Worst Pub of the year

[Al 10000]

We always remember good pubs but i remember bad ones just the same, one pub that comes into mind when i think of the worst pub i have been in 2012.

This is my nomination for worst pub of the year for 2012 BrewDog (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/76258/)

This pub had a very poor interia with very uncomfortable seating,very expensive beer and to top it all very FIZZY beer,i will never go in one of their pubs again.

[Mobyduck]

Its a toss up between The Hope Tap (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/1665/) and Far From The Madding Crowd (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/58039/)
It may surprise some readers ,the former is a Spoons ,the latter in my view Spoonsesque , just coincidence I'm sure but I didn't like either and very unlikely to return.

[oldboots]

I thought this would a harder choice than it turned out, I thought about a few pubs in Abingdon but the problem wasn't the pub but the bloody awful Morlands Original most of them sell, then there were a couple of shockers in Gloucester but they had too much character and eccentricity to be the worst, there was also a monstrosity in genteel Witney that I nearly chose but then I remembered Headingley with its grotesque collection at the bottom end of Otley Road. The only trouble was putting my finger on which was the least enjoyable of a poor bunch but a really worthy winner has to be The Original Oak (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/42857/)

[NickDavies]

I would nominate just about any Hungry Horse. This one (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/35501/), near me, went the extra mile (http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/men-stabbed-wake-Midday-Sun/story-17646990-detail/story.html)in the race to the bottom recently.

[Aqualung]

This one's easy for me, it's the Potters Bar Spoons The Admiral Byng. I generally only go to non-Spoons if I am confident that they will be worth the visit, the minimum requirement being a GBG listing and not being a total rip-off (eg Brewdog), so it was never going to be anything but a Spoons. I re-read my review of it from last Spring and thought I was being fairly generous.

Apart from being a below par Spoons, it doesn't help the fact that Potters Bar High Street is such a drab and boring place.

WPOTY The Admiral Byng in Potters Bar

[sheffield hatter]

Looking through my lowest ratings, I've only awarded one 1 in 2012, and I didn't even get a drink there (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/6265/), but that was bad service rather than bad pub. On the other hand, this place (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/78431/) got a 2 but that wasn't so much because it was a bad pub, just not my cup of tea. Among several 3s were pubs that should have been good but for various reasons weren't. I don't like to dwell too much on bad pubs (after all, this website is about promoting the pub experience, so I prefer to concentrate on the good ones), but for pretentiousness, poor service and dull sub-ordinary beer, my nomination for WPOTY is The Hawley Arms (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/22801/). (But other reviewers have found it not so bad, so perhaps I was in a foul mood that day!)

[RogerB]

Mine was the Anglesea Arms (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/63964/) in Woolwich. Felt very uncomfortbale. Never got round to saying how rubbish it was (one of my 900'ish in the backlog) but fortunately Rex has set the tone already.

[Bucking Fastard]

A great disappointment for me was Just Beer Micropub (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/74151/)in Newark,but it ended up in the last 10 of CAMRA's Pub of the Year so what do I know.;)

Although I have been in lots of indifferent pubs, I rarely give low marks but for sheer uncaring and unfriendly service ,the Royal Oak (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/30165/)wins this award for 2012.

[Pubsignman]

The worst pub I visited this year was The Prince George (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/66458/) in Thornton Heath, although a number of cafe bars, hotel bars and pub/club type venues ran it close.

Disappointment of the year was the Dogstar, Brixton - as an Antic pub it promised much, but it turned out to be a dive with a poor beer selection.

Worst service of the year was in the Bright Helm, Brighton - The sort of 'Spoons that gives the chain a bad name.

[Maldenman]

Not too sure The Waterfront (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/65226/) had too many rivals for this award in the last year.

[Alesonly]

This one's easy for me, it's the Potters Bar Spoons The Admiral Byng. I generally only go to non-Spoons if I am confident that they will be worth the visit, the minimum requirement being a GBG listing and not being a total rip-off (eg Brewdog), so it was never going to be anything but a Spoons. I re-read my review of it from last Spring and thought I was being fairly generous.

Apart from being a below par Spoons, it doesn't help the fact that Potters Bar High Street is such a drab and boring place.

WPOTY The Admiral Byng in Potters Bar

I was going to say that you beat me to. Also the service is diabolical as you tend to get all regulars hanging around the bar Plus I always get short measures I don't think once Ive not had to ask for a top up. Also the Ales is never in what Id call excellent condition. Worst Spoons of the lot in my opinion.

[NickDavies]

This one (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/11956/) tragically is a clear front runner. The lack of contrition (http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/wife-who-got-food-poisoning-and-died-after-christmas-lunch-was-sent-home-by-hospital-8438515.html) from M&B is appalling.

[Spinko]

This is a thread I feel compelled to comment on but which I'm struggling to have a suitable contender for! :D

As ever with these competitions, there is a value to the most recent. And so for the fact I witnessed the landlady take a half full pint (from where who knows), pour more slops into it, then top it up, and then serve it, the The Rovers Return (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/60116/) is my nomination. Appalling.

[ETA]

This one's easy for me, it's the Potters Bar Spoons The Admiral Byng. I generally only go to non-Spoons if I am confident that they will be worth the visit, the minimum requirement being a GBG listing and not being a total rip-off (eg Brewdog), so it was never going to be anything but a Spoons. I re-read my review of it from last Spring and thought I was being fairly generous.

Apart from being a below par Spoons, it doesn't help the fact that Potters Bar High Street is such a drab and boring place.

WPOTY The Admiral Byng in Potters Bar

Maybe they should sack the manager - 'pour encourager les autres'...?

[aleandhearty]

I've not been in any truly appalling pubs this year, but the most disappointing has to be The Duchess of Cambridge (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/75190/) Stamford Brook, W6. I've called in three times now and on each occasion the beer quality has been poor, with those on stillage particularly bad. (I'd get rid of the lot, quite frankly, to increase turnover on the pumps). I've never seen more than a handful of people in the place, which probably speaks volumes. I so wanted to like this place, as it's a five minute walk from where I usually stay in W12. However, I've all but given up on it, particularly as The Raven has recently upped its game and The Tabard seems to do it so much better.

[Rex_Rattus]

There's a lot of stiff competition for this title, but this one (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/55546/)shades it for me.

[Thuck Phat]

Fortunately, due to much diligent research, I've managed to keep standards high over the last 12 months so there isn't a huge list for WPOTY. These though are worth noting:
Already mentioned by Mr Fastard, the most disappointing for me post all the hype was Just Beer (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/74151/) in Newark. What were CAMRA thinking for this to have made the top 10 for pub of the year?
Again, along with Mr Fastard, The Royal Oak, Blisworth (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/30165/) was probably the worst pub of 2012 but it isn't getting the award.
Instead, WPOTY goes to The Althorpe Coaching Inn, Great Brington (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/62283/) for the alarming pace of its decline over 2012. I sincerely hope that this is arrested and turned around in 2013.

[ROBCamra]

Congratulations to The Albert Edward (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/60120/) in Eccles for getting my award.

I didn't even get to try the beer, as the barman was so far up his own arse. :muppet::muppet: and one for luck :muppet:

Sam Smiths, you need to do some customer service training.

[Mobyduck]

Sam Smiths, you need to do some customer service training.
And indeed their beer.

[rpadam]

Sam Smiths, you need to do some customer service training.
You may have seen mention of this hair-raising site before, but it might open a few eyes...

http://samsmiths.info/

[ETA]

You may have seen mention of this hair-raising site before, but it might open a few eyes...

http://samsmiths.info/

Is it just me, or does the little logo that goes in the browser tab have sinister connotations?

[Mobyduck]

Is it just me, or does the little logo that goes in the browser tab have sinister connotations?
Yes it does look a little that way,

[Wittenden]

You may have seen mention of this hair-raising site before, but it might open a few eyes...

http://samsmiths.info/

That's interesting-I clicked through and ended up on Sam's official site, and was intrigued to find a reference to the fact that their cask beers are "from the wood", as an old romantic of such things. I don't seem to see many Sam Smith pubs, even though we spend our down time in God's own county. I have many happy memories of OBB in Durham in the 70's, when it was about the only real ale in that City. Perhaps I ought to post on the (not so) boring brown bitter thread.

[oldboots]

I don't seem to see many Sam Smith pubs, even though we spend our down time in God's own county.

One of Mr Humphrey's "little quirks" is no signage on the pubs, there are a fair few around but I don't think there is even a list on the official site. There is this (http://www.jamesgretton.co.uk/samuelsmiths/) though.

[Al 10000]

One of Mr Humprhrey's "little quirks" is no signage on the pubs, there are a fair few around but I don't think there is even a list on the offical site. There is this (http://www.jamesgretton.co.uk/samuelsmiths/) though.

I joined the unofficial site of Samuel Smiths before i joined Pubs Galore,i used the same user name as i do on this site but did'nt understand how to post,they still send me a Christmas message.

I have been in 136 Samuel Smiths pubs and also done 34 in London,in trying to do all of their pubs i wrote a letter to the brewery listing all of the pubs i had been in and asked for a list of their tied houses,i got no reply or my long list of pubs i sent to them.
This really pissed me off.

I have taken lots of photos of Samuel Smiths pubs and lots of the older ones still have their Samuel Smiths signage on them.