BITE user comments - stwutter
Comments by stwutter
I wasn't in WGC when the 'old' Chieftain was standing. The new version is decent tho'. Beer seems OK, nice enough decor, albeit fairly standard for chain pubs nowadays, and staff were polite.
If this was in an area with a reasonable choice of boozers, you may walk past it, but in WGC, where a good pub is rare occurence, it's a welcome addition.
31 Aug 2011 15:40
The Peartree, Welwyn Garden City
This is a massive pub, which is, at best, sparsely populated by the local drunks and degenerates. The only thing to say for it is that at least it was built as a pub, which is a rarerity in WGC.
31 Aug 2011 15:37
Oh, how the Red Lion is missed.
This was, once upon a time, the best pub in Harrow by miles (1988-94ish...).
Now it's just a novelty as pub in Harrow Weald that isn't a block of flats.
2 Aug 2011 16:27
I've been in WGC for nearly 4 years, and ventured in here for the first time last week.
It has to be one of the grimmest places on earth. The bar looks like it was built by MFI in 1979, and the staff were obnoxious. The beer was dreadful, and the gents loo is actually visible from the bar - I imagine that this is classed as a selling point by the clientele, who resembled the extras from Shaun of the Dead.
I've often wondered why The Cork & The Doctors Tonic have never really made an effort - but with competition like this, why would they?
2 Aug 2011 16:23
Doctors Tonic, Welwyn Garden City
I agree with a lot of Rainman's comments below. The staff do tend to hang around like flies round poo at one end of the bar, and you are sometimes made to feel like you're interrupting thier conversations if you go to the bar for a pint. I can't comment on the age, as i'm 38, but I can imagine that it's not far wrong.
However, the food is standard fare at decent prices, and the beer tends to be pretty good. Service after you've ordered at the bar is good, and someone has always asked if our foods was OK during our meal, which goes a long way nowadays.
This is never gonna be a 'local' as such, but you could do worse - Parkway, anyone?
2 Aug 2011 16:17
I occasionally pop in here for lunch. The food is good, and reasonably priced. But the drinks are over-priced, and it's one of 'those' bars that put your changed on a plate, half-expecting a tip to be left. The fact that the change is usually 20p from a fiver for a pint doesn't seem to deter them. I've not been here of an evening, but once you get more than 3 people at the bar at once, it's gets complex, so busy nights may well be hard work.
2 Aug 2011 16:11
Further to my comment of nearly 5 years ago, I'm delighted to confirm that the poster below is correct. Sadly, I think the place was empty when they flattened it.
2 Aug 2011 16:08
On the down side, the KS isn't what you'd probably want from a City boozer. It lacks character and you could imgine you're in any town centre pub once inside.
Having said that, the staff are good, and the couple who run it are very friendly and always go out of their way to help you (to the poster below - the 'Asian' is Middle-Eastern). Food is standard fare, but priced OK, and never had a bad pint.
You won't go there for the 'experience', but there's a lot worse.
2 Aug 2011 16:04
I've been coming here regularly for 5 years, as, for some reason, my bosses - who take us staff out Froday lunchtimes - love this place.
London prices are very high anyway, but the Poet's tariff is astronomical. Every pint is at least �4, if not more, and a large glass of house white can set you back nearly �8. The food menu is a tad anal, and there's few options if you just want a light-bite.
The decor is OK, but just OK. Staff are friendly tho'.
I get the feeling the Poet wants to be something it's not. It's trying to appeal to a 'discerning' customer, and as such it's prices are sky-high. All-in-all, it's a standard City boozer, reaching for something it can't attain.
2 Aug 2011 16:00
WGC lacks any decent pubs really. Does what it says on the tin. It's a bit drab, the staff are less hit than miss, and the food is average at best. But the beer's OK, and you can watch the footy while you;re having a wee, which is a bonus (of sorts).
2 Aug 2011 15:55
Weird place for a younger bar this - up the top of the High St, near Hadley Wood. Get's quite busy on Thu/Fri/Sat, but, unlike the Avenue down the road, seems to attract a slightly better class of drinker. Bouncers are OK (as bouncers go). Food's surprisingly good too. I'm a local resident to it, as well as a patron. They kept on leaving the doors open in the summer, with the music banging till gone 2am, which ain't no fun if you've gotta get up at 5 for work. Anyway, we moaned, and they stopped, so at least they listen a bit, unlike many other places nowadays.
14 Aug 2006 12:52
Oh yeah, I forgot... they ID'd me once, and refused to serve me. I'm 6'1", 33 and had about 4 days growth. I aksed if they'd ID'd everyone in here, and they said yes, so I stopped a lad walking to the loo, who wasn't a dot over 18, and asked if he had ID. He had no idea who I was, and almost pooed himself. I'm guessing 17 at the most. The bar-staff had no idea what to do, so apologised and asked what I wanted. I told them to get stuffed and walked out.
14 Aug 2006 12:46
If you're over 18, avoid like the plague on Fri or Sat nights. The bouncers are idiots (never!), and the bar staff have serious social skill issues. The beer's are, surprisingly, OK, but not if you want and Ale. The only saving grace is Russ's quiz on a Monday night. Good fun, and well run via the 1/4 million TV's dotted around.
14 Aug 2006 12:43
Very consistent pub. Always good beer, and the prices haven't moved since I've been visiting. Bar staff could do with cheering up, mind. Food's decent too.
14 Aug 2006 12:39
Used to watch the footy in here on the odd Sunday. Can't be bothered now tho - I was having a cigar on one occasion, the miserable excuse of a bar-maid stomped up and snatched the ash-tray from the table. 'Nah smarkin' in this bit - carn cha read?', she said, pointing to a NS sign above my head, which measured approximately 6 x 8MM. When I opined that the sign was a little small, and her manner was unacceptable, she just stomped back to her sad existence. Oh - and the beer's about nine quid a pint.
14 Aug 2006 12:35
?? WHAT ?? I lived in a flat near the Albion for 2 years. It has to be one of the weirdest pubs I've ever walked into (and walked out of within 10 minutes). It's bizarre - the whole bar area is like an extremely badly decorated plasterboard semi from and Episode of Terry & June, the beers are naff and the clientelle are a freak-show. Everyone was the odd one you find in every other boozer - you know, the one you give a wide berth to on the way to the loo, just in-case you catch something a little nasty, and can't wee for a week. You wondered who ever bought their Jeans from Woolworths? Now you know.
The post below mentions that it's a good haunt for Spurs fans. Good. They seem to finally have got the pub they've always deserved...
14 Aug 2006 12:29
After moving to Barnet a couple of years back, we caught wind of the quiz held on Sundays & Wednesdays. When Paul (the incredibly camp, but very funny barman) used to host it, it was a lot of fun, and when the prize rolled-over (on one occasion topping a grand), it used to be mobbed. I remeber having to get there not later than 6pm to guarantee a seat for a 9 start. Paul then, acrimoniously, was booted out, and it was never the same. We went back once, but the new owner who also annouces the quiz, makes it sound like you're at a funeral. The food was never up to too much, but is OK. Beers are normal, and the staff are hit & miss. The quiz is, or was, the life-blood of the Arkley, and it's unlikely to recover.
14 Aug 2006 12:18
The Rat & Parrot chain of boozas is a funny one-some great, some appalling. This is truly awful. Watered down beer, slow service, disgusting bogs & full on 19 year old kids smashed on Breezers. AVOID.
9 Jan 2005 22:36
The Plume Of Feathers, Tewin
Visited a couple of months back on a Sunday afternoon. Just 3 of us, but service was very good, and the food decent for the price. The ales seemed well kept, and, for someone from Welwyn Garden City, it's a novelty for the bar to recall what you're drinking when you go up.
On the back of this, 5 of us went 2 Sunday after, with a 18 month yr old in tow. It was OK, but the service was much slower, and the food not quite up to the standard of before.
Like a lot of these 'faux country pubs nowadays, I guess it's all about being lucky on the day...
1 May 2013 15:01