BITE user comments - melita666
Comments by melita666
Caroline of Brunswick, Brighton
Even more shabby and down-at-heel than it was in the last review from 2010. A popular pub with lots of comedy and music nights, and the grunginess is part if its old-school charm in an age of gentrification. But oh dear - the ale is appalling. You're lucky to get one pump on, poorly kept and staff who couldn't really care less about shifting anything other than corporate lagers.
13 Sep 2014 10:15
Really friendly atmosphere, good mix of people and two or three ales on (usually Dark Star/ Harveys). It's not going to be to everyone's taste as it veers toward the crusty but you'll always find a good welcome.
13 Dec 2013 23:42
Dreadful for ale drinkers. One pump (Doom Bar dishwater) and a bar person who'll tell you the ale's "great" then when asked further, admit they don't actually drink ale. No bottled ale. Dismal place.
13 Dec 2013 23:38
Just been the The Pilot for the first time in a few years and it's transformed. Very friendly service, nicely decorated, massive portions of food with a good veggie choice, four real ales (I had an excellent Banks's Mild which you seldom come across round this way).
13 Oct 2013 14:19
Massively out of date info, now the George Payne. Completely refurbished, four excellent ales, good pub food menu (I didn't eat there but a trusted mate does and she recommended it), and clearly popular with locals. "Family-friendly" and TV screens, neither of which I like, but there's a part of the pub where you can escape all that. Definitely worth a visit.
18 Feb 2013 11:50
Closed, no sign of it reopening. Another hsitoric loss, but it was a bit grotty.
18 Feb 2013 11:46
Very friendly little local tucked away off Western Road just over the border in Hove. Cosy and characterful, with an excellent pint of Harvey's. Be prepared to end up in a conversation with total strangers - one night I popped in with a friend and everyone there had a fierce debate about which actress played Miss Marple the best. It's Margaret Rutherford, of course.
15 Nov 2012 01:53
The Grand Victorian Hotel, Worthing
This could be a lovely pub; what a pity it isn't. Gorgeous interior with original features amid the pseudo-Victorian standard pub trinkets, but - oh dear - playing the radio very loud throughout the pub, big screens and badly-kept ales let it down. Two hand pumps, one was off (Doom Bar) and the Hancocks had the taint of vinegar, but "everyone else has been drinking it" (what would I know, I'm only a CAMRA member?). The drunk old men at the bar making snidey comments added the finishing touch to a hasty drink.
23 Apr 2012 17:31
Stopped off for a couple of pints as I was passing through the village and received a friendly welcome and had some excellent Timothy Taylor's Landlord. Seven real ale pumps with Harveys, Directors, Landlord, Cornish Coaster, Doom Bar (why *is* that vile dishwater so ubiquitous?), Otter and Abbott. Cosy traditional local, would definitely return.
16 Feb 2012 19:01
The Fly in the Loaf, Liverpool
On a return visit to Liverpool from Brighton this weekend, was disappointed they wouldn't give me a snifter of two unfamiliar ales to sample, and ther bar person didn't have a clue what they were like, so I had to stay with a familiar brew. Lovely room somewhat spoiled by unavoidable TV screens throughout playing football. It's dropped a couple of points since my last visit as a result.
16 Jan 2012 22:00
A rack of 3 x third of a pint is heaven for beer tasters. Lovely small, cosy, friendly local with good attentive staff, great atmosphere for real ale lovers and their friends.
16 Jan 2012 21:53
Only one real ale pump, and the beer was off. Not terribly merry at all.
5 Jan 2012 21:50
Used to go here a fair bit for gigs in the basement, and found it a lively place, decent pint of ale, quite a good mix of people. However, it now seems to have new management who've driven everyone out apart from a handful of their mates who stagger round the bar drunkenly bellowing while the bar staff laugh at them and do comedy "shhs". Hideous.
15 Jun 2011 00:20
Taken over a few months back by the people from the Hop Poles in Brighton. Well kept ales with a wide selection, good range of pub food including a fair few vegetarian dishes, efficient friendly staff and a good atmosphere.
11 Jun 2011 17:47
Last time I went past it was full of bellowing football hooligan types draped in St George flags harassing passers-by. Avoid.
25 Apr 2011 09:38
Good pub food with veggie options, if not particularly cheap. Lots of atmosphere, generally attentive bar staff, and I'd drink here more if it weren't unfortunately a Greene King tied pub.
29 Mar 2011 10:52
I was surprised to see this pub has such a low rating, but the last reviews date back at least 18 months before my visit. I don't know what it's like in the evenings (maybe that let it down) but I popped in for a lunchtime pint and possibly a bite to eat while passing through Battle, and found a friendly reception. Not a massive fan of Shep but they had Spitfire and Whitstable on, which I had 2 very drinkable pints of.
There's a dining area and large beer garden out the back, and food is expected pub fare, which was pretty good value with a number of veggie options.
4 Aug 2010 11:16
Usually two real ales on, of variable quality, also pizza and drinks deals. Its situation on the main drag down from the station means it's often frequented at weekends by hooting twenty-somethings, but that's made up for by an excellent live music venue upstairs.
Not a place to go for an atmsopheric drink, but represents an acceptable hassle-free town centre bar.
6 Jul 2010 15:47
Nice little pub where I always stop off when at Euston. Great selection of ales and the bonus of a discount for Camra members. I've not eaten here, but portions look good.
8 Jun 2010 09:58
Hurrah that the Snowdrop is back on form after a dismal period. It's been taken over by the people from the Hop Poles in Brighton (but - thankfully - it's not a Greene King!) and it's been cleaned up but not to the point of being unrecognisable, with a new menu and a good selection of well-kept ales.
On my visit they had Harvey's Best and Old, Dark Star Sussex stout, Crouch Vale Snowdrop, Rectory Ales Light Relief, as well as Meantime Helles, Koelner and Zot on tap.
12 Apr 2010 14:53
Goat and Tricycle, Bournemouth
Fantastic selection of well-kept real ales and efficient bar staff. My two mates and I had lunch which varied in value - my veggie burger was tasty but tiny for the price, and a mate had a steak and ale pie which was sloshing in runny liquid. Food apart, the main issue was obtrusive Sky sports on big screens in EVERY bar so you couldn't escape from it.
Looks like the best of a bad bunch in Bournemouth, but I wouldn't rush back for the food or a chance to have conversation with mates over a beer without competing with tv sports.
17 Feb 2010 10:30
I too heard it was under new management after avoiding the place because of the hideous people who'd run what was formerly a lovely pub into the ground. A friendly welcome, warmly painted and with comfy armchairs (not too convinced about the mock-baronial armour though!). Three hand pumps on the bar but only Harvey's on; Summer Lightning had run out, but the landlord assured me they'd be getting more ales on when business picks up.
A good alternative to the Lilo when it gets too busy. A lovely local and a good return to form.
22 Dec 2009 07:41
Now re-branded back to the Temple Bar. Whether it stocks real ale remains to be seen.
10 Dec 2009 10:36
This pub is such a disappointment. Characterless, usually only one ale pump working out of three, it feels unloved by the people who run it. The last two times I went there (with people from work, not through choice) I had to wait almost ten minutes to be served, the first time because the barman was having some kind of crisis and kept having to check his phone and run outside, the second because it was early-ish Friday evening, and hence all three bars were fairly full, yet there was only one member of staff on.
If you care for all the elements that make up a good pub: a choice of good ale, friendly efficient bar staff and a feeling that the people who run it actually care about more than just taking your money, then don't bother.
26 Nov 2009 13:54
The Whitstable Brewery Bar, Whitstable
Closed at 6pm on a Friday, despite the sign saying it's open. Hrrmph.
19 Oct 2009 12:55
May not be for the fainthearted as it's very much a local's local, and by 'eck, they are characters. All very chatty and friendly, so if you go to a pub to sit quietly on your own, forget it. Open fire and a darts board, only two ales though (Shep Master Brew & Best). Definitely worth the experience.
19 Oct 2009 12:54
Ship Centurion Arminius, Whitstable
Very friendly pub, efficient cheerful staff. Four ales on (none local), comfortable environment, though as another reviewer has pointed out, a bit loungey.
19 Oct 2009 12:49
Lots of beery men sitting staring at Sky sports. Walked in, walked straight out again.
19 Oct 2009 12:46
Great location, atmospheric local. Only two ales on - a very average IPA and an excellent pint of Harvey's. Decent bar staff, live music of a pubby bluesey variety. The only downside was the large number of very stinky dogs, but that's not the pub's fault.
19 Oct 2009 12:44
The Hotel Continental, Whitstable
Yup, the Brewery Bar was shut (6pm Friday evening - ?!?) so we ended up here. IPA in a barrel under the bar was cloudy and vinegary but they changed it without a quibble for a decent pint of Oyster Stout. My mate had the wheat beer which was excellent and I tried a half of the raspberry wheat beer, which was a bit acidic and not to my taste.
Decent food, very friendly and efficient bar staff, but as other reviewers have pointed out, it's higher hotel beer prices.
19 Oct 2009 12:41
Excellent local tucked away in a Hove back street.
Always a superb pint of Harvey's plus a guest ale. Really friendy and efficient bar staff, and huuuge Sunday roasts (inc vegan nut roast) though I was disappointed to see it's recently gone up to nearly a tenner, which is pushing it a bit.
My only reservation is the bar blokey always plays his music far too loud, which results in everyone having to shout to be heard. I go to a club or a gig for loud music, and to a pub for a pint and a civilised chat, no matter how excellent his choice of tunes may be.
29 Sep 2009 17:43
Oh dear, this place has really gone down in my estimation. My partner and I visited early afternoon on Saturday for a pint and a bite to eat; it wasn't busy but it took 10 minutes to get served. Only two ales on, Harvey's Porter and Dark Star Hophead, which I had and was well kept.
The staff moved glacially in a daze, distractedly wandering round and arguing about who'd ordered what; they couldn't hold more than one order in their mind at a time so had to keep going back to ask punters for what they wanted next despite having already beeen told; I had to ask 4 times for a pint of lime and soda for my partner, because the bar worker could only grasp the concept of serving it in a half pint glass; when I asked for a cloth to wipe down the table (most of the tables were covered in uncollected empties) I was baffled to be told "We don't do that in the daytime". I don't mind staff who don't have English as a first language but I think you need a reasonable level of comprehension which seemed to be lacking. But I suppose they're cheap.
It's a pity because the beer is good, the snacks reasonable and the terrace lovely (although the bar itself is sterile and not very comfortable), but the service falls well below amateur.
23 Mar 2009 08:21
This is now the White Rock Hotel, with a range of excellent real ales on tap. Don't be put off by going into a hotel or the somewhat sterile decor as it's very freindly and they pride themselves on serivng a decent pint.
2 Mar 2009 12:32
Terrible, but could be so much better. Being by the station it attracts a lot of officey types after work, but the main problem is the poorly kept real ale. I've seldom had a good pint in there and last Friday the Harvey's was off, the Speckled Hen cloudy as dish water and the Arundel as flat as if it had been sitting out all afternoon.
If you want to drink decent beer served with care round that way, make for the Evening Star, Battle of Traflager or Nelson instead.
23 Feb 2009 16:11
This pub has been pretty dismal for the last couple of years on the whole, with a series of miserable staff and a general lack of concern. However, it's very recently been taken over by the people from the Jenny Lind, who've injected some life and love into the place.
They're doing a great job to turn it back into a buzzing Old Town pub, and although it's Shepherd Neame they have a good range of well-kept beers, so I'm looking forward to some merry summer nights in the beer garden!
23 Feb 2009 16:06
The Duke of Wellington, Hastings
This pub is ALWAYS empty, even on a weekend night. How can a free house get it so badly wrong and still survive?
23 Feb 2009 16:02
The Waggon and Horses, Brighton
Fantastic pint of Harvey's, friendly bar staff and a wide mixture of people, from arty types escaping the crap beer on sale at the Dome to footie boys. Good town centre pub with big seating area outside.
5 Nov 2008 14:15
Unbeatable beer, great bar staff, and would get 10/10 if it weren't for the smell of some of the punters.
5 Nov 2008 14:12
Excellent Thai food (the kitchen's open again), but lacking in atmosphere and despite the lovely little beer garden it's NOT worth going just for a pint here, as there's only 1 real ale which is frequently very poorly kept - try before you buy!
5 Nov 2008 14:10
Castle Inn, Newport
Popped in for a pint while waiting for a ferry, trying to avoid the Wetherspoons. It claimed to be Newport's oldest pub which was promising, and it's a lovely old building with a slightly shabby beer garden out the back, but lacking in atmosphere and no local ales at all (£3.80 a pint, which I thought was pushing it, and the staff laughed when I asked for a local ale). Reluctantly I concluded I'd have been better off in the Wetherspoons, which is a pity.
13 Sep 2014 10:23