The Stockwell, Colchester

Was on rare night out in colchester with four other guys all reasonably smartly dressed and all middle aged. Wanted to see what they had done to the Stockwell Arms and have a nice pint. What a great job they have done rebuilding it, looks superb. Walked in, small bar just inside the door with Doombar only ale on. asked if there were others anywhere else ( as they had been advertising that they would be stocking local beers) Barman gestured towards the back of the pub. Happy days! there on a stillage and being served via gravity were seven casks of beer. Oh, no-one behind the bar except the chef/kp who was using it for storage. Whilst several staff were cleaning and polishing, no-one seemed to want to serve us, nor talk to us. The management team were having a meeting three feet away and also ignored us. It looks like they don't want drinkers in the pub, only diners.
I don't think that any of us will ever return to this "pub", at least three of us would have brought our partners or maybe some clients in to eat had the experience been better.
There are plenty of good pubs in Colchester now which serve good beer from both local and far-off breweries and which are getting it right in terms of customer service, this sadly is not one of them.

7 Apr 2013 10:59

The Strangers Home Inn, Bradfield

Good to see the Stranger's open again and doing a roaring trade in food and real beer. Having had no real ale for the last year of it's previous incarnation under the witless Tim, new manger Sid is keeping three real ales on in tip-top condition. Adnams beers vie with the superb golden beers from nearby Harwich Town Brewing Co. Blonde citrussy Bathside Battery Bitter, and the golden Phoenix APA were both on on my last visit, and appeared to be going down well with locals and campers alike. Food is unpretentious pubgrub and plenty of it. Well worth a look if you are en route to, or from Harwich

21 Jun 2010 03:09

The Sun Inn, Feering

Went there tonight (father's day) with family. Only one person working behind small bar, waited 20 mins to get served and they were not that busy, he just wasn't in any hurry. That attitude seemed to permeate entire pub as none of the staff really appeared to give a damn.

Food was standard pub fayre and just about edible although my rice was way overcooked. Food prices were reasonable.

They are still showing lots of pumpclips on the walls from microbreweries who used to supply the pub before Shepherd Neame took it over - a bit disingenuous and misleading if you ask me. Supposedly a real ale festival going on, 4 sheps beers and two guests. I had the two guests, neither of which were in particularly good nick.

All in all a major disappointment for my first visit since it became a tied house - it could be so much better.

21 Jun 2010 03:01