BITE user comments - Gurkha
Comments by Gurkha
What a great place. Went on a sunny Saturday evening and sat in the beer garden but the inside is nice and cosy. Good view of the old Accrington ground and the surrounding country is nice. Lots of great old pics of ground and I gather some fans still drink here before home games which is a nice touch. Dare say the new ground is on a trading estate!
Good selection of beers, well kept and staff and locals very friendly, despite some previous comments.
9 Oct 2014 15:55
Drove past this pub on the way to the football at Gigg Lane and the outside was packed with football fans. Assume it was busy inside too. Called in on the way back and no-one outside. At the restaurant entrance they had a sign up saying “no football fans due to a wedding party in the restaurant”. That appears to have been an outright lie as the restaurant was sparsely used and certainly no big groups in it. At the front the staff were all hanging around outside and told us they were trying to keep the football fans out. So they are happy to take football fans money BEFORE the match but not afterwards? Very cynical and I don’t think I will return given that attitude. And the hand pulled pint I had was pretty awful.
9 Oct 2014 15:53
There is a fine tradition in this country of standing at the bar to drink and it�s still pretty popular. So come on those grumbling about getting a seat and get in the spirit instead. And as to being in a crappy shopping precinct, well that is surely part of it�s charm. With every other pub looking alike it�s nice to have a change.
And I havn't even been yet but will do so very soon!
6 Jul 2012 14:18
Have to say the beer in here is rarely top notch in my view. They have a wider range than they used to when I started going (35 years ago!) Staff always seem friendly but the beer could just be a bit better kept.
Still a must visit as it�s probably the best pub interior in the country and I�ve been in a lot. And unlike the Crown in Belfast and several others this place has never been up its own backside.
Had a meal in the upstairs dining room about 2 years back and have to say it did not look promising when entering the room. Bit scruffy and lots of stuff dumped in a room just in view next door. Staff seemed jumpy and disorganised. But after being seated they were very good. Take your food order and bring you a pint up from downstairs when required. Food came quickly and was very nice, hot, well cooked and plenty of it. A real surprise.
6 Jul 2012 14:14
What a great place! 7 handpulls but only 1 from Allgates, which seemed strange as they own the place I gather. All beers in good nick and with most at �2 a pint a real bargain. Several of them I had never heard of which I like to find.
Landlady seems nice and the bar staff were all very efficient. A nice building with nice decor and a very knowledgeable crowd when it came to the music. Most of them were word perfect with a lot of songs! The band, The Rainmakers, went down very well and after two encores the crowd still didn�t want them to finish!
The mix of people was very wide but everyone seemed friendly which is great to find in a small town. Thoroughly recommended.
6 Jul 2012 14:12
Bristol and Exeter Inn, Bridgwater
It�s about 15 years since I went in this place but I have never forgotten it.
The other comments have it about right and I only hope no-one has come in and spoiled it since. I assume YoYo meant this represents Bridgwater, but not in a good way!
It was nuts the night I went in and luckily I did not have a collar and tie on which I often do when I visit dodgy pubs. I think that dog behind the bar may have been set to work to eat me alive otherwise. Remember that scene in American Werewolf when they go in the pub on the Moors? Just like that! I have described it to many people as the dirtiest pub I have ever been in and I have been in a lot of dirty pubs.
However we need pubs like this and towns like Bridgewater to make Britain everything it is so more power to your cider elbows.
6 Jul 2012 14:10
Had it with this place! How is it still rating 7 odd?
See my previous review; latest visit the beer was still crap but they know how to charge for it! �3.10 for a pint of 3.8% Blonde Bird. I�ve NEVER said this about a real ale pub in over 40 years of pretty hard drinking; I aint going back! They can stuff their overpriced poorly kept beers. Even more of, such a shame etc.
27 Feb 2012 14:19
Ruined about 20 years ago. An absolute classic example of "just leave things alone". But they can't, can they? �3 for crap keg beer. If you have heard of this place, it is well known, but not been; dont bother.
2 Sep 2011 13:16
The Ma Boyles Oyster Bar, Liverpool
Visited on a Thursday about 5.00. Empty but bar staff friendly. Only one handpull upstairs which tasted pretty poor. Sign up saying 5 or 6 beers downstairs but I just know even if they were down there the bar would not be staffed so what�s the point? The downstairs room is tiny so why not put more beers on upstairs for when people walk in the place? Bizzare!
2 Sep 2011 13:13
What a great place!
Beer is VERY cheap; I paid less for a pint and a half than I pay for a pint in my local.
Food is VERY cheap; About �18 for some starters and 4 main courses.
They only had their own beers on which is fine but they had a wide range and several interesting looking ciders, not my thing though. I tried 4 different beers and two were not to my liking but I enjoyed the other two. Maybe more use of the sparkler needed as they were all a bit flat. Possibly just my tastes though and nothing to be said against their brewing skills. I love micro brewery�s so the more the merrier for me.
I do love my meat but have to say the food was very tasty and much better than I was expecting. The place is great too, plenty of character and probably characters if you stayed long enough and very young but efficient and friendly staff. A very mixed crowd and not stuffy in the way some veggie places can be. I�m sure many vegans would not approve of a veggie steak dish on the menu but if it�s well cooked why not?
I�ll be going back without a doubt as this is a great place but it has just one problem; they need to put the prices up, it�s all worth a good deal more!
16 May 2011 15:40
I have a friend who worked in several of Cains pubs when they had a larger chain. Apparently they really are the Brewery who could not organise a p*** up in their own premises.
Cains is hard to find near where I live so I was really looking forward to a pint in this wonderful building. It�s not the best pub interior but it has one of the best rooms you could wish to drink in.
Imagine my disappointment when the pint of Cains was just this side of being handed back. It wasn�t off but if they tried just a little harder��..
This place used to carry a wide range of Cains brews and usually a guest but not any more.
If your listening ����.if you can�t run a pub then sell it and let someone else have a chance to do a better job than you are managing with this part of your business. Such a shame, all round.
26 Apr 2011 12:08
2 staff serving at 6 pm on a busy Friday evening?
Come on Tim; get it sorted as I walked out and will continue to do so when I don�t think I�m going to get served within about 20 minutes.
26 Apr 2011 12:06
The Briton's Protection Hotel, Castlefield
I feel I must take issue with Pukons comments.
My first visit last night and what a great place.
Yes it is a bit of a maze of rooms but is he saying;
A) it should be kept quieter for his benefit, or
B) knocked about to make more space?
My guess is it is busy because it is popular because it is very good and this lay out is how most pubs where when there were more good pubs around.
The beer was fine but I only tried 1, though they had 4 or 5 on.
Lovely place so for heavens sake don�t change it!
4 Apr 2011 15:26
I have to say when I spotted this had re-opened and saw what the set up was I had my doubts. However it seems to be doing good business and is a great new addition, all the more welcome as both the towns Weathers are pretty poor at the moment
This is a great building inside, very individual and it was not always so, believe me!
The owners and the staff are all very friendly. They now do food but not tried it so can�t comment. Wirral_RealAlians have a point about the music; only a minor gripe though and what they play seems fine.
Another minor grumble is the choice of beers which does not seem to change much from the local brews. Whilst all in favour of supporting local beers a bit more variety would be welcome. All well kept mind which I can�t say for most outlets in Birkenhead.
It doesn�t open on a Monday and that fact makes the day go slower so you can tell I like it.
All in all this is a brave venture in a pub with a very chequered past and as they seem to be that rare and beautiful thing an independent they deserve all the support they can get.
28 Mar 2011 14:11
Well Carols comments from 2004 still apply all except for the landlord; maybe he is new since then.
First the hand pulled London Pride was just OK and that has nothing to do with my overall review; it was just OK, nothing special.
We were made very welcome by the locals which was pretty good as we almost outnumbered them. Then about 75 minutes into a big match on the telly the landlord walks in and changes the channel to a rugby match. That is just plain rude when about 15 people have been watching the match avidly including many locals. (We are not)
To be asked if we minded missing a trivial match like Liverpool versue Man Utd for a local game of rugby would have been nice, but not a word. Most of the locals who were watching it with us stormed out. Made me think the manager was just looking after his well healed rugby mates and they don�t want any truck with that plebs game of soccer. One ignorant lump commented when he arrived �what�s this s*** doing on�.
I drink in a lot of pubs, watched a lot of big games in them but have never been treated like that. Not sure I�ll be rushing back and as the pub is in a very quite village the manager maybe needs to think about that. Ruined an otherwise nice experience and I�m sorry for Fred, one of the locals, if you get treated like that by people you live with!
7 Mar 2011 12:59
Used this place for years and at one time they served the best pint of Cains in town but like always with Wetherspoons they soon took that off! They can�t seem to leave things alone sometimes.
Staff are usually friendly but very often not enough of them; Friday lunches, 2 staff serving 10 or 12 punter!
Lately the range of beers has been poor. The other week 8 handpulls but only 3 beers on. Not good enough frankly and sometimes I just turn around and walk out.
With just a bit more care this place could be improved.
27 Jan 2011 12:22
Well it�s all been said about the building though I�ve been coming in here so long I don�t notice anymore but for me it�s always been a pub that could be just that little bit better.
Larry has done a great job keeping up the real ales and I didn�t think that would happen. They have a cheap spell at teatime where the real ales are about �1.70 which is always welcome. They are usually well kept and the variety and rotation are great so there always seems to be something new on.
But I always seem to have a few minor gripes some more serious than others;
The staff are often lazy when it comes to using the sparklers and most people who drink real ales in the North expect a decent head.
But more seriously I saw them saving slops the other week and it�s not the first time. I haven�t seen this practise anywhere in about twenty years and it�s still against the law as far as I know. The first time I saw it here I was sure I was wrong but the bar person last week clearly used a second glass to catch the run off and left it on the drip tray. I know times are tough for pubs but bad practices like this can never be justified.
It pains me to leave negative feedback but sort these things out and I can say wholeheartedly it�s a good place to visit.
27 Jan 2011 12:00
Called in after a very pleasant walk round Wayho, on a Sat lunch. Not especially busy but made very welcome and we had two children with us and muddy boots. Staff very friendly and after ordering food on a whim we were very impressed. All well cooked, fresh and very good value. Very cozy inside with a mix of seating and rooms. Good beers though think they had more on last time I was here but no complaints. A very nice place, well worth a visit.
5 Jan 2011 10:51
I have been drinking in here since I was about 16, a long time!
It's been through many incarnations but it has never been spoilt from what it always has been - a proper boozer.
Ken and the team run it very well and the ale is consistently good though it seems to get overlooked by the Camra toffs, their loss in my view!
The staff are very pleasant and even knowledgeable about the beers.
Does food on a Sunday I think and the beer garden is a clever use of the space on a very small site. Very good area for the annual beer fest.
The hand pulls seem to change weekly and are always very well kept. The variety is also very good and in this town that is hard to find.
My only problem with it is I live too far away now or I�d spend way more time in here!
I also miss the weird little outdoor toilet that used to be just next door and the phone box which for a while had a squashed frog in the phone book. Ah the old days!
Get in here if you don�t know it and you will be glad you did. Enjoy.
22 Sep 2010 19:42
Went here on a Friday lunch for a meal and must say was very impressed. Food well cooked, a veg lasagne looked home made and all portions huge at very reasonable prices. Staff very friendly and it is in a lovley spot. Would have liked more than one hand pulled ale but a minor gripe. Nice decor, a good place all round and I visit a lot of pubs and can be picky.
1 Apr 2010 08:42
Went here last Sat for the Harley owners rally. what a great setting, staff and most of ale. Brill. selection. Saw some great bands, especially Sticky Fingers and The Raynemkers, who luckily did not live up to their name! Both played a great selection of classic Rock and Blues and no one cared that there were some repeats. Loveley bunch of people from the bike clubs and a great family day out in aid of a local charity. Good job I live too far away from this place or I'd be in every night; even when it floods!
9 Jul 2007 20:29
What a great little place! Excellent beers, very friendly staff and all the locals make you welcome as well. Can't rate the food but the live music on Saturday was excellent, band called Raynemaker.Good old fashioned rock and blues. A lot better than many Chester city pubs and I will be back soon.
19 Feb 2007 19:37
The Woodlands, Silverdale
Well I think previous reviewer, Lezford has just about covered it.
If you like quirky this is for you. This building has been a mill owners house or some such. It’s rather grand on a small scale. Someone could do a lot with the property but I hope they don’t; they would spoil a very unusual pub.
Do what we did all weekend; see if you can remember the theme to The Munsters! (see Arihall review)
9 Oct 2014 16:03