The White Hart, Great Wakering

Perhaps it was a stupid thing to do but we wanted to visit our favourite pub where we did our courting nearly 30 uears ago.
We live abroad and on a rare visit we invited our English side of the family to meet up at the White Hart. The pub looked the same as we drove up but the ear-shattering music as we entered was to say the least somewhat of a sad suprise. Strange that most of the customers were pressed against the side of the walls in an effort to escape the blaring of the speakers.
If we were not waiting for our famiy to arrive we would have walked out. But instead we found a corner of the bar and then stood listening to the foul mouthed conversation being conducted - not by youngsters - but by 'mature' customers. Perhaps we've been away from England too long but if this is the 'classic' country pub nowadays then thank God we moved away.
We spoke to a couple of locals while we endured the 'ambiance' and they agreed that to shout at each other to make conversation was not their idea of a Friday night out. They seemed to shrug their shoulders and accept the way things are now.
Can anyone tell us if and when we do come back again where we can go to find a good old traditional English pub? Sadly we tell all our foreign friends how wonderful English pubs are and yet unfortunately we tell them lies!

30 Apr 2010 22:40