Red Lion, Ealing

I returned to this pub after a very long absence to find that what was once a cosy one room bar has now been extended through to the back to accommodate diners. The bar area was very noisy, drinks were expensive and I thought that the staff were particularly unhelpful. I have no plans to return to this establishment.

27 Mar 2018 23:37

Old Salt Quay, Rotherhithe

Since our last visit nearly 5 years ago, this pub seems to have gone into a decline. Despite there being several people waiting, only one person was serving (rather slowly) behind the bar. The menu looked OK but we decided there might be a long wait for food judging by the apparent staff shortage in the pub and we decided to leave without ordering anything.

12 Feb 2018 16:16

The White Horse, Aberystwyth

This is a popular pub in the centre of town with reasonable food prices and some real ale. The menu is typical pub grub and the pie I ate was rather better than I expected. The beer was also palatable. However, the pub is rather let down by too-loud music, too many TV screens and staff shortages. The latter was reflected by some rubbish on the floor and some uncleared tables. The staff were pleasant enough and I would blame the shortcomings of this pub on its management.

9 Aug 2016 18:13

The Back of Beyond, Reading

This is a perfectly acceptable Wetherspoons despite some of the earlier reviews. There is plenty of room and light inside and it's not as crowded as the Hope Tap. The selection of real ales on offer was a little uninspired but the beer was in good condition.

16 Feb 2016 16:27

Old Salt Quay, Rotherhithe

This pub is located on the south bank of the Thames and is popular with Londoners rather than tourists. Three real ales were available on the day I visited including a house ale which I found to be excellent. The food was well cooked and at reasonable prices in the downstairs bar. There is also an upstairs eating area (which was fully booked when we visited) where Sunday lunch is served which we had found to be good quality on a previous visit. This pub is well worth a visit if you happen to be in the Rotherhithe area.

28 Apr 2013 22:49

The Black Lion, Hammersmith

This used to be a good pub where you could enjoy a quiet drink but now the focus seems to be only on food. The last time I was there was on a Sunday lunchtime, I politely waited at the bar for over 15 minutes but the barman informed me he didn't have time to serve me as he was attending to diners in the other room. I left with my lady companion without a drink and intend never to return.

26 Apr 2013 17:05

The Elephant and Castle, Amersham

When ordering food at the bar, a service charge of around 10% was automatically added to my bill. Although, after I queried this, it was removed from the bill without quibble, I consider this is 'sharp practice' and is something I have never experienced at any other pub in the UK..

21 Feb 2013 14:18

Goat and Tricycle, Bournemouth

I visited this pub while in Bournemouth as it was one of only two in the town that were mentioned in my copy of the Good Beer Guide.
The pub is spacious and popular with a good mix of people and not too noisy. My partner and I ordered food (pies) from the bar and sat in anticipation as we were both quite hungry. After almost an hour, the food still had not arrived so I asked at the bar only to be told words to the effect that the one person in the kitchen was very busy. The food arrived about ten minutes later. Although my meat pie was tasty, the filling was about 50% gravy. The chips were OK but few in number. My partner's vegetable pie had a filling that appeared to be a kind of cauliflower mash which my partner found to be unpalatable and mostly left. My advice is that if you eat in this pub be prepared for a long wait and avoid the pies.

18 Sep 2010 00:24