The Highfield, Portswood

Since Salimi1989 reviewed The Highfield in 2010 it's had something of a chequered career, then closed quite suddenly. The new gaffers also have The Drummond, nearby, and are making a good fist of rebuilding the pub's previously excellent reputation. If The Drummond is anything to go by, they deserve to succeed - it's already once again a nice friendly place with a good quality, if somewhat limited menu (they're waiting for some work on the gas in the kitchen). It's a bit far for me to make it my local, but I drop in when I'm passing.

20 Dec 2012 11:37

The Ball and Wicket, Heath End

IT seems a shame that some kind of feud I don't understand means that people who actually use this site for its intended purpose can't trust the ratings.

I've been to the place once a week for a number of years and wish it wasn't fifty miles from home: otherwise it'd be my local. The beers brewed on the premises have an unique character that may not be to everyone's taste - the world would be a boring place if we all liked the same things - but there's always the big chain beer, which I gather does taste exactly like it does everywhere else.

Since the character beers don't seem to be on sale anywhere else, I've seen lots of people ask for, and be given, tasters, which is a good way of finding out what it's like.

Gary and the staff have been unfailingly polite and helpful when I've been there - the only problem I've ever had was when someone couldn't find the right button on the till and I couldn't remember the price, and this was solved by 'pay what you think is reasonable and we'll settle up next time'.

As I said, I wish it was my local and I wish people would play fair on the BitE site.

18 Oct 2011 11:03