The Nelson Hotel, Westcliff on Sea

The last comment is correct. This pub is now closed for ever and due for re-development.

26 Nov 2013 21:36

The Plough, Westcliff on Sea

The best thing about the Plough is its customers - oldish geezers to a man - at least we know where they drink and can thus avoid them - I don't want to be rude but they are not my sort of people. On the few occasions when the weather or proximity to the crush bar at the Palace next door has forced us in, there was no cask beer at all and my friend was presented with a warm white wine from a fridge which was not switched on. The carpets...don't ask. The 'live' music at the weekends consists of more 'geezers' shouting into the mike with variable musicality. Sometimes it's Karaoke night, sometimes it's a big old boy with backing tracks. Either way, you drink up quickly (or leave it) hoping the noise will stop. It doesn't.
To be fair, I might be describing your kind of boozer. Horses for courses eh?

14 Nov 2013 17:43

The Trading Rooms, Westcliff on Sea

I believe their daytime focus is on food, and the menu and pricing is distinctly up-market. But a very civilised environment with quality service from what I've seen and occasionally tried.
As for the night-time drinking sessions - varies according to the weekday. Can get very crowded and 'shouty' of a weekend, with newly-18 kids flexing their social skills. Sometimes pre-clubbing hen and stag warm-ups can get boisterous, sweary and rude, but usually good humoured. Not seen a fight there yet.
As for the beer, variable would be my opinion, although they proudly display the 'Cask Marque' of excellence. There is always a good Courage Best and GK IPA, but the other 'guest ales' e.g. 'Speckled Hen' and 'Woodforde's Wherry', seem to linger too long in the cellar and can get very 'dusty' tasting or, on one occasion sour, and returned for refund. Fair to say that their evening clientele are largely throwing lagers and chasers down their necks, and so the uptake on guest cask barrels is not enough to keep them in peak condition. But that really is no excuse for serving 'off' beer, the cellar-person must 'know' when the cask has been there too long, that it will taste bad. There's an element of 'just a few more days' when it should be thrown out.
To be fair, the staff will always offer a 'try-before-buy' sipping glass - if they are not too busy.
The staff are friendly, courteous and neatly turned out, but keen to 'get rid' at the end of the night, with abrupt 'music off/lights up to maximum' as well as the traditional bell.

14 Nov 2013 17:28

The Cricketers Inn, Westcliff on Sea

Update...update...update...

Further changes at the Cricketers as of November 2013...the 'Thai restaurant' has disappeared, and the left side of the open-plan bar area is now a nice semi-secluded tables and chairs drinking place at night.
To general rejoicing, they have brought back the traditional meat-n-three-veg lunchtime menu for a very reasonable (these days) £5.75.
There is even a rumour that they will bring back the legendary chef's special 'Death By Yorkshire Pudding' favourite of yesteryear. Fingers crossed eh?
On a slight downside, although the jury is still out on this, there threatens to be a Karaoke night on Thursdays. This cannot bode well - see my comments below regarding the terrifying acoustics. Factor in some geezers belting out 'My Way' and 'Sweet Caroline' and a kind of sonic hell is in the offing.

14 Nov 2013 17:02

The Cricketers Inn, Westcliff on Sea

Dear me, that pub's photo is way out of date. The outside is now painted a hideous pea-green.
The interior has been split in two with a Thai restaurant taking up the left side of the bar. The pub ale bar itself has a good selection of top-quality conditioned real ales, and the Abbot in particular is as good as it gets. Correct temperature too - not lager-iced brr.
The interior refit has been total- with large wire cages of bottled beers and wines as the 'warehouse' style motif. There's plenty of large screen tvs which are usually showing random channels or mtv-type videos, thankfully with the sound turned off. Pleasant enough moving wallpaper. There is however a juke box which varies in volume depending on customer's demands or bar staff personal favoritism. I like loud recorded music normally, but not in this place, as the hard wooden floors and huge plate glass windows reinforce the treble (high frequency) content and make conversation impossible. Consequently, if the pub is full, everyone has to start shouting to be heard. The resulting racket has to be experienced to be believed. Bedlam, I think the word is. So 3 points deducted for unpleasant experience.
I have resisted the temptation to deduct any points for the disgraceful men's toilet, which has had no washbasin tap water since the refit. as this does not affect the beer and gives a novelty 'east-end-slum' flavour to offset the pretentious decor.

29 Oct 2013 20:47