Great pubs

[Hannibal Scorch]

if you are in London, this is what you need. Cheap beer, no music, never updated. Samuel Smith pubs https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/bars/the-15-best-sam-smith-s-pubs-in-london-ranked-a3954501.html

 

[Carbomb]

Just now, BomberPat said:

I used to love the Coach & Horses, though haven't been in a couple of years as my London drinking has drifted away from Soho, and the place got too bloody expensive. The French House, just up the road from there on Dean Street, is one of my favourite pubs - quirky without seeming desperate, and one of the few places left to still have the sense of character and community I associate with Soho.

The French House is quite old, too - been there since the 19th century. Apparently De Gaulle used it as a meeting place for the Free French organisation during WWII.

Soho had loads of great theatre places; if you worked in theatres, even as just Front Of House, you got free membership in places that would charge a shit-ton otherwise - you just had to show up with a payslip and some ID. Prime example is the Phoenix Arts Bar under the Phoenix Theatre, or Shutt's as it was often known (short for its former name, Shuttleworth's). There's also the Theatre Arts Bar on Frith Street. Sadly, they've all withdrawn the perks, and the prices have gone up even further - thanks to the sheer, unbridled greed of Westminster Council, the Duke of Westminster, and Paul Raymond's spawn, they've all had to raise prices and go commercial just to pay the rents; between those three entities, Soho's been mostly turned from a dirty, fun area with character into yet another generic central London shopping precinct primarily for tourists.

Not just the bars, either. Savile Row's gradually being destroyed as well; Westminster don't care about its history or caché - they just want their rent. Most of the tailor shops are being replaced with global brand names you find in any other part of the West End, like Abercrombie & Fitch.

[Chris B]

4 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

if you are in London, this is what you need. Cheap beer, no music, never updated. Samuel Smith pubs https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/bars/the-15-best-sam-smith-s-pubs-in-london-ranked-a3954501.html

 

Only problem with Sam Smith pubs is that the owner is an arsehole, second only to Tim Martin. This story here is just the tip of the iceberg - he's sacked and fined pub landlords for serving 'too-full' pints, and seems to be terrible to work for.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jul/01/samuel-smith-pub-boss-anti-swearing-crusade-sacked-on-spot

[Carbomb]

8 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

if you are in London, this is what you need. Cheap beer, no music, never updated. Samuel Smith pubs https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/bars/the-15-best-sam-smith-s-pubs-in-london-ranked-a3954501.html

 

Chris B's explained it better, but anyway: I used to love Samuel Smith pubs, and as pubs, they are great - but I refuse to set foot in one wherever possible now, because the owner, Humphrey Smith, is an utter shit. Goes in disguise to inspect his pubs, and deals out summary firings on the spot to any bar staff falling even slightly short, without any kind of process. The most recent thing I remember was his attempt to enforce a "no swearing" rule in all his pubs, and, again, via his "mystery customer" gimmick, fired bar staff who didn't uphold it. He's a typical example of the worst kind of Yorkshire Tory, and he's a cunt.

Edited June 26, 2019 by Carbomb

[Chris B]

1 hour ago, jazzygeofferz said:

She also does very reasonably priced food though, so is obviously immediately disqualified from your good pubs list. £4.50 for a Sunday dinner & a brew. 

Dude, have your own thoughts. There's no 'disqualifying' going on, and this whole 'it's only a good pub if it doesn't do food' is some weird hipster bullshit.

[Hannibal Scorch]

2 minutes ago, Carbomb said:

Chris B's explained it better, but anyway: I used to love Samuel Smith pubs, and as pubs, they are great - but I refuse to set foot in one wherever possible now, because the owner, Humphrey Smith, is an utter shit. Goes in disguise to inspect his pubs, and deals out summary firings on the spot to any bar staff falling even slightly short, without any kind of process. The most recent thing I remember was his attempt to enforce a "no swearing" rule in all his pubs, and, again, via his "mystery customer" gimmick, fired bar staff who didn't uphold it. He's a typical example of the worst kind of Yorkshire Tory, and he's a cunt.

Just read that article from @Chris B and had no idea. When I worked in soho in my short lived TV career they were a god send because they were cheap, and generally not that busy. I had no idea what cretin operated them. Lucky for me I am not in London much more to drink, but I'll be finding somewhere else for sure. Brewdog had become a favourite, but those guys are pretty awful as well

[BomberPat]

3 minutes ago, Carbomb said:

The French House is quite old, too - been there since the 19th century. Apparently De Gaulle used it as a meeting place for the Free French organisation during WWII.

Yeah, legend is that more champagne was sold there during WWII than anywhere in France. They have lockboxes in the back, where apparently soldiers would leave a few possessions before they went off to serve, and any who never returned have remained locked. 

Not to derail the thread too much with Soho wank, but I used to drink in there with a friend who sadly passed away a couple of years ago - he was in his sixties, twenty-odd stone, and like a hybrid of Uncle Monty and Orson Welles. He'd been drinking in the French and the Colony Room since he was about fifteen, racked up ridiculously high tabs in both, and used to drink with the likes of Francis Bacon, Jeffrey Bernard et al back in the day. When I first met him in Jersey, I assumed all these stories were probably bullshit, but after spending time with him in Soho realised it was all true. Probably my happiest drinking days were with him, though he hated seeing what was happening to Soho, and I've only been back a handful of times since his funeral, just for a quick half in the French, but it's never felt quite the same.

[Carbomb]

1 minute ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

Just read that article from @Chris B and had no idea. When I worked in soho in my short lived TV career they were a god send because they were cheap, and generally not that busy. I had no idea what cretin operated them. Lucky for me I am not in London much more to drink, but I'll be finding somewhere else for sure. Brewdog had become a favourite, but those guys are pretty awful as well

Oh, don't worry - I had no idea until a few years ago. For me, the best time was my student years - Sam Smith pubs were the only pubs who sold pints at student union prices in central London (which was perfect for anyone studying at SOAS who wasn't a white Trustafarian - you got high just walking into the student bar, hit by a wave of heated weed-scented air).

[Otto Dem Wanz]

9 minutes ago, Carbomb said:

Oh, don't worry - I had no idea until a few years ago. For me, the best time was my student years - Sam Smith pubs were the only pubs who sold pints at student union prices in central London (which was perfect for anyone studying at SOAS who wasn't a white Trustafarian - you got high just walking into the student bar, hit by a wave of heated weed-scented air).

Speaking of SOAS, I went to their SU bar (I feel like it was an upstairs) accompanying a mate who was studying there once, and couldn't believe you could buy a Blue Moon for under £3 - I miss being a student  

Edited June 26, 2019 by Otto Dem Wanz

[Accident Prone]

A good pub not serving food is understandable as long as there are baps and crisps going. This crap about 'no music' is shoddy though.

Blaring awful pop/dance music at a ridiculous volume is bad. Blasting metal and rock over the speakers so loud that I can't hear anyone talk is also shite. However. a jukebox playing punter selected tunes at a medium volume is utterly fantastic. A decent jukebox can make or break a pub for me. One of my favourite pub moments was finding Wheeler Walker Jr's "Eating Pussy & Kicking Ass" on the jukebox of a proper local pub in Cork. A brilliant time was had by all.

[BomberPat]

My first local in Jersey had Sonic Youth's "Teen Age Riot" and The Bees' cover of Os Mutante's "A Minha Menina" on the jukebox, and I must have spent an absolute fortune on that thing. A defining feature that made me love the place. 

They also had a barman who used to wear a baby blue Burzum T-shirt, and whenever we got in to find the place too busy, or someone sat at our regular table, we'd put Soulfly on the jukebox, he'd crank it up loud, and enough people would fuck off that we'd get a seat.

[Chris B]

11 minutes ago, Accident Prone said:

A good pub not serving food is understandable as long as there are baps and crisps going. This crap about 'no music' is shoddy though.

Blaring awful pop/dance music at a ridiculous volume is bad. Blasting metal and rock over the speakers so loud that I can't hear anyone talk is also shite. However. a jukebox playing punter selected tunes at a medium volume is utterly fantastic. A decent jukebox can make or break a pub for me. One of my favourite pub moments was finding Wheeler Walker Jr's "Eating Pussy & Kicking Ass" on the jukebox of a proper local pub in Cork. A brilliant time was had by all.

Big Reds in Holloway has the best jukebox I've ever seen. I sometimes like looking for the worst thing I can find on a jukebox and playing it to amuse myself. In Big Reds, I couldn't find anything, which was disappointing as I'd have found it fun to play some Westlife or Itsy-Bitsy-Teeny-Weeny-Yellow-Polka-Dot-Bikini in such an inappropriate setting.

It's a really fun pub I've not been to for far too long. Could be better from a drinks selection, but not terrible. But it's a great dive/biker/metal/goth/rock pub. Really worth checking out if you're in London for a few days. 

Edited June 26, 2019 by Chris B

[SuperBacon]

The Fighting Cocks in Kingston. Not only have I seen some some of my favourite bands and comedians in the back room (which is tiny), they also have a great jukebox which plays everything from Slayer to the britpop bands like UB40. At a decent volume, and the drinks are cheap and the barstaff are super friendly.

Well worth a visit if you’re ever out that way. 

London pub-wise, The Pelt Trader just to the left of Cannon Street station is excellent with a great variety of beers and free Beer Sticks on the bar which are incredible. Just avoid it on a Friday between 5 and 7pm. 

[PowerButchi]

Jukeboxes are shite. Gold playing on the sky box quietly in the background is perfectly fine. Only Gold though.

 

No Pool Tables either. Darts and Doms however are to be encouraged.

[Gus Mears]

I've never been in a pub I like that doesn't allow dogs in.