BITE user comments - hertsboy
Comments by hertsboy
This place is for chavs, druggies, drunks, layabouts, slags, yobs, thickos, weirdos, criminals etc. They do 'lock ins' for after-hour drinking.
15 Sep 2015 11:02
The Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans
Good pub - but a couple of pricks as bouncers on Friday 1st August.
3 Aug 2014 17:19
There's an annoying barfly. A black guy who sits in the corner on his own wearing headphones. He shouts out to customers, takes his shoes off, hops around the pub. Bloody weird!
3 Aug 2014 17:18
I popped in here one lunchtime and was the only customer. The surly, chain-smoking tattooed bar man might be a reason. Just a thought...
29 Aug 2013 14:25
I went to this pub on Sunday afternoon for a pint. It was really busy - I was told that this was unusual. Loads of TVs on the walls for various sports. I didn't think this was too bad. It's a place for watching sport on TV or nipping into for a pint (it's along the Embankment). Expensive, but then all Central London pubs are IMO.
This was my first visit here. I don't know how I never noticed this place before.
9 Apr 2013 11:43
This pub is now closed. Truth is was a shadow of its former self in the 1990s.
8 Apr 2013 09:35
Since my last visit this has gone downhill bigtime. The manageress is a grumpy lady who looks like Sharon from EastEnders. There isn't much of a choice for drinks - real ales, or lager.
The pub is primarily about food - and here it is now appalling. Sunday Roast is either 'boil-in-the bag' type or hard to cut stringy meat. Other meals aren't much better. I see they've cut down on portion sizes too.
If you don't go Sunday lunchtime - this place is dead. It's sad but I have to now say AVOID THIS PUB.
22 Mar 2013 11:57
If you are unemployed, a hooker, druggie, drunkard or criminal you'd feel at home here.
14 Oct 2012 13:02
This place has now closed. It was CHAV CENTRAL where you could find the Dregs of society - drunks, druggies, criminals, hookers, loafers. Good riddance.
14 Oct 2012 12:59
The Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans
The newish manager does seem to think the world revolves around him. First he joins one of the bands as a drummer for a few songs then he has a 'lock in' for himself and his mates. The BlackSmiths' Arms is a PUBLIC HOUSE not a private party! There are licensing laws that even Managers should stick too!
14 Oct 2012 12:55
The Slug and Lettuce, St Albans
Fancy shagging a slapper in the loos? Then this place is for you!
7 Oct 2012 13:39
The Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans
This is a great pub now. I was there last couple of Saturday nights when "Scam 69" a punk covers band was playing. Good atmosphere.
Nice beer garden too. I've also tried the food here on a Saturday afternoon - quite good.
The fly in the ointment are the toilets - tiny and not that well looked after.
7 Oct 2012 13:34
This pub has not changed.
Disgusting toilets
Poor Service
Unfriendly bar staff
7 Oct 2012 13:31
This seems to have new management. The food is much improved and portion sizes larger. I've NEVER experienced the problems of some of the reviewers here and I've been coming to this pub several times a year for a number of years.
Some of the tables can be a bit near each other. The Sunday Roasts aren't that great. Seems like Sunday Roast-Boil-in-The-Bag-Ready-Meal. Potatoes are microwaved to death. Other meals though are good especially the beef and ale pie.
It's a very nice building with good garden. It's more of an eating place rather than somewhere to go for a pint.
30 Sep 2012 19:48
Very expensive! More of a 'gastro-pub'. Nice food, but expensive.
2 Jun 2012 15:37
Busy at lunchtimes. Nice for a burger and beer for a fiver. Need more staff. Dregs of society in here Mondays as pints are only �2.
28 Feb 2012 13:37
That loathsome Manager with zero social skills still works here. Over-priced, unfriendly and empty. 1 out of 10.
28 Feb 2012 13:35
Totally agree with previous post. I stopped coming in her months ago. Over-priced, unfriendly and dead.
25 Mar 2011 10:39
No problem getting served here now as its so quiet now its over 21s only. Bar staff desperate to serve/chat to customers.
28 Nov 2010 13:23
Nice atmossphere here last night....bar service could be a bit fairer though.
27 Nov 2010 10:24
I was here last night with a couple of mates.... The grumpy bar manager was throwing glass bottles away in an attention seeking way. He's no Gil. don't know why I bother really.
27 Nov 2010 10:22
We went here a few Fridasys ago. There was a terrible band palyind. we didn't stay lon.
20 Nov 2010 11:03
The Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans
This pub is much improved. They have bands playing Friday/saturday nights.
18 Sep 2010 12:07
Avoid this pub,
FatBob- rude and offensive barman
Food- lukewarm rather than pipinh hot
Flies - place is full of them!
15 Sep 2010 10:46
memo to management: get better staff!
I was here last night (saturday) I was waiting at the bar when an old guy further along leaned over the bar and asked the barmaid to serve him next. I had been waiting longer than him. The barmaid didn't look to see if others were waiting and served him. He ordered about 10 drinks. he was with other older guys, so that generation don't always know about manners and queuing!
That's the problem here the staff just serve the first person they see.
8 Aug 2010 13:11
Busy here on Sat night. My nemesis, the fred west lookalike thankfully wasn't there.
8 Apr 2010 10:26
I never liked this pub or the various landlords it's had over the years.
9 Feb 2010 11:31
Agree Redharvest, a bit chavvy. Liked the Firkin that was here years ago.
9 Feb 2010 11:30
a pub for foul mouthed, immature thirtysomethings. Very Men Behaving Badly. Nice pub though!
9 Feb 2010 11:26
They serve pizza and have bands her in this tiny pub. It hasn't improved.
9 Feb 2010 11:18
I popped my head around the door on sat night - it was dead. All the rugby/football crowd must have gone by then. This WAS a decent pub - years ago.
9 Feb 2010 11:17
I gave this a go on Saturday afternon. Nice pub. Problem is bar staff will serve people in the centre of the long bar first, even if others have been waiting longer first. They also had a new guy who was a bit clueless.
2 Feb 2010 15:51
How long has this pub been a Lloyds bar?
Nice building shame about the weekend revellers!
If you google/yahoo '"waterend barn" assault' you'll find stories of trouble. Incidently, one of the managers, Ian, claimed to have looked at CCTV coverage of an assault. He reckons he pinpointed , the night and where an assult took place and looked through 90 mins of CCTV coverage...but this was done in just 5 minutes!! A guy who was attacked had Aspergers.
2 Jan 2010 10:49
This pub may be okay during the day. But weekends night it is frequnted by Chavs. The female Chavs are more aggressive than the males and will punch you in ther face if they deem you 'looked at them in a funny way'.
Avoid this pub at night. Bouncers will take the side of chavvy females everytime.
30 Nov 2009 14:12
One of the management team, Danny, was serving behind the bar on sat night. He allowed a guy to queue jump and order his drinks while Danny was giving change to another customer.
Danny needs to be more assertive and fairer. He's lucky a fight didn't start. Send him on assertiveness training!!!
3 Nov 2009 12:45
where's the 'talent' in this pub? Two ugly blokes behind the bar at the weekend.
2 Nov 2009 11:52
I was here on saturday night. it was buzzing. loads of people in halloween outfits.
2 Nov 2009 11:51
We turned up here on saturdy night to find the 'pub' closed due to a private party! This is not a public house but a private club. It's expensive - about �3.50 for a pint, they charged �40 for entry on New Years eve a couple of ears ago...who paid that???
I shan't go in here again. I shall email them at [email protected]
2 Nov 2009 11:49
The Freemasons Arms, Covent Garden
I used to pop in here lots afew years ago. I returned here at the weekend. It looks and feels the same.
28 Jul 2009 11:12
I went to this pub last weekend for the first time in several years. it's had a refurb. It looks weird with all those sections to it.
28 Jul 2009 11:09
I can't believe they are still charging people to get in on Fri/sat nights. �3 before 9pm and �5 before 10. rip off. Full of kids too nowadays.
11 Jul 2009 14:21
There's a short irish girl who works here , she's not very friendly/personable. She used to be Uni student but still works here 5 years on....
1 Jun 2009 19:14
Not really a ringing endorsement, then. I'll skip this. a pub from the past.
28 May 2009 19:19
A lot of people seem to agree with me about this...lousy service(with the exception of Becky), dirty toilets and limited range of booze.
28 May 2009 19:18
On the positive side
- Good location
-Nice comfy chairs and beer garden too
-No riff raff (mainly)
On the negative side
- Staff who ALWAYS ask if you'd like to look at the menu. NO! What's wrong with just having a few pints with your mates?
-Some of the bar staff ie the new guy in his 30s and the bloke with glasses
- waitresses who talk/whisper in Polish (or whatever)
28 May 2009 19:14
I had a lager here the other day. Sat by the window and watched and endulged in people-watching.
21 May 2009 11:53
The sort of pun frequented by ruffians out looking for a fight. Some transvestite type person called the bar staff 'homophobic' which I believe is unfair.
21 May 2009 11:48
The Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans
Judging by the reviews this pub seem to have got worse!
20 May 2009 12:04
Now called the parkway tavern and with a new landlord and landlady. Still chavvy.
20 May 2009 12:01
sherminator, read your other posts. I agree with a lot of what you've said.
21 Nov 2008 11:10
radio verulum...aaagghhh1 They have that on in the Garibaldi.
22 Aug 2008 10:44
see stonch.blogspot.com. do a search for St albans pubcrawl.
22 Aug 2008 10:42
This pub is DEAD. I know somebody who was there on Saturday night and there were only about 10 people in the pub, including bar staff!
18 Aug 2008 09:41
the beating up of a guy on that Good Friday is not acceptable either. He should have done what I would have done in that situation - said nothing and reported them anonymously to the police/trding standards.
Hertsboy....in a St Albans pub near you! Don't do anything you shouldn't!!
8 Jul 2008 09:41
The ubiquitous hertsboy here.When I first started to go drinking about 5-6 years ago this was an ok pub. it has gone downhill since then. Here's why.
1)too expensive and too limited a range of drink
2)the refurb was a mistake. it lost its old charm
3)It doesn't know who to appeal to and in the end appeals to very few.
4)the bar staff/management not as nice as before.
If people think it's okay to sell fake dvds in pubs think about this
a)it is taking a business away from legitimate sellers of dvds.(pubs can't be on the moral high ground regarding supermarkets making them go out of business if they do the same with dvd sellers)
b)often what is sold is porn
c)picture/sound quality is poor 9for those who aren't persuaded by moral arguments.)
The bar man of this pub could look like the lead singer of the Artic monkeys if he plastered himself with foundation/concealer. ouch!
b)
8 Jul 2008 09:34
Natacus, I agree about the bouncers.
maryj - I don't think much of oisin's replacement that guy from N Ireland. not a nice bloke.
17 May 2008 12:02
I haven't been here for ages. Is that steve brookstein/fred west lookalike still serving benind the bar?
17 May 2008 12:00
The Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans
This is a terrible pub. I went here recently and the female bar staff were to busy watching sport on ther screen behind the bar to notice I was waiting to be served.
Good points: beer garden, cheap beer
bad points: Poor service, Frequented by Chavs
Best to avoid really.
7 Apr 2008 12:03
The police were called to this pub on Good Friday. the bar man allowed a chinese man to sell fake dvds. A customer intervened and was beaten up by customers - under the nose of the bar man.
this pub should lose its license.
3 Apr 2008 12:41
I was here on Saturday night with a few mates. It has gone downhill even further since my last visit! A zero rating!
27 Mar 2008 15:49
The Hare and Hounds, St Albans
This pub has to pin notices up to beg people to visit it. Situated on the fringe of a council housing estate it has taken to emplying a couple of chavettes. It knows its market then!
27 Mar 2008 15:40
Oooh, the manager, Gil, has got an admirer?
Did anyone pay �40 to go there New Years Eve?
4 Jan 2008 11:29
This pub is charging �40 for entry on New Years Eve ...a RIP OFF on the grandest scale!!!!
24 Nov 2007 15:39
I like this place. This large pub has got character.There's a separate dining room, although many people eat in the main bar. It's got fireplaces with comfy chairs.
A choice of beers and friendly staff. Weekday lunchtimes frequented by office workers and the retired. Sunday lunch time by families. Friday and Saturday night by the 18-40 age group. You have to pay �5 if you arrive after 10pm on a thursday or 9pm at weekends...I would never pay to go into a pub. Late opening until 2 Thurs/Fri/sat
9 Nov 2007 11:49
The Hare and Hounds, St Albans
I agree this eems to be 3 pubs in one. I quite like it. Choice of drink, garden, sport on TV.
1 Nov 2007 09:34
A real ale pub frequented by the beared and jumper brigade...if you like that sort of thing.
1 Nov 2007 09:33
This old historic pub has been refurbished and has now new management. It has gone from a chav pub in the evening to one with no atmosphere at all. Pop into it on a Saturday afternoon if you happen to be in St Albans. Not a place to spend an evening.
1 Nov 2007 09:32
During the day frquented by a lot of old geezars(mainly Irish). during the evening more mixed age groups.
cheap beer, choice of ales, wide screen TV. Not a bad place.
1 Nov 2007 09:29
During the day frquented by a lot of old geezars(mainly Irish). during the evening more mixed age groups.
cheap beer, choice of ales, wide screen TV. Not a bad place.
1 Nov 2007 09:29
this tiny pub has been converted into a restaurant-bar. The restaurant is over-priced and the bar frequnted by drunks. manager could do with customer service skills.
1 Nov 2007 09:25
The Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans
I agree with previous comments, this is an awful pub. the only reddeming feature is a sizeable beer garden.
1 Nov 2007 09:23
This pub could be nice if it had a)customers b) a friendly manager. I was here recently on a saturday and it was deserted!
31 Oct 2007 11:00
Quite a good pub in this pub. Friendly bar staff and manager and beer garden on the plus side. a bit yuppy-ish on the negative side.
31 Oct 2007 10:55
Quite a good pub in this pub. Friendly bar staff and manager and beer garden on the plus side. a bit yuppy-ish on the negative side.
31 Oct 2007 10:55
Quite a good pub in this pub. Friendly bar staff and manager and beer garden on the plus side. a bit yuppy-ish on the negative side.
31 Oct 2007 10:55
Lack of atmosphere since refurb. Actually this pub has being going downhill over the years.
31 Oct 2007 10:53
Harpsfield Hall, Hatfield
It looks nice - but awful customers. especially those who stay in the budget Travel Lodge opposite - offensive and obnoxious.
8 Jan 2017 16:24