BITE user comments - TerrysJessica
Comments by TerrysJessica
I read in our local CAMRA publication that this pub had reopened so popped round for a drink and nosey on Saturday evening.... Sadly the place was in complete darkness with the curtains drawn... Any ideas???
10 Nov 2008 16:59
visited for the second time early Saturday evening for my pint of Landlord, enjoyed in the absolutely massive split level beer garden. Beer quality was not as top notch as previously experienced, and the range is never going to be inspirational but a good overall experience to be had in here.
23 Sep 2008 19:38
The Harboro Hotel, Melton Mowbray
Very much a hotel bar with a decent range of boring bog standard ales... Chose the most exciting on offer - a Purple Moose offering - and it had turned so far it had done a 360. Everything was just a tad too grubby for my liking, but on the plus side it was close to the train station.
23 Sep 2008 19:25
Anne Of Cleves, Melton Mowbray
I got into here Friday night after spending a serious amount of time at Melton beer festival; I asked the volunteers behind the bar for a good local pub for a quick snifter pre- train, and surprisingly this place got a big thumbs down... However I found this to be a lovely sprawling place and not at all pretentious or as restaurant- like as I was advised. Okay, it was very low light/ candles and quiet tasteful music with a slightly more mature clientelle, but it gave a most plesant restful atmosphere in which to enjoy my pint of Tiger. Alongside the usual Everards line up were two guests (I think - had been a very long day!) and the condition was good.
Most worthy of a visit methinks!
23 Sep 2008 19:12
I am warming to this place rapidly - I was in three times over the weekend just gone and got to sample two great ales from Milk Street, plus an almost perfectly kept pint of Oakham JHB. It is a barn though, albeit one full of mirrors.
No food served, but they do stock an amazing array of snacks... More pubs should sell Bombay Mix!
23 Sep 2008 17:50
**Real ale newsflash** Thursday 17th - Sunday 20th July; Booze and Blues beer festival - thirty plus (scottish) brews and five ciders accompanied by live music... I attended their first bash and it was an amazing showing. Get bums down here and support this brilliant pub!
25 Jun 2008 19:31
Ah, The Wellington� I have a confession to make� I really dislike this place. I just don�t get it. Nice stone exterior � good. Basic d�cor internally with ample seating � average. Fifteen handpumps and beers available clearly displayed on a flatscreen above the bar area � genius. Condition - perfect... So why do I feel nothing but gloomy when I enter this public house? I think it�s a combination of the fact that unless you are a proper bona fide regular you will be served in the most cold icy manner possible, coupled with ordering your beer by number (conveyor belt imbibing, anyone?) and the overall unfriendliness that hangs in the air. Even the bloody cat was aloof and ignored me! We stood uncomfortably for almost an hour watching the suits pile in for their first pints of the weekend as we supped our halves and made our scratchy notes. I avoided the Fullers London Pride(!!) and needless to say opted for beers by Derby Brewing Co. and Tower instead.Unfriendly to say the least...
25 Jun 2008 19:01
Does Leicester need another real ale pub? Well, yes... This place will hopefully make other venues in the city clean up their act (literally) and raise their game beer condition wise. I had the pleasure of spending most of Thursday and Friday in this pub to experience their first ale (and sausage!) festival.. Considering the amount of time the've been up and running they certainly did not disappoint! ten new ales for those of us inclined to tick; new breweries well represented and a serious sausage menu of copious portions for minimal charge to compliment. My companion and I were made to feel so very welcome and at home. An absolute must if you plan to hit the city anytime soon as it can only go from strength to strength under current management... Also, on plus side- five minute walk from the train station!
19 Apr 2008 19:29
Had the pleasure of finding myself in this tucked away little boozer last Saturday lunchtime after a Borough market blitz... With two small sized rooms around a central bar, the drinking space was cosy and informal, and tall etched windows in the property gave an airy light atmosphere. I sampled two of the Harvey's ales on offer, and they were both in top notch condition. Coupled with the friendly service and good company, this venue was a pleasant surprise (and almost the polar opposite of The Market Porter!). The food looked lush and copious too, but had just had a giant feed at forementioned market so gave it a miss!
1 Apr 2008 23:22
Gorgeous young barman called Paul. Good selection of real ales... What more does a girl need from a pub?
12 Mar 2008 13:39
Me and the other half's local. Lovely friendly atmosphere, beer quality always top notch and food now being served. Good Beer Guide entry 2008.
11 Dec 2007 11:13
Now as mentioned in the current edition of Peterborough CAMRA's Beer Around 'Ere. States that the "choice and quality of ales on offer is far greater than has ever been". Good plates full of food now being served. Need any more reasons...?
7 Aug 2007 10:53
I really enjoyed this place. I think it's an interesting space built around the brewing plant and had a lot of novel little touches; the basins in the loo's, the use of glass in the floor to expose the piping etc.
Okay, so it is perhaps more of a 'young' venue, but I don't see any problem with a place that promotes real ale to the younger generations and from what I could see on my two visits it was definately working. I was most pleased to see most of the well-dressed ladies around me clutching pints of the fruity Special beer!
Later in the evening it did get a bit of a pre club sort of vibe, but it was still a varied crowd and I certainly wouldn't say it lacked atmosphere. I did a lot of people watching as the music and general volume did sort of prevent any decent conversation but it was still fun.
I didn't eat here; infact the restaurant area was totally seperate and I didn't even glimpse a fork.
Well worth going to see what a bang up to date pub looks like. Recommended!
12 Jun 2007 11:32
The real ale jungle drums tell me that Smiths of Bourne are having their first ever beer festival this coming weekend. Thursday 14th until the good stuff runs out Sunday. No other details at present, but you can always bank on this place for exceptionally well kept beer and excellent service and food. They have a large patio/grassed area (children welcome until eight).
An ideal time to visit one feels!
12 Jun 2007 10:41
The Three Kings Inn, Hanley Castle
This place is on CAMRA's National Inventory of heritage pubs, and going here is a real step back in time. An attractive red brick exterior with rather homemade looking sign invites you into a narrow corridor; it was a bit like going into a private house! I went through the nearest (sliding) door and fell into a tiny room with the most miniscule bar/serving hatch-type thing. This room was stuffed to the rafters with locals (and wet dogs) and I imagined we we're going to be made to feel a bit out of place but as tourists me and my drunker half were made to feel most welcome, the atmosphere was amazing.
A most decent pint of Wye Valley HPA was supped.
Excellent, well worth making a detour for!
7 Jun 2007 12:16
I live in a nearby town to Stamford and my other half and I have become quite regular visitors to this pub. Don't be put off by the average exterior/ interior, this place is an absolute gem. Now run by a young couple, the place has a great welcoming atmosphere and a real effort is being made on the real ale front. On my last two crawls round the town, this pub has produced some of the tastiest well kept pints of the day. If you get there and they have Springhead "The Leveller" on, have it!!
Cheers!
4 Apr 2007 11:42
One of Stamford's best real ale houses. Totally unpretentious, basic but clean and with an always inspiring array of beers from micro's far and wide. Always a very really varied clientele. If you're going to go, make it sometime over this coming Easter weekend as they've a beer festival on and I've seen the beer list!!!
3 Apr 2007 12:39
Back street boozer that is more than 150 years old. Filled with a multitude of little rooms and snugs that feature original wall paintings by Eric Robertson, the interior of this pub absolutely blew me away. The front room has a real fire which was roaring on my visit, and wood panelled walls. Heavily stained glass windows in both large front/ back rooms coupled with the panelling and �corridor� area give the place an overall dark but warm cosy feel. The small bar area is central in the pub and features a copper-topped counter with five hand pumps. Hung above this bar is an absolute cornucopia of objects, ranging from football scarves to gas masks, and this sets the theme for the room to the left of the bar, which even boasts an ancient looking bicycle! A wall space in the corridor has been devoted to posters advertising local events. This could�ve ruined the look of the place; but is saved by the fact that the regulars have added more jokey, silly postings which gives a more community feel, and gave the pub a real personality to an out-of-towner, like me. One thing that did sort of spoil the experience for me somewhat was the young bar staffs choice of a (rather loud) old skool rave CD. The exterior features glorious purple paintwork and even co-ordinating wheelie bins. A glorious boozer, a real must visit!
3 Apr 2007 12:25
In a less attractive area, this pub looks very grey, concretey and boring from the outside, with the only clue to the buildings use being a slightly odd shaped plain white pub sign which is certainly not in the traditional style. With one large curved central bar. Blackboard lists beers currently on (eleven on visit), and forthcoming ales with pricing for pints, halves and nips. Varied selection and all tasted in good nick. Also in alcove a stillage offering up to five beers from a featured brewery (Pheonix this time). Service slow but barman helpful and chatty. Basic woody interior, but ruined by nasty gold coloured hand rails/ fittings. Good overall atmosphere with plenty of �real� drinkers; a really enjoyable experience!
3 Apr 2007 12:14
Back to TerrysJessica's profile
The Swan In The Rushes, Loughborough
I attended their 22nd Birthday Beer Festival last weekend; my first visit to Loughborough and this pub. The stillage was upstairs in a weird sort of function room cum skittle alley - we arrived just after one o'clock to be greeted by plenty of seating and a smattering of older bearded gentlemen with pens ticking like bombs - just my type, hehe! Eighteen ales awaited my tasting plus more on the bar downstairs (all the excitment was on the first floor so I didn't even bother to check these out) and six draught continental beers with the usual cider suspects. The various barmen who served me throughout my (gulp!) six hour visit were all terribly friendly and helpful and I didn't have a green or off half all day. Overall it was a totally bizarre set-up, but a most enjoyable day out quaffing! Recommended.
19 Nov 2008 12:47