BITE user comments - Stan_Attabar
Comments by Stan_Attabar
After the popular and long-standing Landlord Bob left in April 2013, the beer quality dived and regulars all left for pastures new. The replacement tenant gave up towards the end of 2013 and the pub stood empty for a while. NOW THE GOOD NEWS: new tenants Kate and Steve have tidied the place up and the beer is as good as it has ever been, absolutely top quality. Spitfire, Kent's Best and Whitstable Bay are normally available. As the footie loving regulars seem settled in the Waverley now, the emphasis is on a more genteel atmosphere, and very good food is available at reasonable prices. All the pub needs to make it work now is a few new customers, so "use it or lose it"!
5 Feb 2014 14:51
Beer here is expensive, but it is not subsidised as in most pubs by fruit machines, juke box or pool table. It's a lovely, quiet pub where you can enjoy a chat. The roaring log fire in winter is great (as long as you don't sit too close and get toasted on one side). Beers are London Pride, Chiswick and ESB, plus a Fuller's seasonal ale or an independent brewer's ale from their guest list. Beer is usually in pretty good form. Occasionally the staff could be a bit more active in toning down the language from one loud, female regular. The back room is a little cool and less welcoming but is useful for large groups of people.
5 Feb 2014 14:41
LOOK FOR "THE MULBERRY" ON BEER IN THE EVENING
The Exchange has been renamed the Mulberry for some years now
5 Feb 2014 14:33
A friend recently stayed here for Bed & Breakfast. He was charged £110 for a basic single room for 2 nights (Friday & Saturday) and was informed bluntly after arrival, "by the way, there's no breakfast, we haven't got any staff on in the mornings". Being rather unassertive, he didn't complain, but spent the whole weekend grumbling about the place. Be warned!
5 Feb 2014 14:11
In early 2013 new tenants moved into the Jolly Sailor, spruced it up without destroying its atmosphere as a real "local", and persuaded the owners (Greene King) to allow them to sell a range of beers "free of tie". The more "impolite" customers of previous times have been successfully discouraged and there is now a great mix of local people using the pub. Beer prices are fairer than the town centre pubs although this is only a 5 to 10 minutes walk away. Food is simple and good value, too. As well as the ubiquitous GK IPA and Abbot, there is usually a rarer GK draught ale (recently Belhaven Burns Brown, Howell's Frosty Bells) and at least one guest beer, but usually three. These come from mainly local breweries such as Longdog, Itchen Valley, Ascot, Tillingbourne or Windsor & Eton, often including a dark ale such as mild or stout. Landlords Iain and Sarahjane are a little reserved until you get to know them, but work hard to make this a great pub. Music takes place most Friday and Saturday evenings. Ignore the prat who describes Sarahjane as Hitler, she's a pussycat, and was only trying to get a rather unprofessional band member to meet the needs of the pub and its customers after several earlier requests to adjust their volume!
5 Feb 2014 13:58
The Ball and Wicket, Heath End
I'm appalled at the landlord's slanderous remarks and his assumption, whether rightly or wrongly, that an anonymous reviewer is local man and established commercial brewer Mike Desquenes. Because the landlord has taken a personal dislike to Dequenes (due, it appears, to his honesty about the landlord's lack of brewing skills) the landlord assumes that he can libel him in a public forum. I have met Mike Desquenes in the days when his brewery supplied the Ball and Wicket. The beer was always good in those days! The home brew currently sold does a great discredit to everyone concerned - it is an "acquired taste" at best, although my opinion is less polite. Interestingly, the positive comments on this pub are mainly about its food, despite this being "BEER in the Evening". If you like keg beer/lager you may well enjoy this pub but, whatever you do, don't critisize the landlord or you will have trouble in store. I was a frequent visitor at one time and loved this place but I cannot support a pub with awful beer and an obnoxious landlord. And, if he is such an expert on cask beer, why does he use the pseudonym "HolstenPils"?
26 Jan 2013 09:59
The Duke of Cambridge, Tilford
As part of a party of 6, I visited this pub on 21st October. We were not planning to eat, although the visit was partly to check out the food for a future occasion. For this reason, we avoided the peak Sunday lunchtime session, arriving after 2pm. All the tables were in use by diners or had "reserved" signs on them so we gathered in a tiny corner (the only available standing space) to enjoy our beer, which was in less than great condition and chosen from a range of 3 rather predictable real ales. When a nearby table was vacated, we moved to it and I checked with the waitress who was clearing it that it was, indeed, free. Once we had sat down with our (expensive) drinks, we were immediately asked to move, as the table was "booked" - I asked (politely) how this was possible, as the management could not have predicted that its previous occupants would leave at this precise time, and we would only be staying for about 20 more minutes. The question went unanswered and a manager (?) had now joined us. He asked us again to leave the table. I pointed out that "our" corner had now been taken over so there was nowhere else to sit or stand and he rudely told us that we should "go outside to finish our drinks". This was unappealing on a cold and wet October day so we left, feeling extremely aggrieved. I shall never set foot there again under present management, no matter how good the food may be. It is run by greedy, ignorant and rude people. We went then to the nearby Barley Mow where we were made very welcome indeed by a good humoured landlord and friendly locals, saving our day.
2 Nov 2012 10:57
Two big (and loud) screens seem to be permanently showing football, even when no-ones watchg it.
16 Sep 2010 20:40
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The Lobster Pot, Farnham
Went for a meal, which was pricey but very nice - and the waitress service was absolutely top notch. The advantage of dining at a "pub" for a meal rather than a restaurant is that a decent pint can normally be had to accompany the meal. Unfortunately, the management don't take as much care over this aspect as they do over the food and the service - the only ale available was Doom Bar in pretty poor form.
5 Feb 2014 14:56