BITE user comments - beerbaby
Comments by beerbaby
The Terminus is a strange beast indeed, but at least it's kept its name and a traditional inn sign, unlike the monstrosity of a boozer next door which has changed names several times in recent years and is currently trading as The Duke of Devonshire. Presumably that name change suggests it aims to compete with The Terminus as a "traditional" pub. Sadly, and perhaps because of the proximity, neither pub does particularly well at doing that- the Terminus's makeover and regular paint jobs are undoubtedly a response to whatever is happening next door in what, by the way, is a totally unconnected business.
The name of the pub is inspired by it being on the main road down to Eastbourne's seafront from the elegant, listed Victorian station. Terminus Road in fact is the main street for everything in Eastbourne- shopping, eating and drinking, because of the (real) Duke of Devonshire's stipulation that there should be no shops to sully the seafront when the town developed after the arrival of the railway. While this makes for a very pleasant seafront, it does perhaps account for the strange agglomeration of pubs in the town centre, including the Terminus- which more logically I'd expect to find next to the station!
These observations aside, this is probably the best place in Eastbourne to sample the full range of Harvey's excellent ales. The monthly brews are always here, along with the dependable classics like Sussex Best Bitter and Old Ale in the winter. I don't think I've ever been served a duff pint in here on the dozen or so occasions I've been in here.
However, this is not really a pub I'd want to linger in, or at any rate, not alone. The bar staff are competent, but not as chatty and welcoming as, for instance, Phil and family at The Marine (qv), which does an equally excellent pint of Sussex though it's a free house. You're left with the impression that you are more of a supermarket checkout transaction, perhaps, than a welcome guest- particularly in the evening when the bouncers come on shift.
I can't recall eating here- or if I did, it can't have been that memorable! However, the menu looks acceptable so OK for filling a hole, I guess. As has been observed elsewhere, it's a very long walk to the loos, rather like trudging through a London Underground tunnel, so perhaps not advised for anybody who needs to get to the loo in a hurry!
As to the plastic glasses, these are I suspect a requirement of the licensing authority, i.e. Eastbourne Borough council, so no fault of the management. Neither, really, are the chavs- this is on the edge of Eastbourne's night club territory and inevitably attracts their clientelle before they hit the dance floor.
Overall, a good place to quench your thirst with superb real ale, but not perhaps to linger unless you like bizarre jukebox choices- White Christmas on the 29th March was most peculiar!- TVs with the sound down and loud youngsters.
1 Apr 2011 18:24
As it says above the reviews section on BITE, reviews are purely the opinion of the visitors- as true for my view here as in my earlier comments on this pub (see 31st July 2010). Nevertheless, I know I'm not alone in feeling very disappointed by the changes to the Abercorn, so much so that I know I am not alone in having deserted it to sample other more cosy and comfortable places for a drink and a chat of a Friday night.
Price is not the issue, nor is the quality of the product. London beer is expensive, and Young's - ever since it made the move to Bedford- more so than most. But we've grown almost immune to that. The problem that the new tenants of the Abercorn Arms is that they seem to have thrown the baby out with the bathroom- by which I mean the toilets, which have been moved and replaced as part of the recently completed major refurb.
Undoubtedly the Abercorn was in need of a makeover, but I fear they've done a botox job rather than a seriously considered way of keeping what we were promised when Mel and Linda retired. The great thing about the "old" Abercorn was that there was a place for all- the saloon bar was the noisier, music and games bar favoured by students and younger types, while entering via the very narrow door on the corner, you could enjoy the peace and quiet of the lounge bar (except when it was in use for quizzes or live music).
The new landlady (whose name is above the pub for 'legal' reasons as it were) and her husband have improved access to the patio and garden, to make more of that- great, this was an under-used feature of the pub before. But they've also stripped out much of the panelling around the bar which helped to insulate the lounge from the saloon and as a result made both bars a much noisier place. Not welcome!
Not only that, but the furniture has changed. Gone are comfortable benches and chairs, replaced by tables and rather too high bar stools which scarcely make one want to linger.
Also, the lighting is much harsher and less easy on the eye than the "front room" look of the old Abercorn.
No doubt this new look may appeal to some, for a while. But I suspect the faithful majority will vote with their feet, heading instead, indeed for The Mason's Arms- a true museum piece but a good one, or The Adelaide. Which is where you'll find me tonight. Sorry Abercorn, but you've lost our custom for now.
The Abercorn always had
1 Apr 2011 17:58
Further to my previous posting, paid my first visit to the pub since the change of landlords on 13th August.
Pleased to notice that nothing much has changed so far; the beer is still on form, the barmaid has kept her job, and the lounge bar/saloon bar separation remains leaving plenty of room for a quiet chat in the lounge.
All that's gone are the china cats collected by Linda- and the net curtains!
There are also some new parking restrictions outside, due to council work on the children's playground opposite which is likely to continue for the best part of two years. However, this is only a minor inconvenience- still plenty of on-street parking nearby.
The new couple running the pub are much younger than Mel and Linda, but seem friendly enough. Let's hope this "different, yet the same" policy continues.
20 Aug 2010 18:47
Mel and Linda, the long-term licensees, retired at the end of July 2010. This is an update to my review of nearly four years ago, and is based on how the pub was under the "ancien regime"; it's too soon to say how it will be under incoming licensees. Mel says he's done his best to get the successor tenant (or is it a manager?0 to keep the place the way it's always been- it's main appeal- but time will tell, of course, Will update again when I've had a chance to try out the new staff- the pub is apparently closed for refurbishment for a couple of weeks over the summer.
It speaks volumes for the affection that Mel and Linda were held in- and the amount of money that floats around Teddington- that on 17th July they held a farewell barbecue party and disco. The regulars and staff had clubbed together- and bought the retiring couple a 40 inch plasma TV!
Under Mel's stewardship, I don't think I'd ever had a duff pint in this pub- or else it was quickly replaced without fuss. We'll miss them, but the students have now all gone too- or at least, confine themselves to the "public" bar, leaving the lounge as a nice area for quiet conversation and a refreshing pint. Let's hope it will be ever thus.
31 Jul 2010 14:01
Prominent 1930s "Brewer's Tudor" pub at busy road junction, which replaced an earlier nearby hostelry of the same name in this area. Opposite the cemetery, but ti's to be hoped the pub is not heading there as you could do a lot worse.
The newish landlord, John Hall, is extremely friendly (has been here a couple of years or so) and is renowned for his food. Especially worthy of note are the Sunday lunch deal (2 courses for �6.95). I can't yet speak from personal experience, but intend to try that in about a week- others say it's excellent.
Ale choice is sadly limited, but the Courage Best has been on good form whenever I've tried it. This is the only remaining former Courage pub (out of 3) in Feltham High Street. Indeed, this end of the town WAS Feltham until the arrival of the railway drove the centre northwards.
The landlord fosters good relations with the community, and this comes across as a 'locals' pub which nevertheless always has a welcome to the newcomer. Regular live music, quiz nights, darts board (and team, I presume?). There's even a "breakfast club" one Satirday a month which offers a fantastic choice and an "all you can eat" deal. However, I'm not sure if this is open to all.
Adequately sized car-park, but VERY convenient for public transport- two London Buses routes stop right outside, with the return direction stop opposite.
Good sized beer-garden and friendly dogs.
In summary, a pleasant enough drink stop, but I wish the landlord could be persuaded to invest more in traditional ales. it would get a higher rating from me if he did.
31 Jul 2010 13:45
I see that this pub gets a higher rating than The Abercorn Arms, and justifiably so. Our small group of middle-aged mates needed to find somewhere quieter and less smokey which still serves a decent pint, after the latter establishment started becoming over-run with noisy students on a Friday night. On the evidence of our first visit on 5th January, we seem to have found it.
The sign outside the Adelaide announces "under new ownership" and in smaller print "Kariba Enterprises", giving a registered address which seems to be the same as the pub. Not quite sure what this is about, but the pub is otherwise a reliable Shepherd Neame outlet with a range of their excellent brews. On the occasion we visited, I tried their "Kent's Best", a new pint to me but very tasty and a change from Spitfire which I sometimes find a little bland.
The new landlords seem to hail from Ireland judging by their accents. They show their experience and maturity by prompt, friendly and efficient service. No cheese and onion crisps on the evening we visited, but the Roast Ox flavour "real crisps" were served in a small basket, which was a quaint touch. If you're looking for something more substantial, the lunchtime menu certainly looked tempting with the pies and sausages on the specials board but I haven't sampled these.
Music was discreet and quiet enough not to be a bother, but perhaps a bit bassy. Fairly quiet and a mixed clientelle on the evening we visited, but if the Adelaide has only recently changed hands they may be waiting for more regulars.
Christmas decorations were still up when we visited and were very nicely done with some large stars on the ceiling. Toilet facilities were very good and clean, but mind the steps as you go to the Gents.
Plenty of evening on-street parking outside this hostelry near Bushy Park, but charged during the day. Recommended.
6 Jan 2007 09:44
Horses for courses- in this case Kempton Park about a mile away. Of course this pub is pricier than some- it's a riverside location with its own moorings on one of the nicest stretches of the Thames in an area which is much under-rated. That doesn't come cheap!
It might not be the friendliest "local" in the world, but as a watering hole for a good pint in an idyllic location, I'm happy to come back here again and again. It's owned by Greene King so has a selection of the range from the many breweries they've swallowed up, all well served.
The range of food is perhaps a bit limited, but tasty and I wouldn't agree that it's been microwaved. Large portions. The riverside terrace is, needless to say, very popular at peak times and on fine days. It's nicely kept though with some lovely hanging baskets and a good place to relax of a summer weekday afternoon when it's not so crowded.
Avoid Sunday lunchtimes unless you've booked a table or come early. Otherwise, recommended highly.
27 Sep 2006 09:26
The anonymous poster must have been on a really bad day when he visited The Fox, because I don't recognise his description at all.
Fox-hunting may have been banned, but Twickers drinkers are seeking out this traditional boozer in ever-increasing numbers, it seems. Not surprising, as they do a decent pint including a range from the local micro-brewery, Twickenham Fine Ales as well as the usual national brands, wines and spirits and quality cappucino and other coffees, supplied by Tchibo, the German ground coffee retailer.
The pub is located in Church Street, Twickenham's most popular street for eating and drinking which in recent years has acquired something of a continental ambience thanks to the encouragement of the local borough council, Richmond upon Thames. As a result, outdoor eating and drinking is positively encouraged and the street is a pedestrian-only zone on Friday and Saturday nights in the summer. The Fox has a smallish garden at the rear, but tables are also put out on the street on those warm summer nights.
This is a good spot to adjourn after a tasty Indian in one of the numerous local curry houses. Can get rather busy and, pending the ban at least, rather smokey in the evenings.
27 Sep 2006 09:10
Latest news is that the Royal Oak changed hands this week and is now under new ownership. Will it mean changes to the pub as a whole, e.g food rather than snacks and perhaps a rather overdue re-decoration? Time will tell...
27 Sep 2006 08:55
Fairly ordinary and undistinguished pub, but good for a chat in reasonably quiet surroundings except on footie nights. Far too smokey for my liking, even with hardly anybody in the pub- roll on the ban!- but the beer quality seems consistently good. Current real range is Spitfire, London Pride and Best. Good range of "nibbles" including Nobby's Nuts and "real" crisps. Occasional visits from friendly dogs large and small and their owners. Easy to park and on local bus routes; it's within walking distance of the 24-hour 285 service to Heathrow via Feltham, and Kingston. Keeps traditional hours except for the weekend.
20 Sep 2006 11:10
Still cannot be faulted on the quality of beer, even though it will be sad to think of it travelling all the way from Bedford shortly rather than from Wandsworth barely eight miles away. It would be nice to see the seasonal ales on, but the quality of the Special and "Ordinary" has only once disappointed- and was rapidly replaced with a new barrel without quibble.
However, the bad news since I last reported on this pub in August 2005 is that it seems to be becoming something of a student haunt, apparently due to the closure (temporary?) of the Waldegrave nearby. Most of these are from St Mary's college at nearby Strawberry Hill. Of course they need to let their hair down, but it's a pity they have to do it here to the detriment of the regulars who have been gathering here for a quiet drink on a Friday night for years. They have occasionally been asked to tone it down by the landlord Mel, but can the lure of student pounds and hence increased profits be resisted for long. Don't give up on it yet, but be warned.
20 Sep 2006 11:04
The Moon on the Square, Feltham
The Moon on the Square should not need much introduction as it's fairly much a typical Wetherspoon's hostelry in terms of fare and fair price, ambience and good service. Although the bar staff tend to be subject to the same rapid turnover as many a Wetherspoon's pub, they are generally well-trained, efficient and swift, certainly as far as the drinks service is concerned. Oh, and polite and friendly too, of course, which helps.
However, be warned that the pub has become increasingly busy since the opening of the first phase of The Centre, Feltham opened in the summer of 2006. Food service can sometimes take a while and on one occasion I was nearly forgotten after paying for a main course. Such complaints aside, though, the food is well-cooked and excellent value.
Wetherspoon's site in Feltham forms something of a cheery gateway to the "new" town centre- not strictly new, since many of the 1960s-built shops and this pub itself have been retained along with a few remnants of the 1930s buildings on Wilton Parade from the pleasant original High Street so short-sightedly demolished in that decade.
The Moon on the Square is less than a hundred metres in front of such prestigious names as Asda, Next and Matalan, whose arrival is indeed helping the town to shed it's tainted image too often associated in the past with the infamous Young Offenders Establishment to the west of the town. Having said that, the pub had its fair share of trouble with criminal activity such as drug dealing and other occasionally unpleasant activity in its early days, but this was nipped in the bud and you can feel quite safe here these days. In doing this, Wetherspoon's management once and for all cast off the sad final legacy of The Cricketers, the Courage pub which previously occupied these premises before Wetherspoon's took them over, gutted and refurbished them and brought their reliable brand of pub style to Feltham. Mind you, in recent years they've also benefitted from the loss of any notable competition; with the exception of The Red Lion, this is now the only pub in Central Feltham since the demolition of The Prince of Wales for a McDonald's, and The Railway Tavern for new flats in the town centre.
The Cricketers was once a typical, friendly local with a singalong pianist. The Moon clearly is not, with the usual Wetherspoon's ban on music and, to be honest, less of a community feel maybe than some of the other Wetherspoon's pub conversions. Nevertheless, it's a pleasant place to while away an evening in conversation, drinking and eating with your mates and has a mixture of seating including the comfortable little booths reminiscent of the snugs of old.
Around the walls are pictures and something of the history of old Feltham, a handy addition particularly if you're in a historical mode after visiting the excellent local history section of the new library opposite, which closes at 8 on Mondays and Thursdays. The 1960s town centre changed the retail character of Feltham once and for all from the pleasant market gardening centre it remained until just after World War II, but the area does still have something of the feel of an urban village and a diverse community, many of whom can be found drinking here. They are occasionally supplemented by rugby crowds on Saturday nights, staying at local hotels after matches at Twickenham (RFU) Stadium just three miles away.
This is my regular haunt when drinking with friends from out of the area in Feltham. It is now a pleasant, generally trouble-free place to enjoy a reliable if not always quiet pint. When Wetherspoon's took over, they demolished part of the upstairs area including the rather strange sixties "arm" which hung out over the entrance to the centre shops. What remained now houses the loos and some office space. However, you might think you've had one too many as you climb the stairs and see the cheery figure of a pilot dressed in old-style flying gear sitting on a crescent moon, but this is the arty nod to the aviation heritage of the area which began long before Heathrow. Chocks away, barman!
20 Sep 2006 10:53
The friendliest pub in the area, and yet to serve a dodgy pint to me! Mel, mein host, was former chef at the Press Club in London and the reputation of his food at the Abercorn is testimony to this.
A cat-lover's paradise, punters are regularly treated to a visit from "Alfie", one of the two pub cats, when he's not bolting for the cool of the cellar, that is. However, when Alfie's up to his mousing, the kitsch cats which adorn every windowsill are just as much fun, as are the caricatures of regulars drawn by an artistic regular.
The lounge bar is a good retreat for the unsportingly minded on footie nights though this is also a good outpost for rugby devotees from Twickers.
28 Aug 2005 16:22
The Crown & Anchor, Eastbourne
One of the few pubs in Eastbourne that can just about qualify as "seafront", though it is on the corner of a road and next to the town's coach park. The Duke of Devonshire's planning policies ensure that there are few similar boozers on the front, though plenty of hotel bars.
It's a Greene King pub selling their usual range. Very little to commend it, but on the other hand not too much to say against it. Food available throughout the day.
1 Apr 2011 18:33