BITE user comments - steveruss
Comments by steveruss
We should all be thankful. Wouldn't be a bad idea if all Hayes pubs were boarded up. Preferably with the locals still inside them. Perhaps even shutdown Hayes itself. Closely followed by West Drayton.
15 Jul 2008 12:24
There's a big German Shepherd dog hanging around inside which looks a little scary but probably isn't. More scary are the locals who appear unnecessarily angry. Last time I was there drinking alfresco behind some plastic bus-stop type screens out front, an old Spitfire flew by overhead (mucking about from RAF Northolt) and I secretly hoped that it was lining up a bombing run on the pub. Then I remembered I was still in it and changed my mind.
20 Jun 2008 15:57
One of the female bar staff working in here was English when I last visited. She probably still is English. The bar smells. They should clean the cloths they use to wipe down the bar - or else re-introduce smoking to hide the smell.
A rare point of interest is the vacinity of the overhead alfresco heaters to a customer's head when standing outside. You can get a pretty decent tan in 10 minutes or so.
I don't really have an opinion on this place in the same way I don't really have an opinion on the newsreader, Alistair Stewart.
It's just a bit boring. Like my afternoon has become today.... zzzz.
20 Jun 2008 15:46
this is more of a preview, really.
i'm looking forward to visiting this pub next week as it's near the Radiohead gig.
reading the reviews, it would seem that this landlord can't add up, refuses to serve tap water, short changes people, won't tolerate a non-drinker, is stroppy and doesn't like rucsacs one little bit. he's also a great guy and shouldn't be slandered in this way.
on balance, it would seem he's a bit of a tossbag, but I'll be happy to report back on my findings next week, readers....
20 Jun 2008 15:21
The Palm Tree, Mile End
...an update following my visit to Radiohead's gig and specifically this pub.
It does indeeed have a very, very old till and some tiny musical instruments on a tiny stage (as if ready to welcome a miniature Chas & Dave tribute band). It was cold outside in the garden area. Admittedly, blame for this cannot be directly attributed to the pub landlord but a complete absence of garden furniture, parasols, heaters etc... was a shame and could have helped. It also has the tiniest gents urinal facility (ok for the mini in-house band perhaps, but I struggled) and no actual male flushing toilet apparent (there must be one somewhere). I couldn't tell which of the three middle-aged chaps in cheap tailored shorts was the boss. They all seemed equally glum but didn't throw me out for any random issue.
All in all, it served a purpose but it's a fantastic building in a great setting and could do with a bit of love and attention.
I'm never going there again though, because I don't live anywhere near it.
Radiohead weren't up to much either, that night.
15 Jul 2008 12:37