Cloisters Bar, Edinburgh

The bar staff are knowledgable, friendly and relaxed. The clientel are locals and the nicer end of the stude spectrum, and the atmosphere is perfect for convivial drinking among friends.

And the beer... The reviews say it has nine real ales. That's incorrect. It has many more - but only has nine on at a time. Over the evening, when a beer goes off it's replaced with a different brew: this means you'll get more choice than you can cope with, and if you find something really tasty you may be out of luck just as you're getting into it. On a busy night, all nine can be refreshed. Keep an eye on the big board at the end of the bar where the current status is displayed by laser computer display system (oh, OK, chalk).

It's like a permanent beer festival.

The only serious downside is the relative lack of seating: you can usually squeeze in somewhere, but many evenings you'll have to prop up the bar for a bit.

19 Oct 2006 18:25

Pommelers Rest, Tower Bridge

All change at the Poms. It's one of Wetherspoons experimentally non-smoking pubs, as of a couple of weeks ago. Makes a huge difference... it's much emptier, and much nicer even if you are a smoker. There's a bit of a hotel lobby feel to it, which is unsurprising as that's what it used to be, but that's emphasised now the fug has lifted.

The food and staff have recently changed - same menu, different results - as have many other details. Seem to be fewer guest ales, but the lamb burgers are tastier. And the beer's still under �1.70 a pint for the good stuff.

Either Wetherspoon - no JD now on the smart lower-case logos in the pub - is relaunching, or they're trying out some new branding here alongside the tobacco ban. (They were also trying out some new Kronenbourg 1664 White beer, which must be an attempt to get the Hoe drinkers. Shame it tasted like a peach alcopop).

29 Apr 2005 02:14

The Dickens Inn, Tower Hill

It's big, it's by the water, it has lots of floral stuff outside, but it's not so much a pub, more a machine for extracting money from tourists and brokers from the nearby commodities markets. Very expensive, very busy, and the customer-facing liquid distribution operatives behind the bar radiate as much conviviality and charm as a border guard at Checkpoint Charlie. Outside is nicer, but the benches aren't comfortable and the pub employs a particularly Stazian brand of bouncer to tell you off for any misdemeanour. You will be tolerated as long as you have enough lines of credit to pay for the booze.

A shame: it could be a splendid place with a bit of imagination and humanity. I imagine it makes a fortune as it is, though, so don't expect anything to change.

30 Mar 2004 19:27