Your Five Favourite Pubs

[Ardiles]

After Gazza's doom & gloom earlier about the forecast demise of the British pub, I came up with the idea for this thread.  This could become the TEF's very own Good Pub Guide.  Just let us know the places you love, and why.

I'll set the ball rolling.

1.  The Prince of Wales, Rectory Road, Farnborough, Hampshire
This is my local.  CAMRA's Hampshire Pub of the Year for 3 of the last 5 years.  Tucked away on a quiet residential road, but just 2 mins walk from Farnborough North station - so always handy for a quick pint on the way home after a home game.  Excellent choice of real ales, welcoming atmosphere, friendly locals.  Pretty much my perfect pub.

The Prince of Wales

2.  The Market Porter, Stoney Street, Borough Market, London
My favourite pub in London.  You would have to go a long way to find a pub with a better selection of well kept beers than this place.  Nice looking pub in a great location on the edge of Borough Market, and a lovely spot to stand outside and enjoy a pint in summer.  Also a popular meeting place for away games at Charlton and Millwall.  I have many happy memories of this place over the last 15 years or so.

The Market Porter

3.  The Glue Pot, Emlyn Square, Swindon, Wiltshire
As with the Market Porter, this pub is inextricably linked with football for me.  A visit here is an essential part of any day out in Swindon at the football - and has been a firm favourite of many London Reds for some time.  It’s changed hands several times over years, but there has always been a great selection of beer served up in a relaxed atmosphere.  Doesn’t feel like a town centre pub at all.

The Glue Pot

4.  The Hobgoblin, Broad Street, Reading, Berkshire
This pub is a gem.  I discovered it only late last year.  Bizarre really, because it’s on one of the main shopping streets in the centre of Reading and opposite the Oracle shopping centre.  I must have walked past many times in recent years before stepping inside.  When you do go inside, it’s like a cavern.  Passageways, snugs and alcoves branching left and right.  And some great, well kept beers on tap.  If you’re ever in Reading, this freehouse is the perfect antidote to the sterility of the shopping centre across the road.

The Hobgoblin

5.  The Kings Arms, Roupell Street, Waterloo, London
This is a favourite after work meeting place for me and my friends before we catch our respective trains home from Waterloo.  It’s a five minute walk from the station - so close enough for a quick visit, but far enough away for most other people using the station to not know about it.  It’s on a strange street of terraced houses that look quite out of place in central London; they look as if they would be much more at home in Leeds or Sheffield.  While pub itself does not have as big a selection of beers as the other places on this list, the London Pride and Sharp’s Doombar are always in really good nick.  A back street local in the centre of London.  Just creeps in to my top five.

The Kings Arms

[wiggy]

Bloody good post. A full response is going to take a bit of consideration.

[suttonred]

Have they still got that step in the Hobgoblin? Fell over that many a, time in and out.  Not been around there for a bit, But The Turks Head, Purple Turtle, and The Hook and Tackle were my favourite hangouts in Reading, along with the Moderation in Caversham.

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

Really enjoyed The Market Porter for Millwall away in May. Good times.

[Doore]

Tough one this, but I'll give it a go:

1.  The Mackintosh, Mundy Place, Cardiff.

My local for many years during my student days in Cardiff.  A great mix of the quieter students and locals who mixed well together.  A great quiz on a Thursday night.  I spent many a quiet hour in there whiling away the hours and properly putting the world to rights.

2.  The Wheatsheaf, Old Town, Swindon

In many ways, my first local.  Spent most nights for at least a year in there.  Lovely place.

3.  The Piper's Arms, Old Town, Swindon.

Awful place, awful staff.  We went there religiously though for a good year before I moved away, and I remember (some!) of those times well.

4.  The Combermere Arms, Burleydam, Cheshire

Just up the road from me now.  Old manor house, quality food, superb friendly stff, and a range of ales on tap that change by the week.

5.  The Corn Mill, Llangollen

Lovely food, lovely beer - and a balcony that overhangs a fast flowing wide river (the Dee) - simply one of the best drinking spots I've ever been in.

Special thanks to Ardiles for the most fun thread started on here in quite a while.

[Mudfish]

Could only think of three.

1. The Cock Robin [RIP], a great atmosphere and good crowd, always used to have a welcome feel and made me feel at home.

2. The Bulldog, cracking night out to be had in here, good crowd again.

3. The Savoy, take the wife here when im treating her, great food, bar staff and a lovely set of fellow drinkers to mingle with.


I'll do a serious one, may take some time

[TownLoyal]

In no order:

The Savoy - Good food!

Prince of Wales, Old town - Free pool & jukebox Monday-Thursday and right around the corner from me.

The Bay Horse, Ashburton, Devon - Quiet little pub in a small town, when I lived down there as a kid, the owners were great people.

Tap and Barrel - A good laugh pre-match.

Moonrakers - Good laugh when my aunt owned it, not been since though,

[flammableBen]

Prince of Wales, Old town - Free pool & jukebox Monday-Thursday and right around the corner from me.

I'm in there most weekdays early evening, and it's free pool on fridays now too.

Happy Hour 4-7 suits me perfect, with finishing work at 3.30.

I do need to cut down on the drinking though, old habits are kicking in.

[TownLoyal]

I couldnt drink when I've been in because I was working 5pm onwards in the film shop round the corner but now jobless I will be popping in for a few now and then. Mainly for the pool though 

[wiggy]

Right - here goes.

British Lion, Devizes

Proper, old fashioned pub near the town centre. No food (expect crisps and nuts), always got 4 well kept real ales and a selection of ciders. Great crowd of regulars from all walks of life. Free House.

Woodbridge Inn, near Pewsey

More of a foodie pub, but always has a good selection of beers as well. Really relaxed pub with a huge beer garden and a boules rink. Has its own campsite and does the occasional beer festival

The Otley, Pontypridd

I lived a few doors away from this one while I was a student. The owners were always keen on beer and now have their own brewery in the town - if you get a chance to drink their O2 I highly recommend it. Right next to the railway station, it was the launching pad for many a night out in Cardiff.

Hare and Hounds, Devizes

Like a second home for me. I lived next door to it for a while and played for the crib team and quiz team for years and years. Good beer, always has Wadworths Mild on. A pub I can walk in to at any time and know loads of people, and spend a happy, relaxed evening or afternoon.

Haunch of Venison, Salisbury

Real warren of a place right in the city centre - as a young man it always seemed to feature on first dates, as you could hide away in a corner and have a bit of a fumble in the gloom. Haven't been in there for years, but lots of happy memories.

[Mudfish]

Best boozer for me is the Redbarn, Woolacombe, proper surfers retreat, after a long days surf we normally head back to camp and retreat here for the evening. They sell a massive range of beer/lagers. Right close to the beach so can here the waves crashing if outside on one of the benches. The grubs quite tasty too Paradise in my opinion.

[Panda Paws]

In no order:

The Savoy - Good food!

You've got to be taking the piss?

[TownLoyal]

You've got to be taking the piss?

  No.. I quite enjoyed it in there. Not the biggest fan I take it?

[sn5_red]

I couldnt drink when I've been in because I was working 5pm onwards in the film shop round the corner but now jobless I will be popping in for a few now and then. Mainly for the pool though 

the video shop !!!!  my old area. so many pubs round there. prince of wales, the castle, thee beehive, the globe

[Bogus Dave]

No particular order

The Porter - Bath. Bit pricey, but well bohemian and cool
The Royal Oak - Bath. Most pricey drink is only £3. Only serves local ales and ciders. Really nice
The Savoy. Swindon - Cheap place to get plastered in before a night out

There are no others I'm afraid