Pubs

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12 March 2008: Alistair Darling - the man who will kill the British pub

I’m not one for political posts normally, but sometimes you just have to ask what the hell our politicians are playing at? I’m talking about you, Alistair “Pub Killer” Darling and your insane 4p rise in excise duty on beer. That is, ladies and gentlemen, a rise of 13% in tax. At a time when the cost of a pint is increasing anyway due to higher prices in materials.

14 February 2006: No Smoking Pubs

Well, I have to say I’m not exactly disappointed to hear that smoking is to be banned in pubs, clubs and restaurants. Whilst I know many people will be worried about their business, if we follow Ireland and New York, things will work out all right.

27 November 2005: Late Night Drinking

So there I was, sat in a pub having a few pints. We left about 12:30, despite the pub opening for another 30 minutes and with me having drunk a whopping pint more than I normally would. And we managed to get home without causing one fight, and without throwing up on any pavement. Or anywhere for that matter.

17 November 2005: Licensing Reform

Nine times out of ten, the pubs that are currently causing the problems have late licenses already. Stopping the licensing reforms won’t cause a single change to the hassles that the police have to contend with because the problem is there now and won’t change.

22 October 2005: Trafalgar Mad

I don’t know what it’s like anywhere else in the country, but Merton has officially gone Trafalgar Mad. Little did we know when we arranged to meet in the Colliers Tup that we’d be there during a Trafalgar Day Party (late license to 1am, live music, and bar staff dressed in naval uniforms).

29 May 2005: Ripped Apart, For Offices

I’d rather been hoping some knight in shining armour would turn up and change the King’s Head from being a boarded up mess, to being a really nice pub again. Stranger things have happened. But it was not to be.

16 May 2005: The Spice Of Life, W1

In the never ending quest to review pubs that sell Mild, Sunday saw Catherine and myself in The Spice of Life in Soho.

17 October 2004: A Sad Sight

It was back in July that the Kings Head in Colliers Wood closed down - just days after change of use planning permission was given. It’s now boarded up and wire fences surround the place

2 September 2004: Glasgow: Pubs

Now it’s a rare person who doesn’t go on holiday and have a pint or two. And I am not one of those people. So naturally we went to the pub.

1 August 2004: Awards, locals and headaches

The Red Lion wins another award, I lament about the lack of London Pride round here and Young’s beer gives me headaches. Still that’s the way the cookie crumbles.

6 July 2004: King’s Head Closes

Colliers Wood’s historic Kings Head pub closed on Saturday - its mostly preserved and unique 1930s interior to suffer the indignity of becoming offices for the bus company.

20 June 2004: The Sultan, Colliers Wood

When you move into a new area, it’s natural to try out the local pubs, and pretty much as soon as you stand outside you form views about the various pubs and as to whether you’d like to go in again.. So if you walked into The Sultan and just looked at it, you’d be forgiven for standing there in wonder, and instantly forgetting it. But looks can be deceptive and The Sultan doesn’t do what you might think.

20 June 2004: Hogshead, Wimbledon

Remember the 1990s. Ale pubs were the fashion - JD Wetherspoons were rising high, the Firkin pubs gave a microbrewery to many a high street and Hogshead were dispensing ale from the cask behind the bar.

12 June 2004: The William Morris, Merton Abbey

Nestling in the historic buildings of Merton Abbey Mills, this is a pub with much potential, but sadly fails to deliver as much as it could.

29 May 2004: The King’s Head, Colliers Wood

But then maybe it’s the fact that the place looks like it hasn’t been refurbished since the 1970s doesn’t help. It’s the only Young’s pub I’ve seen that still has the company logo that was abandoned some point in the 1980s.

17 May 2004: Red Lion Wins Again

I’m really late with this one but last weekend, landlord of the Red Lion, Jonathan, told me they’ve won CAMRA West Middlesex Branch Pub of the Year again! Just like they did in 2003 and 2002.

24 March 2004: The Foresters, Ealing

Every now and then you discover a pub you’ve never been to. And for this one, I’m indebted to Ealing Online whose relentless task of reviewing pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants in Ealing, led me to the Foresters door on Sunday.

24 March 2004: The New Inn, Ealing

I’m not going to look back on The New Inn with rose tinted glasses. It wasn’t that great before, and now it’s been done up, it’s still not. It always was a pub that had potential but I doubt the new look will do anything to solve its problems other than burn a hole in someones pocket.

15 March 2004: T.J. Duffy’s, Ealing

An Irish pub with no fake fiddles on the wall, real ale, no shamrocks in sight but with a great atmosphere? That must be T.J. Duffy’s!

25 February 2004: New ‘Mild In London’ Section

About the ‘Mild In London’ section.

25 February 2004: Small World Moment (Wenlock Arms, N1)

When you’re around Old Street, there is only one pub to visit. And it’s this one.

22 February 2004: More Notting Hill Pubs

More pub reviews from Notting Hill.

14 December 2003: Red Lion wins another award

it’s been about a fortnight since we last went to our local - the Red Lion in Ealing - and in our absence, it’s won another award!

14 December 2003: Notting Hill Pubs

A post-work drinking session in Notting Hill revealed some interesting pubs amidst the expensive houses and Hugh Grant lookalikes.

16 July 2003: An Award Winning Pub

My fave pub, The Red Lion, has won CAMRA branch pub of the year for two years running! Congrats guys!

10 July 2003: Champagne Charlies, Charing Cross

It was a very hot day. The kind of day where after work you want a nice cool pint, in a pleasantly chilled cellar bar, where there is sawdust on the floor, and the beer comes in pewter tankards…

2 June 2003: Smoking in Pubs.

So smoking in pubs… More people don’t smoke than do, so shuffle the smokers into a small area, or let the market decide what’s best? Either argument is simplistic and missing the bigger picture.

20 May 2003: Bye Bye the Brasserie

One of my favourite bars in Covent Garden has sadly closed, after only a year in business.

10 May 2003: Back to Boring Beer At The Grange, Ealing

All the great beers have now gone from the Grange in Ealing. I’d go elsewhere if I was you.

20 April 2003: And a pint of Mild please (the Market Porter, Borough Market, London).

A fine pub in a fine location, and by the looks of it, great for us mild fanatics as well!

18 April 2003: Beer Festival Joy (The Fox, Hanwell)

It’s Good Friday, and there’s a beer festival at a pub that’s nowhere near where you live. What do you do? Well it’s obvious! Make up an excuse to be in the area!

28 March 2003: Garlic and Shots, Soho, London

A Swedish heavy metal bar in the heart of Soho, where they sell Garlic with everything they can.

2 March 2003: The Grange, Ealing (or From Bad Beer to Great Beer)

How a pub went from dire beer to brilliant beer.

24 November 2002: Cafe Royal, Edinburgh

A classic pub just off Edinburgh’s Princess Street. Tiled panels depicting historical inventors, great beer and more. Fantastic!

22 November 2002: Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street, London

A pub in the centre of London, full of character and history? Yes it is possible! Take a trip to the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese! Despite the name, it’s a fantastic place.

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