Pubs that you wouldn't bother with a second visit.

[Starcoaster]

I thought LM was saying "yes, please stop calling Martin a troll every time you disagree with him" but I may be wrong...

[Guest]

I thought LM was saying "yes, please stop calling Martin a troll every time you disagree with him" but I may be wrong...

If so I apologise to LM, but I think you are indeed wrong.

 

Cheers anyway.

[Starcoaster]

No worries, I am sure she will clarify for us soon!

[fudd]

Really?

 

How strange.

 

Pointing out that somebody may be unjustifiably harming a business is trolling now??

 

I'll leave you to it.

Is this 'somebody' me?

[Iain_S]

I would rather go there to eat than the HH, in fact I do.

 

Is it my imagination, or do I recall Harnser doing a U turn and two locks to get to the HH?

 

Iain

Edited November 2, 2013 by Iain_S

[Mrs Trackman]

Pitcher & Piano in Brindley Place, Birmingham. I cannot believe how bad it was considering you only have to walk a few paces to have a choice of umpteen other eat & drinkeries:

There are indeed umpteen other choices in brindley place but all are chains and prices high. All seem busy too, people put up with a lot when eating out I think.

 

My review:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186402-d730562-r179729662-Pitcher_Piano_Birmingham-Birmingham_West_Midlands_England.html#REVIEWS

 

 

I always think it is worth noting what type of experience the reviewer was looking for as well. If it is a couple going to a chain that caters for kids they may score a lot less than a big family and vice versa.

Sorry. Tried to add reply to Cheshire rose but put posting in middle somehow

[carlt]

Did you ring her?????

No but if I'd been single I would have.

 

She was lovely.

[Stilllearning]

I've never been to a Hungry Horse pub, but most chain pubs seem to be awful. In fact every pub meal I've had in the UK has been pretty awful except for a nice steak I had at The Encore in Stratford on Avon. I generally try to avoid pub food now.

I could name several wonderful pubs that serve really good food, but I think I'll keep them to myself ..... but avoiding chain pubs is generally wise, though Wetherspoon's food is good value and the beer very cheap.

[Daiboy]

At last. Somebody (still learning) has mentioned Wetherspoons. One of the best pub chains I've come across. Good food and cheap (and great) beer. Unfortunately they do not allow dogs so I have a limited time there. I am trying to tick off as many of the pubs on the list as I can. There are many around the country.

[carlt]

 

 

 

You also have to love the happy coincidence...

Is that the Beefeater on the T&M?

 

I'm always bumping into old friends I haven't seen for years when I go there.

[ditchcrawler]

I was joking. But then so are you.

 

Actually I wasn't, I don't get why somebody would travel a significant distance with the specific purpose of visiting a particular establishment without checking it was going to be open when I got there.

I boated down there and the EA had closed the visitor moorings. We could get along side the moorings but not from the moorings to the bank.

[Ange]

At last. Somebody (still learning) has mentioned Wetherspoons. One of the best pub chains I've come across. Good food and cheap (and great) beer. Unfortunately they do not allow dogs so I have a limited time there. I am trying to tick off as many of the pubs on the list as I can. There are many around the country.

Ah they'll be out of business in no time then - according to a very knowledgeable forum member that's not a viable business model in today's economic climate

 

Seriously I know Wetherspoons get slated a lot on here but you get what you pay for, and in the days when our monthly internet allowance was 1gb their free wifi and cheap beer were a godsend. We don't need their wifi any more but still go for the cheap beer, and the food, whilst not gourmet, is exactly what you expect for the money you pay. In a lot of towns the youngsters go to 'spoons to meet up (ie drink lots of cheap alcohol) before they go on to a club - the people watching for us oldies can be quite entertaining.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Actually in my nearest town (Hawick), the Wetherspoons, situated as it is in the very grand former Conservative Club, is by a long way the best pub in town.

 

But that's not saying much.

[Chop!]

Wetherspoons were awarded employer of the year, it is a chain where a youngster, with no qualifications, can get a job as a glass-washer and through hard work can end up being a manager.

It's also a godsend when I arrive in some strange town at about 6 in the morning, needing to send the 'little ones' off to the coast, ! find the nearest 'Spoons on my 'Spoons app, They open between 0700 and 0800, I get a veggie breakfast (I'm not veggie, but you get two eggs instead of one, three hash browns instead of two, and a tasty veggie sausage instead of an anaemic mechanically recovered travesty + mushrooms, tomatoes, beans and toast, I used to ask for an extra portion of bacon or black pudding, just to confuse them

Edited November 3, 2013 by Chop!

[cheshire~rose]

Weatherspoons also make a great creche. There is usually one in most towns and you can leave your husband there with some pocket money to buy a pint while you go and browse the charity shops.

 

They offer a valuable service to the community!

 

I have eaten in many weatherspoons. The food is cheap but usually quite edible and I find them reasonably reliable. I have to admit I do eat there more than I usually would do - I mystery shop them!

 

I have to visit one next week!

[matty40s]

Hungry Horse is Marsdens, as is The Boat House, and there are a fair number of similarities between the two.

The Boathouse is Marstons , the Hungry Horse chain is owned by Greene King.

 

I object to paying well over the odds for standard type meals. It is only OK value if there are multiples of two eating, most of the time when moving boats I am on my own so steer clear.

I did discuss this with Marstons earlier in the year and they promised me that a loyalty card would be out within weeks .....I still havn't seen it.

[Guest]

Weatherspoons also make a great creche. There is usually one in most towns and you can leave your husband there with some pocket money to buy a pint while you go and browse the charity shops.

 

They offer a valuable service to the community!

 

I have eaten in many weatherspoons. The food is cheap but usually quite edible and I find them reasonably reliable. I have to admit I do eat there more than I usually would do - I mystery shop them!

 

I have to visit one next week!

We are shortly to get one in our local town, Guisborough. Or rather we will if those fighting the proposal don't win the day. It's a market town and already has a selection of pubs, though of variable quality admittedly.

 

The main objection has come from a theatre company who want the use of the same building and of course those who don't want to see the other pubs go to the wall, even though a couple of them won't be missed.

 

Interesting point about their employment practice's I wasn't aware of that it sort of in a way sets them apart from the other pub co's possibly.

 

Last spoons I ate in was in lufffy before the Xmas banter of 2011 so I'm not claiming to be an expert but iirc the curry I had was OK if nowt special, but as I wasn't expecting gormet dining I wasn't unhappy with the comparatively little I paid.

Edited November 3, 2013 by The Dog House

[jelunga]

 

I had posh fish and chips at the "Head of the River" in Oxford recently and it was served on a piece of slate!.I used to get upset by these pretentious things but now as long as the food is good (which it was) and reasonably priced (only just) I just regard it as a bit of fun. Had to get very easy with the vinegar though.

 

...............Dave

Then you will probably think The Prince Rupert pub in Newark pretentious too.

I ordered what was basically a mixed grill, but theg called it a British Bbq or something.

The whole thing came on a wooden board, with the soggy "crispy rosemary potato wedges" in a paper wrapper in a metal container. The meat was in a piece of what looked like perforated zinc over the top of a WW2 mess tin. It was tough, overpriced and the crap presentation made it difficult to eat.

The beer being also at rip off prices did not make me want to return.

[Guest]

At last. Somebody (still learning) has mentioned Wetherspoons. One of the best pub chains I've come across. Good food and cheap (and great) beer. Unfortunately they do not allow dogs so I have a limited time there. I am trying to tick off as many of the pubs on the list as I can. There are many around the country.

We too are effectively barred from them too. But I doubt they will be worried too much, no doubt their sales volume and turnover cushions the affects of reducing their customer base, different kettle of fish to a small canal side pub that can't really afford to.

[Mike Jordan]

In any pub that serves food I've found that a simple test can be applied before ordering, if the person carrying the hot food from kitchen to table is using their bare hands, its either being served on a wooden board of questionable cleanliness or a cold plate. Unless you like cold food or eating very quickly its time to move on!

[MtB]

The Navigation at Greensforge on the staffs & Worcs.

 

Got there starving hungry one evening at about 7.45 at at the bar the convo goes like this:

 

Me "What time do you stop doing food?".

 

Girl with DILLIGAF face on: "8.00pm".

 

Me: "Excellent, it's only 7.45pm now, can we see the menu please?

 

Girl with DILLIGAF face on: "No"

 

Me: "Errr, why not?"

 

Girl with DILLIGAF face on: "Chef's gone home early as there's football on the telly."

 

Me: "So you're not serving food till 8.00pm after all then?

 

Girl with DILLIGAF face on: "No."

 

Not a word of apology. Amazing!

 

Managed to eat there the next day, and both the food and the beer were as one would expect. Absolute shite. I'm still annoyed about it. Can you tell?

 

MtB

[Sbg]

The Navigation at Greensforge on the staffs & Worcs.

 

Got there starving hungry one evening at about 7.45 at at the bar the convo goes like this:

 

Me "What time do you stop doing food?".

 

Girl with DILLIGAF face on: "8.00pm".

 

Me: "Excellent, it's only 7.45pm now, can we see the menu please?

 

Girl with DILLIGAF face on: "No"

 

Me: "Errr, why not?"

 

Girl with DILLIGAF face on: "Chef's gone home early as there's football on the telly."

 

Me: "So you're not serving food till 8.00pm after all then?

 

Girl with DILLIGAF face on: "No."

 

Not a word of apology. Amazing!

 

Managed to eat there the next day, and both the food and the beer were as one would expect. Absolute shite. I'm still annoyed about it. Can you tell?

 

MtB

I haven't been there in a while (years) but that matches exactly the experience we had. Turned up for Sunday lunch, had to wait an hour and 45 mins for microwave specials - sorry, roast beef and " all the trimmings". I was just commenting to SWMBO that my 'roast' potatoes tasted as if they had been fried in fish and chip oil when I discovered two pieces of deep fried scampi mixed in. Aside from the ****-poor response from the staff regarding the poor quality and service, they seemed quite surprised when I explained the potential for allergic response triggered by certain seafoods! The whole thing was compounded when one of the locals, who had been listening in to our complaints, suggested that we would struggle to cope if 20 people turned up at our house demanding food!

"Thanks for the input" said SWMBO, " but I often cater for large groups and I can tell you I do a better job that this!" ( I've cleaned this up for younger ears....)

Shocking...haven't been back since.

[Naughty Cal]

Our local Wetherspoons to both the boat and at home must be exceptionally crap then as none of them and there are plenty to choose from serve food which is edible!

 

We tend to steer well clear unless absolutely necessary.

 

We have found the Varsity/ Smith and Jones pubs to serve much more acceptable food for similar prices.

[DaveC]

The last time we went into a pub was Spoons in Windsor - just at the back of the castle (wonder if HM slips out the back way for a quick nosh). Very nice food and a very drinkable pint.

 

I don't understand all those people who have to eat in a pub every night. When we are out we have ample beer and other drinks on board but the only time we go to pub is if we are meeting up with friends. In my opinion the vast majority of pubs are rip of merchants when it comes to food - and beer if it comes to that.

 

 

Dave

[BlueStringPudding]

I just stayed overnight at the Boat and Anchor Inn on the Bridgewater & Taunton Canal. Beer was good, atmosphere was nice, but the food was very, very expensive for the quality. I had a very poorly cooked steak (for £14) which I sent back. And this morning's cooked breakfast was a Tesco Value type textureless tasteless sausage and slice of bacon with a fried egg and half a tomato - best thing about it was the toast.

 

The accommodation was comfy and the staff were pleasant, so for that reason I'd stay there again as a room-only hotel, but I wouldn't go there as a pub customer wanting food.