The Minster Tavern, Ely

This place always seems a bit dark and dingy inside. It's the kind of pub where old men arrive before lunch and go home when there dinner's ready at night.

13 Sep 2012 10:53

The Hereward, Ely

If this pub was run by JD Wetherspoon (and from a distance it looks just like a Wetherspoons) then it'd probably be fantastic. The staff would be friendly, there would be good local ales at good prices, and the food would be both good value and acceptable quality.

HOWEVER it's not a Wetherspoons, it's a something else a bit like it, so the pub has some very un-interested staff who are far from welcoming, the selection of beers is pretty limited and not that cheap, and I don't think it scores highly in any area.

To be fair I've only been in half a dozen times in a couple of years, always with other people, but I can't remember anything positive about this place, and I've never wanted to go back by myself.

The best thing about the Hereward is that in the evenings, it becomes a magnet for the chavs, so you can go elsewhere in peace.

13 Sep 2012 10:51

The Cutter Inn, Ely

Genuinely expensive - a tourist trap that exploits its prime location to charge an extra 20% on the drinks prices. Always packed out and busy on a summer's day due to the boating crowds and the tourists out for a walk along the river. Quality of drinks is fine, but paying �7 for a pint and a soft drink is never that welcome.

Food is quite good (not amazing, but better than average), and the restaurant area is quite nicely done. They've spent a lot of money doing up what used to be a tatty riverside pub into a fairly posh gastropub, but in doing so, they've picked up an eliteist attitude where the staff are not particularly welcoming and the prices are hiked. There's nothign exactly 'wrong' with it I guess.

There are many better pubs in Ely, however if you're not local, The Cutter is the one you'll come to first as it's got prime position.

13 Sep 2012 10:47