.
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Wasn't as bad as I feared being a huge fan of the Bun Shop many, many years ago but was pleasantly surprised! Welcoming staff, good beers and a fair talent playing live
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A big improvement. Good to see Paul Ryan back for Open Mic on Sunday night and very pleasant - marred only by some bad, drunken behaviour between two females...
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Got the shock of my life the other night, a decent pint of beer (Doom Bar) was served. Still need to redecorate to lose the dated theme and decide how best to utilise the space.
I understand the closure was just for the weekend, its re-opening might have something to do with the presence of the small chap assocaited with the Waggon...
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Walked past this pub the other day and there was a sign saying that it was closed by the council until further notice...... an improvement me thinks.
Maybe those evil old drunks who call themselves the owners were haled away to the looney bin at long last.
Tone,
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I've occasionally frequented this pub for many years and I haven't seen it getting busier, merely quieter over that time. Admittedly it was cleaner last time I went there, however the new 'Jimmy Saville' manager was rude and unwelcoming.
It's an odd place.
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"best beer in surbiton" ha ha ha a thousand ha's carlsberg? fosters? !!!!!!!!!! well done betman, we sing from the same hymn sheet
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For someone not affiliated with this bar that did seem to strike a nerve now, didn't it?
BW
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I am Brrandy and I have let my friends use this for comments, I think it is odd that BW has posted such poison, obviously either someone who has been removed from the bar for not complying with bar rules, as in any pub. Kate does not own the bar, nor Ian nor me, the bar is owned by a man and business partner and they have had the bar for over 10 years. If BW wants to continue wasting his/her time posting poison then it makes no difference to the BNW business as it speaks for itself as it has done for the past 10.years with DECENT customers not BW scumbags.
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Hi my name is Ian, I am also using Brandy's log on, the idiot who posted poison against the bar must have some kind of grudge, but their grudge is not working because the bar is getting busier and a nicer crowd. The idiot posting poison has got his/her facts all wrong.
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Brandy has let me use her computer, whoever you are you have got the wrong person, a woman has NEVER owned the Brave New World and cetainly not with that description which may have been one of the bar maids. The pub is owned by an English Ex Public Schoolboy cetainly not an Eastern European and his business partner. Get your facts right before spreading more poison.
The pub was designed and built by the owner and business partners whom I have known for 6 years, the pub would not exist without their expert knowledge and brilliant staff aboard. Do not come into the pub if you do not like it, my friends and I enjoy a fantastic atmosphere and the owner has had the pub for over 10 years and it is really doing well without customers like yourself who are probably not up to the bars high standard of cliental and have been asked to leave the premises, pity you have nothing better to do. Go drink elsewhere you do not know who you are talking about. Kate
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To 'Kate',
How long have you owned the brave new world for now ?
Blonde hair, skirt too tight ring any bells?
BW
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Hi my name is Kate, I am not Brrandy but it will have to go under her name as it won't take my user name on this as their seems to be lots registered. I want to add I have been to the Brave New World Pub recently after a holiday and found it had improved 100% under Bill the new manager, Jeff was another good manager and it only went down ill a bit when a temporary manager was there, I don't know his name but he had two front teeth missing. Anyway it is a first class bar again, I went to see Gary Brewer playing there on 30 January and it was fantastic. The acoustics of the bar are first class and Sunday Mic is run really well now with Jim Hobbs, everyone gets on.
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Further good news, all the old staff under the previous manager who was only their for about 6 months have left, and now the staff are smart and attractive. Some of the good customers under the manager Geoff have started to return to the bar as it back to a high standard again. The bar is even more female friendly and a friend of mine had a party their a couple of weeks ago and it went really well. Good wine list, cocktails - jukebox with lots of numbers choice of music. Sorry it is me posting the review again but I feel strongly that the bar should have the review it deserves and for me that is 10 plus.
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Just read some of the reviews from a disgrunted customer, I think I know who they are as they were asked to leave the bar a couple of Sunday's ago as they had brought in their own drink and tried to jump the music queue on Sunday evening. They were a nuisance from word go as they were not listening to the music just talking through it. Regarding the owner he is not Eastern European they have got the wrong person and the wrong facts. The shareholders are very respectable people and want to run a respectable establishment comments like these are very childish. Out with the old and in with the new. Well done Brave New World there should be more pubs like it. Bill the new manager is first class and his beer.
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This is the most fantastic pub I have ever been in, thank goodness there is a stricter manager in now and the customers are more classy, brilliant music on Sunday night's and some Friday nights. The beer is the best in Surbiton and the bar staff are very polite
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good pub
NAAAT
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OMG just the worst pub i have ever been to. its seems to be run by a ghastly alcoholic baffoon, dribbling & spitting at the patrons. anyway enough about the landlady. the landlord speaks a strange eastern european dilalect, did'nt understand much he said he was so lashed. the owners seem hell bent on throwing anyone out they dislike, so beware. the beer ? :: overpriced, watery, badly served by unhappy staff. front bar infested by locals from the council estate next door. walking in to this pub is a bit like the jail scene from the film 'silence of the lambs' urghhhhh. tell your enemys were to go for a night out otherwise stay well clear and wait for the headline in the local papers!!
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The owners of the premise, brave new word ,are the rudest most horrible people i have ever met .
the atmosphere when they are in the brave ,is one of sheer terror.
not knowing wether they are gong to throw all the patrons out on a druken rage .
I can say from personal experience , that they treat their bar staff dreadfull,
its would be a fantasic pub , if they didnt own it
do not go in !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Rumour has it Aldous Huxley drinks here
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Somehow this place keeps going, it's added a pool table and has even less patrons. Still, it's a pub and not unfriendly but is just too big for the amount of customers it gets.
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Went to Open Mic Sunday, great variety of artists, looking forward to visiting again this Sunday, run by BGT and Chris Dowling, a lot better than any X Factor show
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This is the most fantastic pub in the area, I had a party there recently and the new manager was very helpful and great friendly bar staff, the venue itself is unusual with candles and a friendly atmosphere. Well worth booking your party there.
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Jeff, The Manager has now sadly left this establishment and most of the bar staff too, and taken all the delight out of visiting this place, with the exception of Diana,who's still there, with them. Good luck in your new endeavours Jeff!
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Came in here for a CAMRA committee meeting tonight. Only Doom Bar on but it was perfectly acceptable. They had a pump for Atlantic IPA but it was turned around. Fairly spacious and a reasonable place for a pint. Attractive barmaids.
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Does 'Divi' have a job? I bet if he does then he would be first out of the door when his shift finishes! Need I say more?
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Sad to say but absolute pony now. Used to be good especially thurs.Managment only think of themselves.They can't wait till 11 to arrive so they can go home (but they have had a skin full by then anyway).11oclock bell a treasure to behold, wait for a sarcastic comment and then you know why you don't want to go back!
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Great pub. And a very interesting choice of brewery; that of Rock in Cornwall. The Doomsbar is well worth having.
The thursday night semi-acoustic evening is usually very good.
If it's a non-music night the place seems over large but it's certainly worth going there when the bands are on.
One small complaint; they close far too early.
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sunday nights open mic just got better,run professionally("by Chris Dowling i mite say"),so it`s time for all you locals to come and see for selves.....
anonymous - 9 Jan 2007 20:26 |
Easily the best pub/bar in Surbiton. Great atmosphere, and top class friendly staff. Excellent music every week.
Only thing they could do better is serve food, but you can't have it all!!
Overall well worth a vist!
anonymous - 29 Jul 2006 11:03 |
Lovely bar, not a pub really. Used to have a terrible reputation but now civilised and free of knuckle-draggers (for those, try the Angel round the corner). Very friendly and efficient bar staff, always good for a laugh. The Thursday gigs are one of Surbiton's best kept secrets, the bands tend to have a rock/blues flavour. I would strongly recommend popping in, particularly if Tim Royce, Chris Dowling or BGT are playing. Civilised drinking establishment for grown ups.
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I like this place, even though it is rarely busy and doesn't seem to have an atmosphere. But the bar staff have always been friendly and quick to serve. If you go there with a group of friends for a quite night perfect.
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To Annon,
I think its a shame you share such views when you haven't been there in over a year. The long haired man has gone and things have improved beyond belief.
Live music every week (of good calibre as well), affordable prices, friendly staff and friendlier clientele than most of the mish mash pubs in surbiton.
I'd give it another go....
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Bit of a sad story really. I first visited here in 2001 when it wasn't too bad a venue. Very good layout with centrally located bar and good courtyard style garden area. Big screen sports bar toward back set far enough away from quieter front section. Young friendly staff. But then things gradually deteriorated. Tables never probably wiped down (you're elbows stuck to the surface) and glasses not properly cleaned (unless ladies lipstick on rim is a gimmick). I think manager was/is long-haired blond guy who seemed to be the bar's best customer. As mentioned elsewhere though - very good at attracting good live music. Haven't been for over a year now. Needs new management, and to lose some locals who'd be more suited to The Angel round the corner).
anonymous - 7 Feb 2006 13:34 |
Came here for the first time on thursday 30th june.Very pleasant staff,clean interior and a very goog band....BGT.Well worth a visit.
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The only thing about the Brave to remain consistently superb over the last two years is the live Music - especially the BGT who can be seen one thursday a month
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I don't believe it...they guy who seems to be the bar manager know knows what he's doing and I've yet to find them out of ANYTHING since he started...looks like this place is on the way up again.
Only minor problem is it can get a little too smokey on occasions.
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spit and sawdust spring to mind...
prickly - 24 Aug 2004 13:48 |
Continuing a downhill slide.....
Barry - 17 Jun 2004 15:48 |
Going down hill at 90 Mph!!!
On recent occasions, it has managed to run out of beer, real ale, gas for the kegs, bar snacks and even fags on various occasions!
Rob - 13 Feb 2004 17:27 |
Had a decent restaurant, closed last time I went past.
As jon-paul said, nowhere near as good as the Bun Shop....
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Oh, and nowhere as good as the Bun Shop ;0)
jon-paul - 17 Oct 2003 15:38 |
A bit cold/lacking in atmosphere, Has pretentions it cannot quiet live up to. full of students. However, live music, good bar staff. Worth visiting with friends.
jon-paul - 17 Oct 2003 15:37 |
Great pub. Friendly staff, often live music of some kind or another, and they even have the uncommonly good idea of chilling the beer glasses in the fridge, which is nice.
Chris - 10 Sep 2003 10:22 |
Absolutely fantastic, my friend and I went in for a drink and was pleasantly surprised by the excellent choices of wine, ambience, service and live music. Recommend for 30 somethings crowd.
David - 4 May 2003 14:54 |
