BITE user comments - pablos13
Comments by pablos13
The Park Tavern, Finsbury Park
No real ale, but otherwise a very good community pub that seems to still run darts/football teams - an increasing rarity in London. Looks so-so from the outside but a comfortable, traditional local inside. Staff and locals friendly enough on my last flying visit and the Guinness is both good and quite cheap for the area. Enjoy this type of pub while they still exist.
24 Feb 2011 01:15
The Burton Arms Hotel, Manchester
Rough-and-ready locals pub set on a busy main road that also does clean, cheap accommodation. Currently under Marbury Taverns (I believe ex-Punch) this is primarily a pub that serves a regular clientele with fairly cheap lager, keg bitter and Guinness, though it has recently added a couple of handpulls to the bar, serving both very good Holt's bitter and a rotating guest from the likes of Lees and Thwaites. The breakfast is nothing too special, being a decent-sized but low quality fry-up, but the pub, if you take it at face value as a lively inner-city local, is actually not bad (be warned: it gets packed on pool league nights).
11 Nov 2010 11:18
Lovely little pub just off the massive Old Street roundabout and across the road from the dead-undergoing-redevelopment-to-flats Three Crowns. The beer choice is excellent (generally covering the full spectrum from light 3% ale to dark, heavy porters), the quality reliably good and the atmosphere just like that of a busy-ish backstreets pub in any major city - never too loud but never all that quiet either. Clientele range from locals from the nearby estates, through offcie workers needing a couple of pints before facing the sardine-like experience of commuting to the asymmetrically-coiffeured bright young things of Hoxton and Shoreditch all, it seems, rubbing along just fine.
It seems worth noting that I've never yet found a bad pub (Wetherspoons aside)that takes the trouble to buy, look after and serve beers from the more palate-challenging microbreweries (Thornbridge, Marble, Brewdog, Darkstar). The Fountain is no exception.
10 Nov 2010 08:20
Big pub set back from leafy Heaton Moor Road. I have no idea what it was like pre-J.W. Lees refit, but it now feels rather bland, like one of the cleaner Wetherspoons' pubs. I can only assume the scattering of low-slung leather sofas is an attempt to seduce the post-office professional crowd and, judging by the clientele on a recent Thursday evening, it appears to be working. For me, this is nothing special at all, but is probably worth stopping by if in the area for the Lees cask ales, all of which are cheaper than you'd expect for a pub of this type (�2.30ish/pint). 6/10.
1 Nov 2010 15:02
Nice idea, and I'm a big fan of Leeds' beers, but Leeds brewery's new pub left me cold on my last visit (a Saturday afternoon). Good location and excellent beer (I think four from Leeds) but the layout, the cheap furniture, the sticky tables with leftover food strewn across them and the poor service from staff who seemed more interested in chatting to each other than in serving the growing number of customers did the place no favours. 5/10, all marks purely for the beer, not the venue.
21 Sep 2010 12:26
The Shoulder of Mutton Inn, Mytholmroyd
Nice enough pub, even if it veers dangerously close to being foo-dominated. The main bar is fairly large and shows signs og being well looked-after and the beers, whilst not over-imaginative, are excellent - let's be honest, when an ale drinker has a choice of Black Sheep, a beer from the Taylor's stable and two from Copper Dragon things really aren't that bad (choice like this was rare as little as a decade ago). As for the grumpy landlord, I missed him completely and was instead served by a cheerful twenty year-old. A solid 7/10.
20 Sep 2010 09:13
One of the first pubs where management realised, many years ago, that serving pints was all very well but serving �10+ per plate food and heavily marked-up wine was better (for their wallets). Truly a pioneering venue amongst gastropubs, this is actually not unpleasant to look at from the outside, has a nice garden (that you're allowed to sit in if it's quiet, or if you've reserved) and serves a good pint (St Peter's Golden and Bombardier)...However, a big 'but' - it costs (over a tenner for a pint of St Peter's and a small white wine). Even by Primrose Hill standards, this is an eye-wateringly pricey pub and has a clientele ranging from the loaded-but-pleasant to the loaded-and-obnoxious. I won't recommend either way on this one - it is what it is, and for a certain kind of person, it's perfect.
23 Aug 2010 15:13
See my prediction of Jan 2008 - this has now happened, with the intervening 2 years having seen a tenant try, and fail, to make this pub pay despite paying extortionate rent and beer prices to the pubco (Admiral, who make the much-hated Enterprise Inns look positively benign).
Closure this time seems more likely to be permanent as the freehold is now on offer for anyone looking to take over a run-down, pub that has been neglected by the pubco and place it in direct competition with 4 nearby excellent real ale pubs and 4 less good ones - probably an unlikely prospect. Realistically, the last pint has probably been pulled at the George and a future as flats, a restaurant or a shop appears far more likely.
RIP
9 Jul 2010 13:14
Pub now closed, with any prospective lessees invited to apply to Admiral Taverns - I would therefore expect one or two further tenants to attempt to make a go of it before Admiral cash in by selling the building/land to developers, as is their standard operating procedure. Much like the nearby George, in fact.
9 Jul 2010 13:07
Brigantes Bar and Brasserie, York
Exceptionally good pub (which does feel like a pub, despite the title 'bar and brasserie') considering its location amidst other venues offering the delights of 'jagerbombs' and'trebles 4 singles'. Like the other Market Town Taverns pubs, Brigantes is a wooden-floored, music-free pub with a very firm emphasis on beer, sporting both a good bank of 8 handpulls and a good range of other options for non-ale drinkers, none of them from the usual suspects ie. Marston's Oyster Stout and Warsteiner lager in place of Guinness and Stella; it is essentially a pub to come to for a drink and a chat, as well as being good for a quick pint with a book before the 5 minute walk to York station.
As for the beer, like the other MTT pubs there is a bias towards Yorkshire, with York and Taylor's always represented (currently Taylor's Dark Mild) as well as guests from the likes of Leeds, Elland and Salamander. At present there are also representatives from Thwaites of Lancashire and Durham of County Durham. I've never had a bad pint here yet, as all seem to be exceptionally well-kept.
Finally, a word for the staff - uniformly pleasant and knowledgeable, they top up pints without asking, are able to advise for drinkers unfamilar with the offerings and to offer free tasters. They, on top of everything else, bump this up to a 10/10.
8 Jul 2010 08:19
Very good boozer overshadowed by the newish development of Sheffield Hallam university and therefore taking a lot of student business. Like so many nearby pubs, the Rutland has a good selection of beer (half a dozen handpumps with an ever-changing beer selection, mostly from Derbyshire/Yorkshire breweries), inexpensive food and a mostly bustling atmosphere. It also boasts the best beer garden of all the city centre pubs that I am aware of, marking it up to 8/10 for me.
29 Jun 2010 09:03
I would guess that almost every customer at the Fat Cat also drinks at the Kelham Island Tavern, around the corner in Sheffield's industrial Kelham Island area. Why? because they're remarkably similar pubs, both being CAMRA favourites with a wide range of well-priced, high quality real ale in a pleasant, trouble-free environment in an area where finding one such pub would be regarded as fortunate. The key difference between the two is that the Fat Cat is the tap of the Kelham Island Brewery, so can be relied upon to stock at leat three beers from there (Easy/Pale Riders and seasonals), in addition to the range that the owners find from around the country. However, just like the KIT, I have never had a bad pint here and will be surprised if I ever do.
29 Jun 2010 08:58
The Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield
Astonishingly good pub in an area of mixed industry, dereliction and new-build flats, within half a mile of Sheffield city centre.
I use the word astonishingly as this is a pub that serves the needs of local workers, students and CAMRA-types without falling into the traps that pubs serving these markets are liable to. On the contrary, the KIT is a well-kept pub with good staff and an excellent range of beer, three of which (Bradfield Blonde, Pictish Celtic Gold and one other) are �2/pint - extraordinary pricing for beer of this quality - as well as half a dozen others. Clearly this is a favourite of the local CAMRA, as attested to by the number of awards it has won, but when the landlord maintains such consistently high standards in everything including the cleaning the staffing and the beer, I completely understand why.
10/10 - faultless.
29 Jun 2010 08:50
I struggle to see how the Fountain stays open in the well-pubbed but sadly de-industrialising area that is now Digbeth, particularly now that most of the Birmingham Irish have moved further out to the city's southern suburbs and venture in mainly for Sunday and St Patrick's day drinking. However, it seems to survive on this trade, and that of the nearby factories and car repair shops that do survive, despite not offering any real ale at all and I am glad that it does, as it is a fine traditional street-corner local, even if the locals who use it now do so less than before.
Of note is the fact that WM Constabulary's vice division raided this pub recently looking for hardcore gay porn and looking surprised to find only a group of Irish men drinking Guinness - the other Fountain nearby was their intended target. Oops.
7 Apr 2010 11:26
Surprisingly good for a station pub, largely due to Fullers putting on a good range and the landlord keeping the beer in excellent condition; ESB was excellent on my last visit. as previous posters have noted, it tends to be as busy as one would expect of a pub located on a mainline railway station, but the transient nature of the clientele doesn't detract too much from the fairly traditional pub atmosphere. Also not a bad place to watch football and, if I were a football fan from the west midlands or northwest, this would probably be my pub of choice for a last pint before heading home from London.
7 Apr 2010 11:14
Durham's newest freehouse, having been bought from Punch Taverns, who failed to make the most of a well-located pub with a good reputation for cask beer. The Elm Tree now benefits from a reputation for four things, consistently:
- cask ale, with four handpulls. Of these, Caledonian IPA is the house beer, the others change frequently but are all from NE micros, with dark ales a regular feature. Festivals also occur from time to time.
- food, which is home-cooked and relatively cheap.
- atmosphere - friendly staff and regulars, dog-friendly also, despite the pub being smartened up since the changeover.
- the best/toughest pub quiz, with free food, I've ever done, as befits a pub with a high proportion of regulars who happen to be Durham University lecturers.
All in, a very good pub that is a wporthy additon to any Durham real ale crawl, or as a pub to spend an evening in.
13 Mar 2010 22:01
It amazes me that places like the Wentworth still exist in Tower Hamlets, given the demographic changes the borough has had over the last 20 years, yet it seems to do a very steady trade, with a lot of regulars. As has been noted below, it is a small, old-fashioned drinkers' pub with the east end-obligatory West Ham and boxing photos on the walls, that has two unused handpumps, serves lager and keg Bombardier and shows the football.
Despite the lack of real ale, I rather like the place and hope that it continues to thrive.
1 Mar 2010 11:27
Excellent example of the traditional backstreets Manchester boozer, about 5 minutes walk from Piccadilly station and over the road from a canal and a metalworks (I assume the factory accounts for a good chunk of the trade). Decent staff/locals, no-frills decor, Sky Sports and Hydes' Bitter at �2 a pint all contribute to a goo 8/10 from me. My only warning would be that it doesn't tend to open before 1730 in the week, so earlier visits are not recommended.
3 Feb 2010 09:34
Traditional green tiling on the outside, dark wood interior, good staff and a minimum of four handpulls from the Marstons/Jennings range on the inside - there's very little to dislike about this pub. Prices aren't too outrageous (about �2.80/pint) and the transient nature of many of the drinkers is understandable, given that Piccadilly station is just over the road. A solid 7/10.
3 Feb 2010 09:27
Refurbished Holt's pub with, as MIT suggests, a definite effort to go upmarket from the slightly battered-looking, cheap and really good boozer that it was. However, despite the changes, the aditions of more seating and the price increases, the Old Monkey is still actually quite a good place for a drink. In its favour it has location (meaning the customers are still basically the same people), the fact that Holt's bitter and specials are excellent and price (even post-rise, bitter is �2.12 and Maplemoon was �2.13 on my last visit).
Overall then, the Old Monkey has definitely lost something and isn't any longer the proper boozer that its neighbour, the Grey Horse is, but is definitely still worth a visit for anyone who likes a properly bitter bitter.
6 Jan 2010 09:16
Good pub that would be unremarkable if it were anywhere but Camden, as it seems to be one of the few in the area with no theme to it whatsoever. Thankfully, this means that the pub staples of conversation, drinking Pride until the early hours and watching football on the multiple screens can be got on with instead, which is no bad thing. How a cesspit like the World's End can exist, doing brisk business, in such close proximity to the Oxford mystifies me.
19 Nov 2009 21:08
Nice enough pub that sits well in the surroundings of a very affluent area; sadly, however, the prices reflect this. No matter how good a pint of Young's ordinary is, it probably isn't good enough to justify a near-�4/pint pricetag. A shame, as this is otherwise a pleasant location to kill a couple of hours and the food is allegedly quite good.
19 Nov 2009 21:03
The Faltering Fullback, Finsbury Park
It is a sad reflection on Finsbury Park that a pub with one handpull stands out here, but the Fullback's lone Pride pump, dispensing a decent pint, is definitely one of its big four selling points. The others are:
- the exterior greenery, which makes the pub look more like a living organism than a building. This is more than a couple of token hanging baskets and extends into the remarkable (for the number of people fitted into one space) rooftop beer garden.
- the layout, with a traditional front bar, a couple of quiet side-rooms and an enormous back bar with a directly proportional screen for football and hurling. This manages to make it feel like at least two different pubs.
- the atmosphere. Chav/trouble-free, despite the late licence.
Probably the best effort in Finsbury Park.
9 Nov 2009 11:02
The Railway is a pub of the type which still exists in surprisingly large (though steadily falling) numbers in those parts of London with both transport interchanges and large-ish Irish populations: it is an old-fashioned boozer with a clutch of regulars and a lot of passing trade. As is standard for Irish pubs, it is lager, keg bitter and Guinness only with nuts the only concession to food - if washing a nice wild mushroom risotto down with a chilled Pinot Grigio is your idea of going for a drink, don't bother with this pub. Indeed, the only deviation from the North London Irish template is the lack of Sky Sports.
In short, an unremarkable pub fine for a meeting place before moving on.
9 Nov 2009 10:52
Beautifully preserved pub in parts, particularly the bar and tiling, though has been stripped back a bit too much inside. Beer nothing special (Brain's Bitter only). As previous posters have noted, now a gay pub.
27 Oct 2009 21:35
So-so Wetherspoons. Rhymney Export very nice, Marston's Pedigree good, but nothing else of interest. Definitely aimed at the weekend vertical drinker.
27 Oct 2009 21:31
The Northumberland Arms, Kings Cross
Solid pub on a busy road for passing trade, locals and many of the workers currently demolishing and rebuilding much of King's Cross. The Northumberland Arms has definitely had a refurbishment in the last year, as all the light wood that now covers the floor hasn't yet stained too badly and the walls no longer seep nicotine and tar, but the character of the place has changed little - it remains a good enough pub for a couple of pints before a train, after a day spent hauling bricks and cement around or, like the nearby Dun-a-ri bar, for throwing back lager at terrifying speeds before and after your northern football club plays in London, whilst watching other sides play on the huge screens on every wall.
Unsurprisingly, there is no cask ale (just keg Smith's and keg Smith's smooth), which means I'd generally use McGlynn's when in the area, but this is otherwise a decent little pub.
27 Oct 2009 21:10
I used to like the C+C. However, that was at least 3 years ago, when there were always a minimum of 2 real ales on and the place didn't reek of neglect and aggression. As a Marston's pub this should be so much better than it currently is. The board outside offers it as a 'business opportunity' so I assume that it is under temporary management and may, hopefully, soon become a better pub than it currently is.
1 Oct 2009 10:29
Not quite the worst of the pubs near Derby station (see the Waterfall for that honour) but put to shame by some of the nearby (within 300yds) competition. One unremarkable real ale is better than nothing but really doesn't cut it in the proximity of the Brunswick et al.
Extremely busy on DCFC match-days.
1 Oct 2009 10:17
I'm not sure if the Vic remains in the Enterprise Stable or whether they've sold it on, as the pub has recently had a bit of a re-fit and a change of signage, which no longer mentions the Pubco. Not much else has changed and the Vic remains a pub of two halves - quiet, dim, faintly grubby pub for people waiting to change train or bus by day and rock pub by night. The latter must be where the money is, as for anyone wanting a quick pint or two between trains the prospect of paying �2.85 for an average pint of Bass or GK IPA cannot appeal, particularly when the Station/Alex and Brunswick are all within a spit of the station, have a better range and charge less.
So, a definite plus for Derby that the council failed to flatten the Vic, as was planned recently, and a pub that a music buff would appreciate, as the photos on the walls testify to the many bands that played here on their way to stardom, but one that is otherwise fairly unremarkable.
1 Oct 2009 10:14
Standard Ember Inns pub. Three ales on my visit (Deuchars', Brains' and Landlord): the Deuchars' was quite good but the pub seemed too busy for the beer quality to justify on a midweek night. Agree with previous posters that it could do with a bit of cleaning in certain areas and that the clientele were mostly youngish and quite affluent, though the latter is not necessarily a bad thing*.
*Unless in a city and said bright young things take Nathan Barley as their role-models, which they weren't here.
23 Sep 2009 21:04
Big Scottish & Newcastle-owned 'John Barras' community pub near the Chilwell army base and surrounded by housing. As such, the Charlton Arms is definitely a pub for its regulars, many of whom seemed glued to Liverpool-Debrecen or Arsenal-Liege on one or other of its enormous flat screens on my visit. The ale selection is non-existent but is partly compensated for by the fact that all other beers (the S&N range, so Fosters'/Smiths'/Kronenbourg) are fairly cheap, so I stuck to Newcastle Brown which was, well, ok. Sort of like the Charlton Arms.
23 Sep 2009 20:59
My experience obviously differed to ETA's - cask Spitfire was good and the pub was just ticking over with a few small groups of people having a quiet chat on both my recent visits. A solid 7/10.
23 Sep 2009 20:54
Agree with the below poster, though think he's being harsh on the Royal Mail. The Royal Oak is a decent enough small-town pub. Moderately busy during the Arsenal-Celtic match, friendly regulars and pricing fairly reasonable. On the down-side, no real ale - Courage Best keg is as good as it gets.
23 Sep 2009 20:51
Was in on a Sunday evening last month and the Cinque Ports was quite lively at the time, probably as a result of a seriously hot day and the prospect of live music later that evening. I had a very refreshing couple of pints of Masterbrew (only ale on, �2.70/pint) and would happily use it again if waiting for a train; particularly good to see a pub with a dartboard still in use. I may have caught the punters on a good day but didn't hear any racist abuse in the 45 minutes I was there. Solid and nice enough in an unremarkable way.
23 Sep 2009 20:49
Traditional boozer on one of the small red-brick side streets Manchester has so many of. The beer (Deuchar's and landlord on my last visit) is good, it caters for football and cricket fans very well with two big screens and it seems generally quite busy (proximity to the station can't hurt on this count). I'd certainly recommend it for a couple, even if it doesn't have the choice of the likes of the Crown&Kettle.
22 Sep 2009 20:23
Does exactly what you'd expect of a pub next to a bus/rail/underground interchange ie. in a scruffyish environment knocks out standard lager, keg Smith's and Guinness in large volumes to those passing through. Sadly, despite the friendly service, I'll probably stick to the Twelve Pins when in the area, as the Guinness is 30p more expensive and not particularly good in the Gaslight.
15 Sep 2009 06:27
Street-corner local in a rough part of Bermondsey. Never a great pub, keg-only for for a long time and very much barebones, the doors and windows now have the steel shutters over them. Somehow I suspect that the Crown will never re-open again. If not, hopefully its last few regulars will make their way to the much better Stanley, Boatman or Foresters, giving them much-needed business.
20 Jul 2009 16:10
The previous poster reviewed this pub AFTER the owners of the Blackstock tidied it up a bit and re-painted the outside. I dread to think what he'd have made of the pre-refurb version. Actually, scratch that, very little that matters has actually changed - the clientele remain an eclectic bunch, the beer is lager/keg only (but quite cheap) and the opening hours are longer than the Pins across the road.
This last point is the only reason I can really think of to use the Blackstock instead of other pubs in the area (apart from those seeking a seriously unreconstructed boozer, or Arsenal fans on matchday, getting their edgy real-pub fix before catching the train back to their commuter towns), though going in towards midnight can be interesting for too many of the wrong reasons on a bad day.
15 Jul 2009 18:33
More a restaurant than a pub; one of Marston's new-build efforts at getting the family pound. Saved by the range of good, relatively cheap beers (from Marston's/Jennings' ranges) and views over open countryside from the drinking terrace. Still, not really a drinker's pub.
6 Jul 2009 16:21
Tiny frontage onto the genteel street of Old Elvet concealing a pub that stretches well back (the saloon at least; the bar is tiny). Now in the hands of Enterprise Inns despite the Newcastle breweries livery near the front bar window; this is one of the many Enterprise pubs that head office seem to leave alone, and not feel the need to refit obsessively every few years, and is all the better for it. It also happens to be the closest pub to the Racecourse sports fields and the stretch of river where the Durham Regatta takes place.
Beers are castle Eden, Cumberland (Jennings) and one other. Food is basically pies, crisps or nuts, as this is still firmly a drinkers' pub - no bad thing, just don't expect the opportunity to knock back a bowl of linguine with a cheeky pinot grigio.
12 Jun 2009 15:45
Big pub on the eastern end of Rotherhithe Street. Not particularly attractive externally, being brick-built and block-like, but in very good order inside with an exceptionally long bar. As for the important stuff, it does cheapish food, the barstaff are pleasant and both the Pride and Tetley's are in good shape. Nothing special, but one of many solid SE16 pubs that you could happily lose an evening in.
18 May 2009 09:15
Tile-and-terracotta pub that I used a lot four years ago. Since then a new landlord has taken over and has had the sense to change nothing about the interior, which is still beautifully-tiled and has, for this part of the city, remarkably clean toilets. The beer is from Highgate and there were three handpulls on my last visit, all in good nick and at �2 a pint (the Highgate lager is even cheaper). Barmaid chatty to all her punters, who were a genuine cross-section of modern-day Birmingham in age, colour and sex. Brummies need to be aware that this kind of pub is under threat, especially given that the Tavern is 100m from Broad Street - use it or lose it!
17 May 2009 08:12
Still has the mock-tudor look externally; the inside, however, is garish and does (as other reviewers have said) appear unloved. Given that this is one of the closest pubs to Sheffield station and that both food and beer (Banks's mild at �1.80 a pint, good condition) are cheap, I can only assume that the owners are aiming the pub firmly at the passing trade/student market. For those wanting slightly more, better to try one of the several good pubs on Charles Street.
17 May 2009 08:06
Bland, light-wood 'Scream' pub that also manages to attract a lot of away fans every Saturday either Sheffield side are at home. Presumably this is down to the pub's proximity to the station, as the prices are nothing special and the beer not great (though good to see Stones back on handpull when I went in recently). However, still probably best to leave this one for the students, who are the main clientele; interestingly, I once saw one drink a pint of his friends' (yes, that IS plural) urine for a bet in this pub.
9 May 2009 22:52
On the 'circuit' so gets busy at the weekend and get get a touch lairy. Huge screen for the football and one cask ale (Bombardier) which is both cheap and well-kept.
4 May 2009 22:08
Tap and Spile, Framwellgate Moor
Looks near-derelict from the outside; clearly Enterprise Inns can't be bothered to replace the boards with the pub's name. Put it this way - when I first saw the Tap and Spile, I thought it was being closed down.
Thankfully, the lessee takes better care of the interior than Enterprise do of the fabric of the pub; this is a well-maintained, clean boozer, with separate rooms (all kitted out in dark, well-aged wood), a pool table and six ales, mostly from northern, smaller brewers (Copper Dragon, Rudgate, Salamander etc). These tend to be in perfect condition and on the rare occasion that they're not, the bar staff will happily replace. Free papers and the fact that well-behaved dogs are welcome edge this one up to a 9/10 for me.
4 May 2009 22:06
The'grand re-opening of one of Durham's premier lager-barns featured 'Chico'. If you know who he is, you now know whether Yates's is for you. If not, probably best you don't make the effort to find out.
4 May 2009 21:00
The Queens Head, Chester le Street
With the exceptions of the Black Horse and the Butchers' Arms (not yet on BITE), Chester-Le-Street is a desert for real ale, something that you might think a Greene King pub might address. Not a bit of it; this is a soulless, recently-refurbished, brightly-lit pub that is reasonably cheap but which serves only keg IPA and Ruddles County, along with the standard lagers. For probably the most imposing-looking pub on Front Street, this is a poor effort and its prime location is about the only thing going for it.
Sadly, this is actually one of the better pubs in the town...
1 May 2009 12:01
Small pub with two rooms, one of which has a large plasma screen for football - this looks slightly incongruous, but serves its purpose well enough. That aside, it has been done up in a very traditional style, complete with dark, swirly carpet, and now has four ales on tap, of which Landlord and Black Sheep are the pick (Adnams and one other which I can't remember make up the numbers).
I liked the Prince of Wales before closure and like it more now; it would be a shame if this pub closed again through lack of custom as the landlord seems to wnat to make a good go of the place.
7 Apr 2009 08:36
Jolly Butchers, Stoke Newington
I've been using Ted's for the last five years, when in N16, and many of the comments below are accurate - it's advantages are that it has always served after other pubs close, the beer (lager/cider/Guinness/smooth only) is unremarkable but not expensive, it shows football and the atmosphere is generally pretty lively. However, this liveliness can be interpreted as scariness by some, which must have led to the negative reviews and, in fairness, there have been one or two fights there over relatively trivial matters.
All in all I like Ted's and would drink here over places like the Three Crowns any day of the week.
25 Mar 2009 08:16
Superb. Everything a city-centre pub should be, from the polished brass rails around the traditional bar, to the still-present snooker table, the well-kept beer (Caledonian IPA, Black Sheep and Abbeydale Moonshine, an exquisite pale ale) and, most importantly, the atmosphere. Gets very busy on Sheffield United match days (has Sky Sports, which was showing the well-received thraching of Man Utd by Liverpool on my last visit) but doesn't tend to attract the hooligan element and is extremely convenient for the train station, being only an extra 2 minutes walk further than the Howard and the Globe.
Cracking little pub.
15 Mar 2009 10:24
City-centre pub in an area with a lot of competition, from the very good, down through the Wetherspoons' to the 'shiny chrome and expensive lager' holes. The Roebuck is a fairly average pub in many ways - it clearly does a lot of food business (sauages, mash, Yorkshire pudding and peas was fairly good value at �5 for a good plateful) and shows signs of having been smartened up recently, but remains mostly a drinking pub, with one long bar in the main room.
Atmosphere-wise, nothing much has changed in the ten or so years that I've used the pub on an off - steady bustle during the day and rammed on weekend evenings and Blades match-days, with not much in the way of friction between the students and locals. It's a generally sound pub and the landlord's policy of personally choosing the guest beer (currently Abbeydale Brimstone) is a nice touch, particularly as he favours the local brewers.
15 Mar 2009 10:15
Young's haven't got round to renovating the Ship yet (if they ever will), which is a very good thing for this one-room local's boozer. Tucked away in a back street, most tourists probably see the Ship on their way to the Mayflower, admire the hanging-basket-strewn exterior, with its graceful white columns, and carry on for overpriced beer by the river. If so, they miss out on a high-quality, well-run pub where I've never yet had anything but a perfect pint of Young's original.
The Ship may not be for everyone - language can get colourful at times, particularly when the football's on, but the atmosphere is generally pleasant whether there for a quiet pint a to read a book or for a bit of a session. The landlord also keeps it immaculately clean and does free barsnacks (potatoes, crabsticks etc.) some Fridays and Sundays. One of the best in an area not short of good pubs. 9/10.
8 Feb 2009 12:55
The St James Tavern, Bermondsey
If anything, gets better on each visit. Ale choice is still either Pedigree or bottled Whitbread Light Ale which, given that most of the punters stick to lager, is understandable - better one well-kept beer than three that go off because you can't sell them.
The pub itself is a fairly imposing street-corner local and looks nothing special from the outside, if you miss the Evening Standard pub award plaques, but is immaculate inside - dominated by a dark, wooden horseshoe bar and with all seats, toilets and pool table intact. As for the regulars, I've yet to see trouble, though good-natured banter can come thick and fast.
Vies with the Ship in Rotherhithe for best pub in SE16.
8 Feb 2009 08:06
Probably better in the evenings, but when I last called in at 2pm first impressions weren't great - dark, plain decor, only a few customers and no real ales on the bar. Things picked up a bit when the Courage Best turned out to be drinkable, and the few punters in there were friendly enough, but this is essentially a fairly average back-street local. Live music is apparently a big thing here.
6 Feb 2009 12:07
Was the Mercat, a dingy hole of a pub, then Monsoon Nights, now closed.
5 Feb 2009 11:42
Has been shut for over a year now. Put up for sale by Admiral Taverns, who have evidently got bored of running the landlord into the grown. Doubt we'll ever see it re-open.
5 Feb 2009 11:41
I used McGlynn's quite a lot a couple of years ago, when stuck in King's cross at the end of the week, waiting for GNER's off-peak period to begin, so it was a pleasant surprise to go back this week and find that little has changed - the toilets seem slightly cleaner and Deuchar's IPA is now on handpull, but that's about it. Free papers at the bar, cheapish food, a pristine exterior that's clearly been lovingly maintained, decent regulars (you don't get the stares on entering that greet you at the Dolphin) and a friendly landlord.
In fact, as I was leaving, the landlord suggested that if I liked his pub I should let other people know via BITE, so I just did. 9/10 for a genuinely good pub.
29 Jan 2009 12:15
Nice. Clean, comfortable and with good staff. Really busy on my last visit, a midweek night, which I've never seen it before. No real ale, still, but Newcastle Brown is available and they've currently got Carling on for �1.99 a pint. Oh, and when summer comes, the street outside is a proper suntrap, so an afternoon pint on the pub's benches is lovely.
29 Jan 2009 12:08
Like the Bricklayers' next door - full of asymmetric haircuts but otherwise indistinguishable from the kind of small solid backstreets boozer that keeps disappearing in less affluent areas. The Fuller's beers are superb. makes it almost possible to have a good session in Shoreditch.
26 Jan 2009 16:16
The Bricklayers Arms, Shoreditch
5 years on from 'Nathan Barley' and the Bricklayers' Arms still attracts hordes of the asymmetrically-coiffed, night after night. Maybe it had a quiet patch, but they're definitely back and haven't got any less moronic.
That, the garish neon sign and the high prices aside, I think the owners have tried so hard to do the retro-pub look that they've just managed to create an old-fashioned boozer, albeit populated largely by media/arts types rather than the 'pie'n'mash, boxing and loving their mums' boys in suits. It's really rather good, particularly now that the handpulls are back on (Caledonian IPA and Pride), and never less than entertaining. Worth a try, once at least.
26 Jan 2009 16:13
Nice to see that the smoking ban is the only thing that's changed about the Crown, as swathes of nearby pubs have been lost in the last two years, with many of the survivors having been gentrified beyond recognition. The Crown remains, in the shadow of New Street station and just off a busy main road, an old-fashioned pub populated by an eclectic mixture of Brummies and the odd rail passenger who just can't stomach the vileness of New Street's effort at a pub.
It's a bit shabby around the edges (though some touches of grandeur, like the carving of the bar area, remain), the toilets are less than perfect and real ale is very much an intermittent feature, but I've always had a soft spot for the Crown and entering at 10 on a Sunday evening recently, only to be warmly welcomed and hear the opening strains of 'Novemeber Rain' start up, definitely helped nudge this up to a 7 for me.
20 Jan 2009 14:51
The Rambler Country House, Edale
I'm always suspicious of any review submitted by anyone who has only reviewed one pub, particularly when said review is highly complimentary of a pub that generally scores badly.
So, either Spencer doesn't go to pubs much, or the staff at the Rambler have pulled their socks up to the extent that he, a man who has never reviewed a pub before or since, felt moved to create a BITE account and put us right.
Or he's staff.
2 Jan 2009 09:40
Perfect example of a pub thriving in an area undergoing constant change, basically by not wasting time and money, and alienating customers, with constant revamps. The Hermit's Cave is very much a traditional boozer, with all the dark wood, frosted glass and shining brass that that implies. However, the landlord keeps excellent Pride and Gravesend Shrimpers' Bitter on tap, as well as a full range of lagers and Guinness, and seems to shift large quantities of all of them, as the place is never empty. As for the customers, it's one of those pubs that has a lot of regulars, both black and white, but also picks up passing trade due to it's location near the green and on Church Street - certainly, I've never felt remotely unwelcome, altough did have to relocate someone's shoulder one night, after they'd thrown a punch in a family brawl, missed, and dislocated it (the only aggro I've seen in the pub and that was 2 years ago).
On a cautionary note, it gets extremely busy on Friday and Saturday nights, particularly if the boxing is on TV, so get there early. Marginally better than my other favoured pub in the area, the Cadeleigh Arms, so 8/10. Actually, make that 9/10, as I really can't fault it at all.
10 Dec 2008 16:41
Coach and Eight, Framwellgate Bridge
This was, until 3 months ago, possibly the pub with the best views in Durham - directly overlooking the river Wear from Framwellgate Bridge and overlooked in turn by the castle and the cathedral. The roof terrace was invariably rammed whenever the sun came out over the summer.
However, inside it was another pub that didn't offer anything different from the rest of the North Road pubs, being lager and keg only, and was probably a little bit too dependent upon the weekend circuit trade which, in the last year, hasn't been quite enough to keep many boozers open (it was definitely a town, as opposed to gown, pub). As things stand, the pub remains closed, with a large board proclaiming that the owners are ready to listen to all offers. The location might just entice someone to reopen this one, but I won't hold my breath.
6 Dec 2008 09:47
Open as a pub , has been for the last year. Before the refit, it was a bare bones type of pub (red, worn lino on the floor, scarred wooden seats, largely Irish/Brummie male clientele who drank lager, Guinness and Jameson's) which was, at its best, bloody scary. I drank there often as part of a Digbeth crawl though, in truth, I always preferred the Swan, the Anchor, the Floodgate and the Big Bull's Head.
After, it looks more or less identical but has a live music theme and a younger, less addled set of customers, who could be equally at home in the similarly refurbed Old Wharf, down the road. Lager now costs �3 a pint and there's less chance of getting chinned for no particular reason, but it's definitely lost something, as has Digbeth generally, with the outflow of the Irish to Hall Green, Kings Heath and Yardley. Ont he plus side, some good bands. 6/10.
4 Dec 2008 18:06
Southwark Council have just given the go-ahead for the developers to demolish the Queen's Arms, which was still trading as of 3 months ago. They admit that the replacement falts, possibly with a pub or restaurant attached, are of a boring design and that the pub has some serious history behind it, and also that this represents the loss of yet another amenity to the locals. However, they have still approved it and the bulldozers will move soon.
FFS, Bermondsey has lost two thirds of its pubs in the last decade. I am utterly disgusted with the responsible pubcos and the short-sightedness of the council, as most of these were profitable businesses that just happened to be sat on valuable land in inner London.
4 Dec 2008 17:41
matt_wilkins is partially right, in that the centre of Newcastle is pretty much dominated by ale-free plastic bars, whose names change every few months, but whose clientele, and fare of premium lager at premium prices, doesn't. Interspersed with these are a few old spit-and-sawdust pubs and a handful of seriously good pubs, like the Newcastle Arms, the Strawberry, the Hotspur and the Bridge.
Anyway, the Newcastle Arms is a basic, dark wood and brass boozer. Food stretches to nuts, crisps and scratchings, but it's the atmosphere and beer that make the place what it is. Five handpulls on at any time, with beers from as far away as Wales, Cornwall and Manchester, as well as the regular Caledonian IPA, make this one of the best ale selections in the city, particularly given that they all tend to get looked after well. Another nice feature is the ability to try before buying, which more pubs really should do. Aside from the beer, the staff are excellent, the customers varied (but charvers specifically barred en masse) and, overall, this is one of those pubs that is really quite difficult to leave.
30 Oct 2008 10:52
Another pub-kill for Admiral, who have delicensed it and put the freehold up for sale. Shame, as I used to like this place for a weekend drink when in Gosport. RIP.
24 Oct 2008 17:37
Doesn't matter how good the couple running it were, Admiral Taverns, pub-killers extraordinaire, have run this one into the ground (by means of ever-increasing rent and beer prices), delicensed it and are selling it off, along with approximately 200 other former pubs. Some will be bought by pub owners and reopened; I suspect this won't be one of them.
24 Oct 2008 17:17
Ex-Vaux pub, which then passed ino the cold, dead hands of Admiral Taverns who, predictably, ran several landlords into the ground, closed it and sold off the freehold. Rather more surprisingly, it was bought by someone (no idea who) who actually wanted to re-open it as a pub rather than demolishing it and building flats, and they've done quite a good job on it. Reasonable choice of ales and a good community feel. A very pleasant surprise, and good luck to the owners, whoever they may be.
4 Oct 2008 18:51
The Travellers Rest, Giles Gate
Being greeted by a friendly black Labrador is always a good way to kick off a visit to a new pub, as it just lifts the mood, even on a wet, windy day (of which Durham has plenty). For this reason, I was inclined to like the Travellers' Rest, even before I tasted the very good Black Sheep, read the papers left on the bar and watched football on the TV. This is a very sound, wet-led, locals' pub (of the type of which Gilesgate has recently lost three) and is not somewhere to journey out of your way for, but it serves its core customers and passers-by very well.
4 Oct 2008 18:46
I've always wanted to like the Dolphin, as it's a nice-looking old-school pub from the outside, tucked away on a side street off the Euston Road. However, when frequently waiting for a train from St Pancras, I will assess my options carefully, and generally go to McGlynn's, the Lucas Arms, Bree Louise, the Skinners' or even the real-ale free Boot. Only occasionally will I try giving this pub another chance and, each time, the uneasy feeling from being stared at, in silence, the general lack of ale and the service make me drink up my overpriced pint of lager quickly, leave and resolve to maybe try it again in another year.
Don't get me wrong, I like my pubs old-school and tend to drink in the unregenerated bits of N4, SE15 and SE16, but I keep my back firmly to the wall in this one.
27 Sep 2008 09:42
Another Scream pub, with the formula 'perfected' in other university towns being replicated to the letter. Lots of lager at prices that cause you to wince (even with one of their student yellow cards), bored staff, fried/microwaved food and a general plasticky feel to the place. However, it doesn't have any competition for about 400 metres in any direction (the nearest is the exquisite Victoria) and, for supposedly bright people, enough students appear suckered enough to make it their regular. Leave them to it.
8 Sep 2008 14:36
Food good value, beer currently weighing in at �2.80 a pint for real ale (the beer varies, the price doesn't). Nice pub, but the prices paid by lager drinkers are eye-watering.
8 Sep 2008 14:29
Loy, if you were drinking Durham brewery beers, you were definitely in the Woodman, as it's the only pub on Claypath that has ever served them. This pub, currently still with its old Newcastle Breweries livery intact, became the Age Bar and kitchen, then Chapters Restaurant, which both ceased trading. It currently awaits conversion into...wait for it...yep, that's right, yet more flats.
RIP
8 Sep 2008 14:27
The Rambler Country House, Edale
I usually have a tendency to look hard for any pub's good points and, being aware of this, sometimes find it an absolute joy to find a place so bad that, without any guilt whatsoever, I can really put the boot in. Usually, only a Yates's, Walkabout or plastic Irish pub would provide satisfaction, so to find a pub in a beautiful Derbyshire village, a pub I remember from a stay at the nearby youth hostel with a great deal of pleasure, that is bad enough that I would not feel bad about damaging the owner's livelihood, is exceptionally surprising.
My beefs?
- no tapwater. If a pub caters for a clientele (walkers) who are likely to be a bit dehydrated, it is good manners and good business sense to offer them water, free of charge, as it costs nothing and failure to do so leaves a bad taste in the mouth that will stop them spending on food and beer. Oh, and it's a legal requirement. Trading standards should be interested...
- rudeness. Not acceptable, ever. Neither is a refusal to give the details of the licensee.
- food. This pub is now very definitely food-led (at least in terms of revenue). Again, no excuse for serving microwaved, grey tat and charging prices justifiable only by use of good ingredients and an actual chef.
- service. Got a problem with anything? Accept it. Cope. Deal. The management aren't interested.
Apart from the location, and passable beer, this pub has no redeeming features, as a number of other reviewers have found. Walk or drive on to Hope, or any of the other nearby villages, and let this place rot as it deserves. Zero from me.
27 Aug 2008 12:11
Coopers Bar and Brasserie, Guiseley
elland and Copper Dragon repesented, both very good. however, the emptiness of the pu put me off sligtly, so only a 7/10.
25 Aug 2008 22:43
Think this might actually be Spencer's; if so, nice pint of Tetley's cask, but wouldn't want to be around when the offers of various shots are taken up - suspect tis gets mmanic in the evenings.
25 Aug 2008 22:39
Closed today; according to barman at 'Spencer's' over the road (good pint of tetley's cask) the owner has 'had enough' and there are no plans to re-open. RIP a good pub.
25 Aug 2008 22:36
In defence of John Bonser, he wasn't actually saying that the pub being in an area with a lot of Cypriots/Turks was a bad thing per se... just that the pub's business would probably be more profitable/busier in an area made up largely of people who tick the 'white british' box on the census as, by and large, they tend to drink more than Turks (who are mostly muslims and not meant to drink, therefore not very frequent pub customers).
As it happens, I like the fact that the Salisbury serves a wide array of people (like it or not, there are still pubs where non-whites get funny looks or worse, and it's a good thing that the Salisbury isn't one of them), and think it a fairly good pub, though a slightly wider ale selection would be nice.
Oh, and architecturally it's beautiful.
19 Aug 2008 16:39
Ceiling in the front bar still in a bad way, but the rest of the pub looks good and the beer choice (4 real ales, most from Greater Manchester) was good, as were the beers themselves. Has a few TV screens and was showing the football on my visit (the dire Sunderland-Liverpool match) and was pleasantly busy throughout. Good luck to the owners.
18 Aug 2008 14:21
The other pub, apart from the Staff of Life, near Bury FC. It's ok, and has big screens everywhere for football, but is keg-only, seems to have had the 'identikit-bar-by-numbers-refurb' (bare floorboards, lots of space for vertical drinking, a couple of sofas and shiny new lager taps) and is a bit 'meh'. Walking the extra 20 yards to the Staff of Life makes far more sense for a pre-game pint.
18 Aug 2008 14:18
Small pub that's the closest to Gigg Lane, Bury FC's ground (also FC United of Manchester). As such, it gets busy quickly but the bar staff seem well-practiced in getting beers out at speed. The bitter is from JW Lees and is perfectly ok without being exceptional, but costs �1.90 a pint, so scores well for that. On a sunny Saturday, just prior to the first game of the unibond season, this was a more than pleasant pub, with its picnic benchesat the front, to spend half an hour outside.
18 Aug 2008 14:15
The Grey Horse Inn, Manchester
Tiny pub, next to the even smaller Circus Tavern, packed at 1300 on a Saturday with regulars and Cuty fans waiting for their train to Birmingham and Aston Villa. Hyde's the only handpull and seemed to be going down a treat with most drinkers. Stopped for one, which was pretty good, though not quite up to the standards of the Old Monkey.
18 Aug 2008 09:34
City-centre pub which feels like a good local. The Joseph Holt Brewery clearly look after this pub, as the seats and toilets now seem in good nick. Beer-wise, Holt's bitter is �1.79 a pint and tastes superb, they also have mild on handpull, the lagers are from Holt's, and the full Holt's range in bottles are kept in the fridges. Will be back when next in central Manchester.
18 Aug 2008 09:31
Good locals' boozer; every time someone walked in he or she was greeted by the other drinkers and the very pleasant Staffie that had free rein of the place. Charles Wells own it, so it's a bit disappointing that there's no handpulls on, but there's others nearby that cover those bases, and the regulars seem quite happy with the lager/football/quiet chat formula that the Neptune provides.
As another plus, it doesn't have that sterile waiting room feel about it that a lot of pubs near stations have - the Neptune has been lived in, has probably seen a fair bit of naughtiness and a lot of good days too.
Will it be here in ten years? Probably not, the developers undoubtedly have their eyes on it. If it is, would I drink there again? Despite the lack of the real stuff, yes.
15 Aug 2008 17:16
Average pub with excellent beer. Not a great deal else to add really, except that it feels like more of a locals' pub than anywhere so close to a mainline station has a right to.
15 Aug 2008 17:09
Without venturing into the kind of terrifying 'barn of a 1970s football hooligan pub' territory, it would be hard to find a more old-school pub than this. It's a perfectly-maintained locals' pub that will serve you good beer (food is limited to traditional pub snacks only) when you hand over surprisingly little cash. Has pool table, has quiz. I'm not sure there's anything more to add, it really is that basic.
13 Aug 2008 16:29
Closest pub to Durham station and a lot better than many of the efforts on nearby North Road. No surprises on the food or beer, though both are reasonable and fairly-priced (beer Theakston's Best + 2 guests, all �2.50 or so). Quiz on Tuesdays. Attracts a mixture of locals and students from the viaduct area as well as the passing trade (it also does accommodation). There's better to be found in Durham, but the Bridge is a perfectly pleasant place to while away an hour or two.
13 Aug 2008 16:22
Outside, the benches attract Durham's itinerant cider-lovers during the daytime. Inside, it gets so much worse...
For anyone seeking the elusive 'Geordie chav', look no further.
13 Aug 2008 16:16
Surprisingly good, given that it's location would allow it to milk the tourist and weekend circuit-drinking market all too easily. Old, one-bar, two-room pub, with the front barroom, at weekends, mostly used for vertical drinking and the back room for sitting and having a quieter chat. The food is apparently quite nice (standard, non-gastro, pub menu and prices, generous portions) and the beers excellent, mostly from Mordue and other northern brewers (all �2.40-60).
My only criticism would be that the music goes a touch too loud at weekends, even in the back room, but really, that's a minor quibble for a the only good real-ale pub in the centre that stays open late.
13 Aug 2008 16:13
Vile. Noisy, over-heated and with that unpleasant stickiness on every surface that you get in a pub whose management knows that their purpose is to serve drunken morons lager at �3+ a throw, meaning they have no motivation to actually clean anything. Thankfully, this and Yates' take a lot of the stag parties away from the rest of the town. However, even this 'service' doesn't get it so much as a solitary point from me.
13 Aug 2008 16:06
To confirm what gillhalfpint suggests, the beer garden over the river is indeed lovely in the summer. The pub itself is also good, and is the only place in Durham that I know of to always have a guest from Durham Brewery on tap, usually one of their lighter ones. Inside, the Half Moon is fairly old-fashioned, with a split-level horseshoe bar, lots of polish on all the wooden surfaces and plenty of 'Bass'-etched glass. A TV with Sky Sports seems to be the main concession to modernity, though this is not intrusive mst of the time.
Apart from the Durham Brewery guest, regular ales seem to be Bass (�2 a pint), Landlord and London Pride, all cheaper than most city centre pubs, which attracts a pleasant mix of 'town' and 'gown', thankfully without any real friction (as compared to, say, Yates' or Walkabout).
A solid 8/10 for a good, all-round, wet-led pub.
13 Aug 2008 16:01
The Victoria is a small pub just out of the city centre, where it appears that little has changed, internally or externally, for a long time. The landlord keeps it in pristine condition, as he does his beers, and it is an exceptionally easy place in which to comfortably let an evening slip by. Opening times are traditional (no late opening, and it closes between lunch and the evening), which recently led me to spot two ale tourists waiting outside in the rain at 1755, and, whilst on the subject of traditions, dogs are allowed in.
As for the ales, Big Lamp Bitter and Five Bridges Bitter (from Big Lamp and Mordue, both of Newcastle) are the standards, with a variety of mostly north-eastern guests (Durham features heavily) making up the rest of the range. I've never yet had a bad pint of any.
I believe this is only the second pub I've awarded a 10/10 score too, but it fully deserves it.
13 Aug 2008 15:48
Second best pub in Northallerton, just off the main drag and opposite an industrial estate. It doesn't look anything special (though the sign depists the long-forgotten battle commemorated in the pub's name) but is a good community pub that does decent food and three very good regular beers (Pedigree, Smith's cask and Caledonian IPA), plus a guest from a local micro. One of those places that always seems relatively busy without being rammed, possibly helped by the presence of a well-used dartboard, a complete lack of aggro and sensible pricing.
For ale-lovers, and proximity to the town centre, the Tithe bar probably pips it, but this is the best traditional pub Northallerton has, by quite some distance.
28 Jul 2008 10:37
Renamed the Floodgate Tavern, but very much closed at present.
14 Jul 2008 16:42
I'd be amazed if M+B (or whichever Pubco they sold the Fox and Grapes on to) ever reopen this pub. The exterior, even without the boards over the windows, looks unloved and Digbeth has seen a cull of pubs in recent months. RIP, I suspect.
14 Jul 2008 16:41
Still open but not very busy on a recent Sunday evening. Very good Everard's beers on and a fairly striking pub.
14 Jul 2008 16:39
Closed and boarded up again, along with the Fox and Grapes. Damn, Digbeth's depressing at the moment.
14 Jul 2008 16:36
Good pub, 2 ales (Tetley and Pride) on, both good. Agree completely with the previous comment - this is a favourite for a lot of those who've lived a long time in Rotherhithe, and all the better for it. Enough pubs this way have already become flts or halal chicken joints.
27 Apr 2008 00:20
Small, narrow Rotherhithe boozer that currently has Bombardier on for �1.60 a pint. Good pre/post-match, though had windows smashed in a few weeks ago by a group of Chavs from Luton.
27 Apr 2008 00:16
Old pub on a run-down shopping street populated by a library, a couple of takeaways and a boarded up pub (The Little Crown), so initially not too promising. It's never seemed that busy when I've been in, but there's a constant murmur of noise from the steady flow of locals and the horseracing that always seems to be on in the daytime. For added distraction the pool table is relatively cheap. Standard range of lagers and Greene King IPA on the taps, all in good shape. Not one for anyone seeking bright lights and a chance to pull, but a decent enough traditional pub, complete with Millwall FC graffiti in the toilets.
21 Feb 2008 08:16
Slightly further from the tube than the Gregorian, but worth the walk - the landlord has been there years and runs a good pub, with a fairly large band of regulars as well as the passing trade. No great surprises on the pumps (Courage Best the only handpull) or in the decoration (traditional), but a comfortable place for a couple. Also, it seems that music nights are a regular feature here.
21 Feb 2008 07:53
A pub for the local old boys, on the edge of Southwark Park (doesn't seem to get many fans on Millwall match days). No surprises; traditional horseshoe bar, surrounded by stools occupied by regulars, and comfortable seating elsewhere, as well as pleasant staff. It's all immaculately clean as well, not something that can always be taken for granted in an SE London pub, and, despite the fact that beer choice is fizz or keg Whitbread, I quite like it.
20 Feb 2008 22:13
High-ceilinged drinking barn, from the days when the Surrey docks were active and brought some prosperity to the area. Still gets busy, thanks to the market and shops next to it, particularly so on Millwall match days. As for the beer, it's a standard selection of lager, Guinness or perfectly passable Courage Best. Oh, and there's live music from time to time, as well, though daytime entertainment consists of big-screen horseracing.
16 Feb 2008 09:59
Not many signs of life on my last visit (and no-one from the huge YHA), but that was probably down to the time of day more tan a general lack of trade. The pub itself is clean, averagely-priced and has a decent guvnor, but the only option for non-fizz drinkers is Whitbread keg or bottled light ale.
13 Feb 2008 10:29
Closed at the moment, think it's being given the gastro treatment.
13 Feb 2008 10:25
The Queen Victoria, Bermondsey
If you've ever seen the film 'Last Orders', you know what to expect from the Queen Victoria - it's a locals' pub, in superb condition, that seems to do a roaring trade. Lager seems over-represented at the pumps, but the one ale (Courage Best) tasted good on my last visit. Barman and customers friendly enough also, most of them wrapped up in either playing darts or watcing it on the TV. A very solid 8/10, would be a 9 if they got another handpull on.
13 Feb 2008 10:24
The Twelve Pins, Finsbury Park
Don't know why I like the Pins so much - it has no handpulls, probably due to the fact that these take up time that would interfere with the conveyor-belt skills of its barstaff (they really are incredibly efficient). However, I do; not sure whether it's the lager, the Guiness, the cheap food, the free Irish papers on Sunday or the fact that I've broken so many journeys with a bagel from across the road and a couple of beers here, but I think it great. An outpost of Ireland amidst the grot of Finsbury Park.
21 Jan 2008 22:43
Beautiful exterior, interior ok and beer (Sharp's Doom Bar)good also. Pricey, but we didn't expect anything else in this part oftown.
21 Jan 2008 22:35
The Duke of York, Kings Cross station
Station pub - overpriced and serves only a transient clientele. Beer ok at best. Toilets show which northern football teams have passed through in the last few years, as well as the names of their 'firms'. Presumably they come here after watching the strippers in the Flying Scotsman?
21 Jan 2008 22:33
The Hamilton Hall, Liverpool Street
Perfectly serviceable on a monopoly crawl, our beers (Pedigree) were poured quickly and, taste-wise, were amongst the best we had all day. The pub itself is just another 'spoons aimed at travellers with 20 minutes to kill.
21 Jan 2008 22:29
Just before Christmas I went to the Castle as one of the monopoly crawlers referred to, disparagingly, below. My impressions was that this was basically an old pub converted into something more upmarket recently, with the accompanying price rise going a little over the top.
Positives - everything inside is clean and well-maintained, the Greene King IPA (the only ale) was pretty good and, early in the afternoon, it seemed pleasantly busy and relaxed. Oh, and barstaff pleasant enough.
Negatives - the cost. This was comfortably the most expensive pub we visited all day. Oh, and James Bl**t on the CD player!
5/10, would be 7 if not for the eye-watering prices.
21 Jan 2008 22:21
Looks like it's being done up again - as what, I have no idea.
20 Jan 2008 18:50
Evidently sold off by Greene King when they bought Hardy + Hanson's, as part of their desire to get out of drinkers' pubs and into food-led ones. Always been a bit spit and sawdust, relying mainly on doing the cheapest beer of any of the pubs near the station; in terms of quality it's ok but overhadowed by the Station a few doors away and several others nearby.
Anyway, it's currently got a sign outside inviting people to 'run this pub' - tempting if it weren't for the aforementioned competition and the fact that the new owners are Admiral Taverns, famed for their ability to gouge landlords before selling their pubs for conversion to flats. Which, at best guess, will be the George's fate within 2 years.
20 Jan 2008 18:45
Cheap and cheerful - a bit frayed around the edges and, as noted by previous posters, limited in booze choice. Still ok for a quiet couple and a cheap bite in an area with very few pubs.
31 Dec 2007 14:29
Ex-Truman's pub opposite Manze's pie'n'mash. Interior comfortable, all the brass shiny and, at 1100 on a Saturday morning, a barman who appeared completely unfazed by several groups, some in top hats, ordering halves and obviously kicking off a monopoly pub crawl (it's near the Old Kent Road, and with better bus routes for Fenchurch St, the next stop). The beer itself, Courage Director's, was average at best.
31 Dec 2007 14:10
The Hand and Marigold, Bermondsey
Small street-corner pub straddling the border of 'renovated, within a spit of London Bridge station, populated by young professionals' Bermondsey and old-style Bermondsey; this one appeals more to the latter and has all that you'd expect from such a pub - a regular clientele, affordable pints (keg only, no handpull as of 2 weeks ago) and Sky sports. For the former, the nearby Garrison, Woolpack or Hartley may be a better bet.
It's also clean and, on my last visit, the regulars were friendly enough (I think it may have icked up some trade from the demolished-for-flats White Bear). A solid 6/10, would gladly add another 2 for better beer choice.
31 Dec 2007 14:06
Exactly as before, but smartened up slightly. Very good pub.
21 Dec 2007 14:27
Easily missed, as it's on a side street just off Grange and Tower Bridge roads. Good for a quiet drink (Pride the only ale, very good condition) and a pub that the landlord clearly takes good care of - brass, wood and tiles all well looked-after. You'd not know it was there unless you looked for it, but it's worth finding.
21 Dec 2007 14:03
The St James Tavern, Bermondsey
Classic old-school Bermondsey boozer - clean, welcoming and regulars who'll banter but don't bite. More recommendations? well, the Pedigree was superb, there's often a stall outside doing cheap eels, whelks and crabs and it's not far from Manze's pie and mash shop. Highly commended.
21 Dec 2007 13:59
The Golden Lion, South Bermondsey
Another pub closed by Admiral Taverns - freehold on sale for an extortionate amount that will probably only appeal to a property developer.
23 Nov 2007 03:39
The London and Brighton, Peckham
Closed by Admiral taverns, 'the best pub closers in the business'. Freehold for sale. Expect flats.
23 Nov 2007 02:01
Well, here's a shock - it's currently closed and being advertised for �800k, with planning permission to convert to flats. Lewisham council and the pubco - thank you very much.
23 Nov 2007 02:00
Slightly shabby, back-street Darlo pub that looks worse from the outside than the inside. I assume it gets busy on a weekend but, mid-week, it's ok for a quiet drink. Like the nearby Hogan's it could do with something cask, although the Magnet is fairly drinkable and very cheap.
18 Nov 2007 00:17
Closest pub to Darlington station, a little bit barn-like in terms of size. Clientele not wine-bar types but never had any problems there, and it is, after all, a back-streets Darlington pub making no secret of its many big screens with Sky sports. Beer extremely cheap but all keg, so only gets 6/10 - given that Magnet, Cameron's and McEwans 80/ all come in cask form, might be worth them trying at least one handpump.
18 Nov 2007 00:14
Good beer (Deuchars IPA, 80/, Mordue plus Broon on tap), served by a very pleasant barmaid. Huge pie and chips for �4.50. No complaints.
17 Nov 2007 00:19
Very small, but utterly beautiful, pub. Beers from various north-eastern brewers. If in Newcastle for any reason and with any kind of thirst, try this.
17 Nov 2007 00:14
Turned a corner. Much, much better than six months ago and seems to have got its regulars back.
16 Nov 2007 22:25
beerbarber,
Go in - it's scruffy but does the best pint in Colchester. You won't regret it.
1 Nov 2007 12:30
Steve, good luck. The Stockwell was a really nice pub and it's good to hear that it's not about to become flats.
14 Oct 2007 20:14
Beer excellent, service ok. Quite attractive inside, albeit packed with stag parties.
10 Oct 2007 02:05
Exactly as described below - it's ok, it serves a decent pint, but isn't anything exceptional.
10 Oct 2007 02:02
Busy and, as the reviewer below said, gets a lot of stag/hen parties. Despite tht, not the rip-off joint it could be and avoids the usual stag pub mistake of turning the music up to unbearable levels. Attractive building too.
10 Oct 2007 02:02
Huge breakfasts with both black and white puddings. Beer selection not great, but otherwise ok. Didn't run into any trouble.
10 Oct 2007 02:00
The Faltering Fullback, Finsbury Park
Just off the Blackstock Road - easily missed. Attracts less chavs than World's End and less pretentious than a couple of others. London Pride the only cask, but well-kept.
8 Oct 2007 01:06
Very nice couple of pints yesterday, seemed to be chav-free. A solid 8/10.
7 Oct 2007 22:48
Very traditional, think the TVs are the only concession to modernity. Food good and cheap, nice selection of beers. Not been on a matchday, assume it gets rammed.
26 Sep 2007 18:41
Basic, but nice, two-roomed pub on Digbeth High Street, one for quieter drinking and one with pool table and TV. Cheap food in big portions as well.
1 Sep 2007 18:52
Very old-fashioned palace of a boozer, all brass, dark wood and ornate green tiling, this is a Banks' pub just down the road from the Anchor, set between a couple of disused warehouses on a Digbeth side-street. The landlady is friendly, the beer extremely well-kept (including some from Jennings') and fairly cheap, making this one to seek out when in central Brum.
1 Sep 2007 18:49
Ignore that, I was on about the White Swan in Bradford Street.
1 Sep 2007 18:49
Very old-fashioned palace of a boozer, all brass, dark wood and ornate green tiling, this is a Banks' pub just down the road from the Anchor, set between a couple of disused warehouses on a Digbeth side-street. The landlady is friendly, the beer extremely well-kept (including some from Jennings') and fairly cheap, making this one to seek out when in central Brum.
1 Sep 2007 18:47
Judging by the last couple of reviews, I must have gone in on a good night last month - glasses clean, bar staff attentive in clearing glasses up after people left, and a few very nice pints. Can't really fault it, particularly given it's proximity to Broad Street and the abysmal efforts there.
16 Aug 2007 14:29
Now that New Cross has lost 2 of it's most staunch Millwall pubs (Royal Archer and Duke of Albany) to the developers, it's not surprising that this pub, near the tube stations, picks up a lot of the matchday trade. Any other day, it just seems like a normal SE14 boozer, of the type all too fast disappearing.
15 Aug 2007 19:13
No complaints, pleasant East European staff, well-kept beer and a nice respite from the bustle of new Cross.
15 Aug 2007 19:10
Was there as part of a Saturday afternoon crawl through Darley recently, and can really recommend it. It's a basic drinkers' pub, on a quiet road, with a couple of bars, a pool table and a large beer garden next to the tourist railway line. Two handpulls (sadly Greene King now, rather than Hardy&Hanson), neither expensive, were on, the sun was out and it was definitely one of the highlights.
19 Jul 2007 17:23
Nice place on the green, does a good pint of Bass, isn't expensive and has drinkers representing most of the ethnicities of the area. Tables outside are very pleasant to overlook the green in the summer.
17 Jun 2007 14:34
Superb (cheap) pint of Magnet and huge fish and chips. Hadn't been there for 3 years and very glad that memory hadn't deceived me. Old-fashioned Sheffield pub in the best way possible.
1 Jun 2007 18:38
Typical 'railway station nearby' pub - cheap food, nice handpull and a lot of passing/afternoon trade. Slightly unusual in that it also attracts a lot of students from Hallam University, so can get pretty rammed in the evening.
1 Jun 2007 18:36
Greene King, unfortunately, but ignore that and it's ok, particularly on a sunny day, when the front bar is ideally suited to a long, lazy afternoon. Has a couple of pool tables and shows football on big screen as well.
1 Jun 2007 18:33
Er, it's now a members-only gay bondage club. Seriously. Surprisingly enough, haven't been inside to test beer quality.
1 Jun 2007 18:27
Hotel by the railway station which must stay open from B+B trade, as the back bar never seems to be open and through the ornate etched glass of the front bar, only a handful of customers can ever be seen. However, despite the quiet of the place (no TV or music), there are worse places to kill time waiting for a train and the three handpulls are kept in excellent condition.
1 Jun 2007 18:17
Very nice pub, mainly locals, beer excellent (Black Sheep, Smiths cask and a guest) and one big screen, with Sky Sports, that gets put on for the football. Really not very much wrong with the place.
22 May 2007 12:16
Still serves a very fresh pint of Youngs, still does great free bar snacks and still provides a very pleasant place to while away a Saturday afternoon.
9 May 2007 09:16
Pleasant, welcoming pub with a good quiz on Thursdays (free sandwiches), a couple of unobtrusive TVs that get turned on for the football and three real ales. You're not going to meet hordes of scantily-clad women in here, but it's excellent for a few quiet beers.
24 Nov 2006 08:45
On the back streets of Peckham, this is a basic but comfortable boozer run by a very nice landlady. One of the few places you can watch the football with the knowledge that things won't turn ugly, good beer and pleasant regulars make this a local to treasure.
5 Jul 2006 00:19
From the high street you can't see into this one at all so, for anyone fancying a look, prepare yourself for the following:
- big 1 room pub with central bar
- unused handpumps, cheapish lager and guinness
- sky sports, usually on racing or football
- the regulars to take a long, hard look at you immediately upon doors opening.
Behave yourself and it's ok for a drink, but there is better in Peckham.
5 Jul 2006 00:15
Not as bad as post below suggests. Scores points for being opposite Peckham Manze's pie & mash shop, friendly enough staff and live music. Loses some of them due to the fact that you do have to watch yourself a bit as, even though it's quite busy, non-regular faces are noticed. Also, like most pubs on the high street, beer is keg only.
5 Jul 2006 00:10
In there a couple of weeks ago, killing time before meeting someone, found it nowhere near as bad as sme have painted it. No real ale, true, but a decent, and cheap, pint of Guinness make this as good a place as any for a couple.
13 Mar 2006 13:45
Teething problems may have been sorted - went in there on a quiet sunday night andfound landlord friendly, fire on and good choice of beer, though only had time to try one - which was excellent. Probably pick of the pubs near the station, though run close by Brunswick and Station.
13 Mar 2006 13:43
Amen to all of that, Moncrief. In years to come, whens the Robins, Ruperts and Penelope have moved out to the suburbs, having had their fill of 'urban edge', and the only pubs in East London not converted to fried-chicken shops (Rose and Punchbowl, RIP) are Wetherspoon's serving the remaining few old-timers, people may finally realise what is being lost from London. For this reason, it's worth saving the Grapes and it's fish for a special occasion, and giving your regular custom to the other superb pubs in the area. While they're still there.
27 Feb 2006 21:55
Well said moncrief (see below), the east end's got a lot going for it that's rapidly being sanitised and destroyed (Shadwell publess? unthinkable a decade ago, and Mile End/Bow swiftly seeing pubs become bars). Having said that, the Grapes IS worth a visit for a drink or the fish (best I've had in ages), just make sure you stop off at one of the less famous boozers beforehand, as they've got a lot to offer.
23 Feb 2006 19:05
The London and Brighton, Peckham
Dark, cosy, Irish flag-festooned pub next to Peckham Queens Rd station. Busy with a mix of ages and races, just as it should be in this area. No real stuff, otherwise good marks and a bit of a find in SE16.
3 Jan 2006 16:33
The Twelve Pins, Finsbury Park
Comfortable, friendly, not overpriced and completely unpretentious - it's a boozer (a proper Irish one with good Guinness and cheap food), nothing more or less.
19 Nov 2005 12:27
Might be a bit of a dive, but serves a good, cheap pint and never seen any trouble in there. Not special, but not bad either.
3 Oct 2005 20:40
Prices seemed high for area as they are high for area. Mayflower now aimed squarely at tourists and riverside apartment dwellers, locals not being deemed fit to share (admittedly brilliant) riverside views. Much better atmosphere (conversation, friendly guvner etc) in the Ship or the Blacksmiths.
24 Sep 2005 08:44
Went there last couple of nights, still no decent bitter, but at least Guinness and lager are now drinkable (and still cheap). Still very much rough and ready, but pool table in good condition and, if you take the time to look, the carved wood and ceiling paintings evoke the era when pubs were things of beauty. Drinking there brings a sense of sadness, but also a hope that places like this will be restored.
24 Sep 2005 00:11
Brilliant pub in Leyton backstreets (you won't find it by accident) serving good range of guest beers to mix of locals and, on match days, a mix of home and away fans (never yet seen trouble). Warm, welcoming, unpretentious, basically everything a pub should be. Plus, last time I was in there, a beer company rep was dishing out a free beer to everyone.
22 Sep 2005 08:15
Three Stags Head, Darley Bridge
Good local in small village outside Matlock, serves Hardy and Hanson's beers extremely well and sometimes has bands on at weekends. Lovely beer garden for summer and hosts a particularly nice fell race every August (only 5 miles, an absolute joy to finish with a pint).
20 Sep 2005 17:39
Being a locals pub doesn't make it bad, particularly if the locals are alright, which they have been on y visits. Yes, it's set amongst some tower blocks, but the inhabitants of those blocks are generally the sameas people anywhere. Besides, we should rejoice in the fact that at least one corner of London hasn't been yuppified/islamified yet.
Good people, good beer (Young's), good pub.
15 Sep 2005 20:09
Good pub on Leyton High Street, looks seriously dilapidated from the outside, but a big, comfortable boozer inside. London Pride and Adnam's both well-kept and not too pricey, same for the filled rolls (basic ham/cheese selction). Also has big screen football and is festooned with flags from UK, Ireland, Jamaica and a few teams that have visited Orient in the past. If visiting Orient as an away fan you shouldn't get any trouble in here.
4 Sep 2005 14:20
It's a restaurant, not a pub. Strictly one for the tower bridge yuppies, who take being ripped off as a mark of their own success. If in the area, head for the Marigold 200yds south down Bermondsey Street.
4 Sep 2005 14:15
The Ancient Foresters, Bermondsey
Found it by accident after my first Millwall game a couple of years ago and am incredibly grateful that we did. Cosy place, with most of the punters locals (very few from the football), darts, TV and good cheap beer. Apparently they have live bands sometimes as well, but not caught one yet.
31 Aug 2005 20:31
Busy, with mixture of students, locals and hospital workers but comfortable and generally relaxed. Nice patio at the back for summer (with view over canal and, er, mainline railway!) but ignore the scenery and you can have a very nice pint here.
27 Aug 2005 14:15
Very expensive for a student pub, service average at best. Typical of the 'Scream' chain I suppose.
27 Aug 2005 14:11
Good, comfortable locals pub (not many students, but not unwelcome when they do show up) near the hospital. Banks'-owned, beer not bad and cheapest in the area.
27 Aug 2005 14:09
Small, basic, cheap (but good) beer, small TV with skt sports. Very under-rated and, for some reason, pretty much ignored by all the soldiers from the nearby garrison. Their loss.
27 Aug 2005 09:44
Looks like a dive from the outside, but excellent pub once inside. Friendly landlord and staff, well-kept beer (quite cheap for the area), pool table and a room with big screen for football.
27 Aug 2005 09:43
Rivals the Odd One Out for best pub in Colchester. Quiet, pleasant, does Sunday roasts (as well as organised walks around Essex), good pint of Deuchars IPA and generally somewhere to relax.
27 Aug 2005 09:38
Lovely little boozer tucked into the backstreets of the town centre. Found it by accident, thankfully remembered to come back. Good beer and cheap food, distinct lack of arseholes/attitude.
27 Aug 2005 09:35
Was a lovely pub called the Junction. Year 2000 saw it stripped of all old fittings, cask beer and etched windows and turned into yet another plasic paddy pub. If you want a decent Irish boozer, any pub in Digbeth beats this. Alternatively, White Horse, New Inn and Stores are all better Harborne options.
26 Aug 2005 19:04
The County and Station, Matlock
Over the road from the Midland (which is pretty much a drinker's pub), over half of this has now been turned into a restaurant, with a token bar area and one pool table. Thankfully the quality of the beer is still good but, with the restaurant dominant it has lost some atmosphere. A popular one with the tourists, and quite a pleasant place for a beer in the summer as you can sit and watch the Matlock Bath hordes (and the river) go by.
26 Aug 2005 16:14
For years Matlock had got along with a dozen or so good pubs, a couple of crap-but busy-at-weekend pubs with late licences and two truly awful nightclubs. This led to a gap in the 'charge �3 for a pint to those mugs pretentious enough to pay it' market. Last year, gap filled by Rendezvous. Matlock needed this like a hole in the head. If the owners aren't laughing at their punters, I'll eat my arse.
26 Aug 2005 15:53
Locals pub but friendly enough with it. Proper old-school boozer, best features the etched windows and good beer.
26 Aug 2005 15:47
Big pub that gets seriously busy in the summer (it's next to the railway station and has a drinking terrace over the river Derwent). Slightly on the pricey side for the area, but has good atmosphere and decnt beer.
24 Aug 2005 15:14
The Princess Victoria, Matlock Bath
Small and dingy but mostly redeemed by beer quality (Batemans pub) and fact that it doesn't get packed on a weekend with kids going to Pav nightclub nearby. Apparently has an upstairs reataurant, never been myself. Nothing special, but not bad either.
24 Aug 2005 15:11
Two room pub, one (bar) with big screen TV for Sky football, basic but comfortable seats etc, mainly used for drinking and smoking.
Bigger room more restaurant-like (big cheap menu with fresh-cooked fish and specials some nights), has bands/singers at weekends. Good choice of real ales (mainly from Mansfield/Marstons).
Mainly a locals place but walkers/tourists always welcome.
24 Aug 2005 15:08
Possibly pips the City Tavern (by Five Ways rail stn) for best pub in Brum. Digbeth (Brum's version of Kilburn)'s a good area for a session anyway, but the sheer choice of beers and the atmosphere in this magnificent old boozer take some beating. Friendly staff and cheap food don't hurt either.
22 Aug 2005 15:00
Tiny, welcoming, good beer and immense portions of homecooked pie and chips. Admittedly I'm biased (Iplay football for them), but a really good local.
11 Aug 2005 23:05
Good local (Hardy and hansons) with beer garden overlooking the Derwent valley - views not quite as good as the the Thorntree's, but not far off. Pool table only 40p a game and boules pitch out the back. Only one real ale (and food limited to sausage rolls/pasties), but very well kept, and licensing laws traditionally flexed to their limit. Superb.
10 Aug 2005 13:13
Two room pub (pool/darts room + lounge)over the road from the County Offices. Has occasional Saturday night live music, also does cheap Sunday roast and curry nights. Nothing to write home about but nothing to complain about either.
One to use if you're in the vicinity (halfway up matlock's steep hill, Bank Road)- as many of the County offices staff do - or as part of a Matlock pub crawl
8 Aug 2005 09:52
Toss-up between this and the Alexandra a few doors awayfor best pub in Derby. A pleasure to get to the station and find there's a bit of a wait for your train. If in area of station, Station, Alexandra, Nightingale,Strutts, Crown and Cushion, George also worth a look (or a hell of a pub crawl!), avoid waterfall (pretentious) and the truly horrible station bar.
8 Aug 2005 09:38
I used to work here a few years ago. Sadly, since then the owners (who have changed twice) have scrapped handpumps and food altogether (along with other bottled beers - Newcastle brown, Special brew - that have been replaced with alcopops) and concentrated on selling industrial quantities of lager cheaply (�1.20 a pint). While this makes for a cheap night, it also seems to bring out the violent tendencies in some of it's weekend drinkers and it's best to keep an eye open and to be aware that trouble is never too far away.
Drinking here in the daytime is a different experience altogether - the emptiness and lone drinkers expose the bare bones of the place, making it seriously depressing. A shame, as the ouside of the pub is quite attractive (over a century old) and most people can remember that, whilst always a bit rough, it has fallen a long way in recent years.
7 Aug 2005 22:58
Refurb unnoticeable, still looks like the same hole it's always been, though now has a licence until one a.m. at weekends. Lager and keg only, but cheaper and a better alternative to the town's nightclub.
7 Aug 2005 22:43
Last owners made mistake of trying to turn normal boozer into a restaurant. Three years and a failed venture later it's now a pub again with a couple of handpulls (Bass, Old peculiar) from a small bar and a big open space with a few tables and a dartboard. Has entertainment Saturday nights, but will always suffer from proximity to Red Lion, a few doors away (it lost regulars to red lion when became a restaurant). Not bad, and needs supporting - gut instinct says that if any pub in matlock is going to close, it will probably be this one, which would be a great shame.
7 Aug 2005 22:40
Tiny pub with unbeatable views over town and surrounding Derwent valley from terrace. Beer very well kept.
7 Aug 2005 22:35
Solid, comfortable local, beers (Black sheep, bass, landlord) superbly kept. Good staff, cheap food (big portions), nice garden with boules pitch and absolutely no aggro/attitude. If going into town centre, good pub for starting in.
7 Aug 2005 22:34
Hardy and hansons refurbished this pub about two years ago, transforming it from an old boozer serving aging alcoholics and younger 'hard cases' into your standard town cebtre pub (complete with karaoke night - avoid like the plague - big screen TVs and bouncers at weekends). It now does a much better trade, particularly at weekends, when it gets packed wall to wall, though has lost the air of faded glories and lost dreams that it once had.
Positives? - still does a decent, well-kept bitter (Kimberley), superb location and good mid week for a quiet beer and the football. Worth a look, just avoid Fri/Sat night unless ear-splitting music and packed, sweaty pubs are your thing.
7 Aug 2005 22:31
Unbeatable for good bitter, conversation and atmosphere. No music or distractions apart from a huge selection of newspapers and magazines, friendly staff and a complete lack of 'attitude'. If this is what the 1950s were like, great shame that they've gone from other pubs.
6 Aug 2005 14:25
Not bad at all, though plastic glasses on some match days. Basically an away fans pub when Charlton playing, with accompanying heavy police prescence outside. Big screen TV for Sky Sports football.
23 Jul 2005 15:26
Town centre Wetherspoons, pretty much same as any other Wetherspoons (cheap alcohol, good range of beers, busy Thursday-Saturday). Some good photos of Victorian Matlock on the walls.
23 Jul 2005 13:16
BOARDED UP when I went past a couple of months ago. Don't know if it's reopened since.
8 Jul 2005 15:54
The Skinners Arms, Kings Cross
Nice old interior, Landlord on handpump (+greene King), pleasant atmosphere. Gets busy, but worth knowing about for when stuck at King's Cross or St Pancras.
24 Jun 2005 17:52
Nice enough, but no real ale. Still, pleasant atmosphere and walkable if stuck waiting at St Pancras
24 Jun 2005 17:49
A respite from the Broad Street s-holes which insist on charging three quid for a 33cl bottle of lager. Highgate brewery bitters and lager (surprisingly good), comfortable seats and friendly locals. Still, it'll probably be a South American theme bar within weeks if the rest of Birmingham's pubs are anything to go by.
11 Apr 2005 18:28
Auld Shillelagh, Stoke Newington
Could do with a decent bitter, but when the Guinness is this good, not a big worry. Music, atmosphere etc. spot on. And yes, the anti-smoking Nazis need to get life (or a bus to Islington, where they might feel more comfortable).
11 Apr 2005 18:20
Refurbished a year ago by new landlord who managed to smarten up a fairly dingy place without feeling the need to up prices or alienate customers from the nearby estate. Cheap pool table, darts, open fire, beer garden and constantly changing beers - definite winner, one of the best in the area.
11 Apr 2005 17:58
The Bancroft Arms, Stepney Green
Reopened a few years back, halfway between Mile End and Stepney Green tube stations (next to Silvermans army surplus). Friendly staff, a good pint and cheap rolls. Takes a fair bit of passing trade from builders, binmen etc so busy early afternoons. Basically a solid East End local.
11 Apr 2005 17:52
Great London boozer of the kind that seem to be getting boarded up and demolished for flats on a regular basis, which would be a shame, as The Grange serves decent beer, doesn't overcharge and has been busy on the two chances I've had to visit. Worth looking in on before or after football at Millwall.
7 Apr 2005 18:44
Ye Old Elm Tree, Durham
Best pub in Durham: staff excellent, food solid pub stuff, 4 handpulls which rotate rapidly (usually 1-2 from the Marstons range and 2-3 local ones) and an atmosphere which reminds you why pubs are so much better than drinking at home: peace if you just want to sit back and read your paper but regulars happy to chat if not.
The landlord is also a good bloke who supports local charities with various fundraisers from time to time and is not afraid to put his own hand in his pocket to do so.
10 Sep 2015 12:04