The Alex, Southend on Sea

This pub has changed loads in the last couple of years. Don't know what the manager has done but he's got rid of all the sad old punks that used to go there. The place has a really good atmsphere now. The staff are friendly too. The garden used to be a shithole but they've really tidied it up, and what's ahppened upstairs!? It was packed last time I went, and the music was really good. Glad to see they've got rid of that old DJ (the one with long hair that looked like a weasel and wouldn't play requests).

I heard they do a gay night upstairs on Thursdays. Is this true???

There's still a few wobbly bits of furniture and it's definately a students' pub (some of the haircuts you see in there are horrendous), but if you want a quiet drink somewhere where you're not going to get any aggro, then I'd really recommend this place.

And they've sorted the pool tables out too. Much better.

The only bad thing I could say is that on busy nights it often takes a while to get served. The barmaids looked like they knew what they were doing, it just doesn't seem like they've got enough staff sometimes?

15 Apr 2007 21:31