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Thread: Nicholsons Pubs

  1. #11
    This Space For Hire Aqualung's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hondo View Post
    With chains as big as Spoons and Nicholson's your going to get good,bad, better and worse across the group. A pubs a pub review it as you find it.

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    A very good point, I wasn't really inviting a direct comparison between the two but I suspect that London Calling's comparison is generally on the money. The worst part of the whole episode for me was the man from Nicholson's blatantly giving his own pub a rating of 10!

    I was underwhelmed by the 3 West Midlands Spoons I visited on Saturday. I would have expected in an area where there is good cheap local beer readily available for them to up their game but that didn't seem to be the case at all. I can't speak too much for the Wolverhampton one as it was rammed and I was tired and hungry so just ordered a curry and went for the nearest guest to go with it. They were also more expensive than some of the Outer London ones.

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    It always surprises me that M&B have got it close to right with Nicholsons, especially when you consider some of their other efforts: O'Niells; Vintage Inns; Harvester, I could carry on.

  3. #13
    I'll stay on me own Gann's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NickDavies View Post
    It always surprises me that M&B have got it close to right with Nicholsons, especially when you consider some of their other efforts: O'Niells; Vintage Inns; Harvester, I could carry on.
    Yes, my experiences of Nicholsons have on the whole been favourable, especially the policy of taking traditional historic pubs and not buggering about with them, a personal favourite being The Coal Hole, and somedays I have had to pinch myself that I am in a place owned by M&B.

    I agree with Hondo's comments that with chains as big as Spoons and Nicholson's you are going to get the good and the bad, and for better and worse across the group, but my general experience has been good.
    Although in saying that, one bug bear I do have with the busy City Nicholsons (good example being another of my faves http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubreviews/23430/ where unfortunately this happens a lot) is that they are prone to short pulling, mainly because they employ inexperienced cannon fodder bar staff who can't cope during the evening rush...
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  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aqualung View Post
    A very good point, I wasn't really inviting a direct comparison between the two but I suspect that London Calling's comparison is generally on the money. The worst part of the whole episode for me was the man from Nicholson's blatantly giving his own pub a rating of 10!

    I was underwhelmed by the 3 West Midlands Spoons I visited on Saturday. I would have expected in an area where there is good cheap local beer readily available for them to up their game but that didn't seem to be the case at all. I can't speak too much for the Wolverhampton one as it was rammed and I was tired and hungry so just ordered a curry and went for the nearest guest to go with it. They were also more expensive than some of the Outer London ones.
    I have to agree about the misplaced enthusiastic 10/10 , but Nicholsons normally win the day for me, mainly because as LC says they are pubs whereas I do struggle with this aspect in most JDW's.
    Last edited by Mobyduck; 04-03-2014 at 20:20.
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    Quote Originally Posted by NickDavies View Post
    It always surprises me that M&B have got it close to right with Nicholsons, especially when you consider some of their other efforts: O'Niells; Vintage Inns; Harvester, I could carry on.
    M&b have a vast range of pubs which they try to cater for everyone .They also have the White Horse at Parsons green which although expensive has a great line up of beers and 3 monster fests every year.They also have De Hems a continental bar next to China town in Soho. A great bar (imo)which doesn't fit into any of there chains but they have kept it open anyway.

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    I was at a beer fest in the Soho when I saw the barstaff putting the drip tray into peoples pints.When I complained I was told What the fuck has it got to do with you.The barman then went to the landlord and his wife had a discussion then told me to finish my pint and leave.I am sure this is not the policy of the Falcon.

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    Quote Originally Posted by london calling View Post
    I was at a beer fest in the Soho when I saw the barstaff putting the drip tray into peoples pints.When I complained I was told What the fuck has it got to do with you.The barman then went to the landlord and his wife had a discussion then told me to finish my pint and leave.I am sure this is not the policy of the Falcon.
    I have seen this done in an Oxford pub and was told it was a lively beer and wouldn't stand more than 10 minutes. I watched beer dribble into it from pints pulled from the next pump and it did get used to top up someone's pint. I go to the side of the bar so I can see the trays now if I go into that pub, and make sure my beer is from the pump!! I did report it to Oxford CAMRA at the time.
    Alcohol doesn't solve problems .... but then again, neither does milk.

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    Quote Originally Posted by london calling View Post
    I was at a beer fest in the Soho when I saw the barstaff putting the drip tray into peoples pints.When I complained I was told What the fuck has it got to do with you.The barman then went to the landlord and his wife had a discussion then told me to finish my pint and leave.I am sure this is not the policy of the Falcon.
    This sort of thing has been going on for years and especially in Central London pubs which is why in general I avoid them. They have a captive market and can and often will try and get away with everything, overcharging, short measures, serving cloudy beer or slops etc etc etc. Considering the vast number of Central London pubs there are very few that I feel happy about visiting, and that includes Spoons.

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