The Players Arms, Totton

Have read the last post that The Players Arms in Totton would be another victim of the recession in 2009 and it's such a shame they weren't as it's an affront to all that is good that so many decent pubs are closing down and this one persists in staying open! Presumably it has some connection to their terrible business practices.

My experience of this venue was this:

Having heard that they'd hired a band from Surrey which I'd seen before and very much liked, I went along to the Players arms as, hailing from the Totten area I hadn't seen this group since the last time I was in London.

Whilst I was at the bar, The band arrived and announced their arrival at the bar. They were told not to bother as it wasn't busy enough! The lady at the bar tried to blame them for not being there earlier so people could 'See them set up' though that was such unconvincing claptrap I was surprised they didn't firebomb the place there and then!
There were posters up in the pub stating a 9:00 start and I spoke to the band after and they would easily have been ready in time. They also told me that they weren't offered any compensation and I'd watched the bar lady talk to them and she held the whole conversation with her back to them, both strange and rude. The band said they'd have to think twice before coming to Southampton again and I don't blame them!

So there I was. Stuck In a dive of a pub more disreputable than the canteena in Star Wars with a wasted night and having to fork out for a taxi home..

That poor band had it that much worse though: A 4 hour round trip for nothing and out of pocket by �50 odd quid! They told me they'd turned away other bookings to honour this one and the sick thing was that it was it was the Players Arms that had approached them to perform there!

A great disappointment.

17 Oct 2012 16:57

O'Neills, Sutton

In response to Manikdc, I'd just like to point out that as O'Neils are the worst paying venue around, it's no wonder bands end up elsewhere. Remember also that the manager of the Sutton arms used to run the legendary Scruffy Murphy's back in the day!

I virtualy live in O'Neils and have done on and off for many years. It's easily the best and most reasonably priced pub around. Great atmosphere usually though since the smoking ban it has suffered the same problem as all the other pubs in that rather than the traditional smells of beer and tabacco it just smells of B.O, flatulence and sick.

O'Neils is deffinately the first call for live music in the area and they obviously pride themselves on that, not withstanding the recent attempt to cut it down though that move didn't damage them too much and I think they learned from that mistake.

They're not so big on bands and tend to favour buskers but although Alexis has been playing there since the year dot and is still yet to play a song through to the end, they do have some quality acts. Adam Temple for example is awesome and the guys that do the open mic are very entertaining. Shooter have made a few appearences on the occasional Saturday night too and that's always a good thing if you like live music.

The roof terrace is a god send for a smoker but does leave you feeling a bit segregated. A good effort though and to be apreciated.

A good place to be for a Sunday night to wind down and the food's quite paletable.

'Nuff said.

22 Oct 2007 15:23