The Swan, Brentwood

Ah, a warm, cosy welcoming pub with a vast selection of real ales, presided over by a jovial landlord and his mildly flirtatious wife. Good company, comfortable and with a secure atmosphere... Ah hang on I was thinking of somewhere else - this is an average chain pub with average beer and when I visited it a couple of months ago had an unpleasant smell of raw sewage in the seating area.

5 May 2016 17:18

Chinnery's, Southend on Sea

Went in here one Saturday afternoon while visiting Southend as there happened to be a match on the TV that I wanted to watch. A group of men were sat around a low table watching the game while what appeared to be a mother & daughter combo tried unsuccesfully to cadge beer off them. When West Ham (may the blessings of the prophet be upon them) scored the winning goal all of the men jumped up while the women nicked their fags off of the table. The barmaid was friendly and the beer - IPA and a bitter was alright but there was no other cask beer on offer. After the match we moved further down the room at the rear of which was a pool table a couple of feet higher than us and reached by some steps. A plain looking woman who had obviously made an effort to dress up came in along with her boyfiend and began playing pool. Everytime she bent over the table her dress rode up exposing a pretty decent pair of white theighs above her black stockings. I could have stayed their all day.

5 May 2016 16:30