Whalebone, Norwich

The Whalebone used to be a great pub with plenty of beer selection & a great atmosphere. Me & my friends have drank in there regularly for the last 10 years.

I say used to because it was taken over about 2 years ago by a couple who's only interest was to make money. One of my friends has worked there for over a year and said they just go on about making money all the time. She was so pissed off, she left!

The selection of beer has fallen and Sport is played on small 14" TV's throughout the pub in an effort to entice more "lager drinkers in", which has wrecked the cosy atmosphere that it used to have.

A year ago, my friend's bike was scratched because they threw the cellar doors open without checking to see bike bike parked there. They response was "if you don't like it, drink somewhere else"

They have just finished a conservatory which has been done specifically to "get more women in as they spend more" and it also means they make money quickly and easily from hiking up the prices of wine - no barrels to change or beer to look after...

It's a real shame, but there is the Duke of Wellington instead (which needs a refurb - even when no-one is smoking in there, you can smell of 20 years worth of smoke-drenched carpets) or go the one of the Best Beer pubs in Norwich - The Shed, on Sprowston road, which is 2 minutes walk away!

20 Feb 2006 12:41