BITE profile - JohnnyBGoode # beerintheevening.com

CORRECTION
My band "STOLEN" will be back here on Saturday, 22rd of May, 2010, so if you enjoy real live music in a real pub with excellent real ales, see you there.
Keep it real.
Cheers, John.

18 Mar 2010 08:15

The White Hart, Northolt

Sorry about the previous entry, I have asked for it to be removed.
I get my new glasses next week.

My band STOLEN played at The White Hart on 20th, Feb this year.
Not a big turn-out, but everyone who was there enjoyed our music.
The new owner/management team have done a good job in revamping this place and the people who use it give it more respect.

The refurb has made the place look bigger and tidier and there is now a large serving hatch from the kitchen to the rear bar.
Cheers, John.

5 Mar 2010 18:59

The Abrook Arms, Uxbridge

My band STOLEN played here last December (2009) and had a great evening.
The Good Old Boys played the following weekend and also had a great time.
The ales were excellent and everyone was very well behaved and enjoyed both gigs.

We will be back here on 23rd of May, 2010, so if you enjoy real music in a real pub with excellent real ales, see you there.
Cheers, John.

4 Mar 2010 19:57

The White Hart, Northolt

A lot of recent good comments about The Load Of Hay have for some reason been removed or somehow lost.
My band STOLEN played here last December (2009) and had a great evening.
The Good Old Boys played the following weekend and also had a great time.
The ales were excellent and everyone was very well behaved and enjoyed both gigs.

We will be back here on 23rd of May, 2010, so if you enjoy real music in a real pub with excellent real ales, don�t let the previous comments put you off.
Cheers, John.

4 Mar 2010 19:50

Champions, Ickenham

My Band "STOLEN" will be back at The Old Fox on Saturday, 3rd, of April.
If you enjoyed our previous charity gig here last October (and we know loads of you did), come and have some more fun.
Blues/Rock & Rock 'n' Roll covers, great musicianship, not too loud or too soft. Cheers, John.

4 Mar 2010 19:34

The Three Tuns, Uxbridge

A great pub to enjoy a realy well kept pint or two on the way home from work and un-wind after a slow tube journey.
Very efficient and friendly service. Cheers, John.

18 Feb 2010 12:34

I went to see the ESJ band at the Abrook on Saturday, 6th, February, with the crew from the "cheap seats".
Great gig from David (also of the Culprits duo) and the guys. What a master of his guitars and what a great band.
The layout of the pub has changed since I was last there, a long time ago.
The bands now perform at the far end and the old space now has a pool table. The London Pride was a bit lively and hard to pull up and the cost of the rounds still suffered from verying prices, but quickly sorted when challenged.
The bar staff were very pleasant and thanked us for visiting.
Will visit again. John.

12 Feb 2010 20:49

The Crown, Uxbridge

The Crown has become my "local" since deserting The Load.
I have 2 good pubs on my doorstep, but neither of them have live music any more, so I walk nearly 2 miles to get to this great pub.

Superb and varied real ales, great live music, fantastic company, excellent food, very friendly staff and very quick service. Nice big roaring fireplace for the winter, (although sometimes with a bit too much "atmosphere", but only until Steve sorts it out).

My band "STOLEN" will be playing here early in the new year and I am really looking forward to it. Cheers, John.

14 Dec 2009 08:32

The Jolly Fisherman Hotel, Greatstone

I have never been to The Jolly Fisherman before, but my band STOLEN has played in the Sea Horse a while back.
We are playing in the "Jolly" Saturday 28th, November, 2009.
If you are into good live music, like Blues/Rock & Rock n' Roll, or remember us from the Sea Horse, come and have a great evening.
Our old country singer & rythmm guitarist, Dave Ellis, (from just down the road), will be guesting with us for a bit of nostalga and a chance for us to catch up.
See you there. John, Pete, Shed & Paul.

23 Nov 2009 09:22

The General Eliott, Uxbridge

I still frequent this pub when I get the chance, to see the excellent live music and drink good real ale with my friends and chat with Sue and Gary, who are always very welcoming.
I have never witnessed any of the reported issues in the previous entries and I can't believe that I have just missed it all.
Great pub, cheers, John.

6 Oct 2009 20:53

The General Eliott, Uxbridge

Sue & Gary, previously from the Load Of Hay, are providing good quality ales, excellent food and great live music. I am not into karaoke either, but the duo's that are booked are top entertainment. (Sunrise, Night Cap, The Culprits, The Noisy Boyz etc.) I have also heard that this is no longer an Elliott free zone, but the man can really sing. John.

13 Mar 2009 04:26

Gary and Sue have moved on and now run another pub and I wish them well. I haven't visited the Load for quite a while due to being very busy or suffering from the flu. My old crew now use other pubs and I haven�t seen them recently.
The Load Of Hay is one of the last of the few, real ale houses/coaching inns. The old saying, "if you don't use it you loose it" is very true these days, so if you value quality and varied real ales in a real pub, there is no excuse not to visit. John.

30 Dec 2008 11:25

The public bar has finally been refurbished and is now connected to the lounge bar, where the dartboard used to be. The loss of the dartboard and the loss of sound-insulation from the "livelier end" are greatly missed by some regulars.
The strange "portal effect" of the opening between the two bars is very "Stargate", due to the gap in the carpeting and wall decor.
Still has great real ales and food and now there is more room to sit.

24 Dec 2007 13:27

The Black Horse, Iver Heath

I now only visit when there is live music on, like The Culprits and Sunrise.
Gary and the younger staff are always pleasant and the ale is always good.
Fortuneatly, I have not endured any raised voices from the kitchen and I have always enjoyed my times there.

5 Oct 2007 19:34

There has been yet another change of Landlord at this fine Badger pub. Unfortuneatly, no more live music, but the Badger real ales are in top condition and the food is superb. Went there for Sunday lunch last week-end, in the conservatory and was very pleased by the service, quantity and quality. John.

29 Mar 2007 18:44

Ken has had to find employment eslewhere. He may have been passed his best behind the bar, but still a great cellarman and an honest man. He is still in the trade and his "ousting" has not prevented him from carrying on serving excellent ale. Ken was the last of the "old guard".

27 Dec 2006 17:04

The Grand Union, Uxbridge

If you are really hungry, ask for a Dave Goddard burger. The ex-British motorcycle champian and I, had one each, specially hand crafted, on Christmas Eve and we only just managed to finish them. You couldn't buy this quality anywhere esle. Superb food from Mike, served by the wonderful Hidi, made this a great evening. The Pride was good on the night and there was even Golded Pride on hand-pump, but only for the very brave.

27 Dec 2006 16:31

This pub is now called The St.James, following it's recent refurbishment.

27 Dec 2006 16:12

The St James, Cowley

This pub was formally known as The Grand Union, prior to it's recent refurbishment. Although it did need refurbishing, I preferred the old warm atmosphere rather than the new "hotel foyer" look. I am very pleased that the live music continues and the real ale, London Pride and Green King IPA, are very well kept. The restaurant side of the pub has been extended and I look forward to another visit, to see if the fine food is still as good as it was.

27 Dec 2006 16:06

Hi mitomighty, having a board on the wall, for all ales currently on, with their strenghts, would be very useful. However, I expect that as there is such a turnover, it would be a bind keeping it up to date and cause more hassle, when customers ask for beers that are no longer on. I have to take my normal glasses off, to read the pump clips at close range, so it would be great for me. John.

24 Jul 2006 15:03

I think that the public bar has been kept as it was, as a real working mens & womens bar, where you can wear your work clothes without worrying about it and relax after work with a decent pint before going home. The rest of the pub has been refurbished to a very high standard. A pub for everyone to enjoy.

13 Jul 2006 16:14

The Hut, Uxbridge

The picture of The Hut, was taken before the new extensions were added, making it twice the size and full of character. It looks wonderful now, especially at night, when it is all lit up. The beer garden has a permanent area for barbecues, with a serving hatch in the outside wooden panelling. The restaurant area inside, is away from the drinking areas and is great feature. The food is excellent and the two real ales are well kept. The bar is central to the pub and has the capacity to serve any number of customers, efficiently. John.

13 Jul 2006 15:49

The Ship, Borough

Since Sarah left, the new and often changing staff are lacking in communication skills. However, the Pride is always superb and the beer garden is a great sun-trap/hide-away from the London trafic.

13 Jul 2006 15:17

This pub is a magnet for CAMRA members like myself. When I go to beer festivals, I don't mind standing or walking around for long periods, when the reward is sampling superb and normally out of reach ales.
This is a pub for festival go'ers and it's open all year round and not just for a few days. It's so convenient, to be able to go there when you have the time and not have to miss out if you can't make a festival date. This pub is a superb window for quality and varied real ales. If it was twice the size, it would still be full. John.

29 Jun 2006 15:48

Founders Arms, Bankside

I have just visited, to find out if food is available this evening and it is. I ordered 2 pints of Special and there was not enough left for the second. The staff poured both away, although they looked fine. 2 more were pulled from another engine and were superb, as was the Winter Warmer.I must admit,the building is dire, but the view from within is superb. The atmostphere in the evening,if it hasn't changed since I used to visit in my BT days, should be warm and welcoming. I will let you know tomorrow.

28 Dec 2005 15:06

I went there on a Monday and Tuesday, after I had finished my my early shift about 15:00. It was moderately quiet, but started to build up again within the hour.
I personaly enjoy supporting the small micro's, even if some of their ales are not as impressive as some of the more well known regional's. If you drink them in the right order, weakest first, lightest first, each one progresses nicely. They will produce ales you realy like sometimes, so to keep them going, you have to support them. We all have diferent tastes, so that's why there are so many different ales.

19 Dec 2005 19:56

The Ship, Borough

I have been using this fine Fuller's pub quite a bit recently, during the lunch-time sessions and the beers are always excellent and the atmosphere welcoming. The lovely Sarah and her staff are always pleased to see you.

16 Dec 2005 12:27

I must admit, I never got further than the the first part of the bar near the main entrance, before the refurb, as the place was always so packed. It was quite bright outside on my recent visits in the afternoon, so the interior lighting at the back, did not have much impact. I pefer old well established real ale pubs, with wooden floors and old wooden furniture and old casks in the old beamed ceilings and warm glow lighting. In winter, nothing beats an inglnook fireplace burning logs. Sadly, there are not many left.

12 Dec 2005 10:09

The Black Horse, Iver Heath

I had my first visit yesterday, since the refurbishment. I don't think that any of the handpumps have been replaced, but have been moved further arround the extended bar. I only had time for a couple and they were superb. I will be going back there today, when I have finished my early shift, to sample more of the plentiful real ales. The refurb has retained all of the character of this excellent pub and I will be using it more often.

6 Dec 2005 14:09

Great Badger pub, lovely bar staff. Good country pub atmosphere. The customers really appreciate good live music. We had a great gig there 8th October this year.

17 Oct 2005 20:48

The Fusilier, Wembley

I played at this pub with my band STOLEN on 6th August this year. The management and staff were fine with us and the customers really enjoyed the gig. I didn't try the ale as I was driving. I can only assume that the no kids rule is there for a reason and there are no exceptions.

17 Oct 2005 20:34

Sorry Tankardman, I support all of my good local REAL ALE pubs. This is just one of them. Cheers.

12 Sep 2005 09:21

The Brook House, Hayes

Following their great gig at the Cliffe Music Fest in Kent last month, along with 6 other band's, including my own, STOLEN, HANDLE WITH CARE will be performing at The Kings Arms in Hayes, Coldharbour Lane. (formerly The Standard). I will be providing and engineering the sound & lighting.
So far, they have no plans to return to the Brook House. John.

12 Sep 2005 09:13

I have just sampled the Master Brew and have found it to be of excellent quality. The Duke is once again, being used by many people during the lunch period.
It's good to find the old place and Shep's excellent ales being cared for, as before. Cheers.

20 Jul 2005 15:26

This is my response.
Hi Geoff,Thank you for your reply. I am very pleased to hear that the high standards have been restored, at one of the best real ale houses, near to where I work. I have previously brought several friends along, on many occasions, to sample the best Shepherd Neame ales that they were likely to find in London.
I can only assume that my suggestions to the bar staff, were followed up.
As for the predecessors, I know them to be very professional and caring. I have no doubt that they would continue to be so, even when faced with the prospect of not having a job. Regards John Bell

19 Jul 2005 11:14

I have just received this reply from Shepherd Neame.
"As the Business Development Manager now responsible for the Duke of York,your e-mail was forwarded to me. After receiving it, I made an unannounced
visit to the House to carry out a beer in glass audit and to check standards throughout. All beers, apart from being dispensed at a marginally high temperature, were inexcellent condition, scoring top marks for taste,aroma and clarity. The cellar was tidy, clean as was the trade area and bar servery, continuing the high standards set.I am surprised about comments regarding the treatment of the previous
management, particularly as they have recently written to my predecessor thanking him for his understanding during their working relationship.
I do hope that I have reassured you that standards and quality of offer will not drop and hope that you will continue to enjoy a good pint in a popular pub.
Geoff Baker"

19 Jul 2005 11:09

I have just had the most unfortunate experience of my first visit, to The Duke Of York, since the new tenants took over. The horrible "crack sound" of the dirty beer engine, being pulled, as the stale beer around the two sections gave way, is a sound I have not heard for decades in a real ale pub. The first 4 pints came up hazy and warmer than I am used to in this formally superb house. Even after at least 8 pints were pulled, the haze was still present. You used to be the first in at 12:00 and the ale was the best Shep's you could get. Unless someone can get the new tenants to perform like the management used to, this place will die a painful death. I can only assume that the regular users have stayed away in protest at the treatment of the former family, or due to the poor standards at this relatively expensive pub. Shep's will feel the wrath of my typing fingers very shortly.

11 Jul 2005 14:22

Hi Phil, Jill & Flick, I hope that the South East London CAMRA Chairperson, Roz Cox, visited you on your last evening at The Duke. I also hope that CAMRA can offer some guidence and assistance. If you ever get to be involved with a pub or club which has live music and is licenced for bands,or you want a private party with live music, you can contact me on my mobile or my E-mail address on the letter that I left you. The very best of luck in finding new work. There must surely always be a demand in the trade, for top notch, genuine people like yourselves. Cheers, John.

30 Jun 2005 09:55

I have recently received this reply to my e-mail.

Thank you for your recent email, which has been passed to me as District
Manager for this house.

I can assure you that the Duke of York is not closing but is going to be run by one of our Tenants and not one of our Managers, who will continue
running the pub to its current standard.

I hope this clarifies the situation.
Thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Yours sincerely,
SHEPHERD NEAME LIMITED
PAUL HAYES
District Manager

No mention of why Phil, Jill & Flick are taking redundancy and probably leaving the trade.

31 May 2005 13:52

I have just sent this E-mail to Shepherd Neame, following the sad news that just after their honeymoon, Phil & Jill and their daughter Flick, are being made redundant, due to the change from Managed House to Tenanted House.
"As a frequent user of the Duke Of York, Borough, London, I am very disheartened to hear that the wonderfull family that manage this excellent showcase for your superb ales, are being made redundant. After so much hard work and genuine hospitality, this is no reward."
I would have written more, but there is not enough space given on the web site. John

17 May 2005 14:52

The Townhouse, Borough

Since the change of Licensee, the Fuller's London Pride is now in top condition. All of the other real ales are currently not available. This is fine, as I would rather enjoy one great ale than several poorer ones. John.

8 Feb 2005 15:37