Dave can give a proper answer with regard to the Google placement. But in answer to to the question of is it worth adding a web link, I think so - it means that other users of the site can see other information regarding that pub, be it the official site for the pub, or a dedicated reviewer like Quinno who is running his own personal guide.
From a search engine perspective that is a tough one to answer with much certainty.
I figure there are two ways Google could look at just a link on a page.
1) Because we are linking to a page that is about exactly the same thing that our page is claiming to be about then it is a good thing and helps reinforce our page.
2) If there is not much other content on our page then perhaps our page only exists to send visitors to the 'real' site and so should be ignored.
Now I don't know if either of those come into play and I've not seen any particular evidence either way.
Hopefully though the overall effect of adding something to the page - including the little summary that I put next to it once I've reviewed it - all helps to distinguish our pages and leads to an overall positive effect.
Regardless of any search engine effects it makes our site better for real people using it which is the more important factor.
Certainly not wasted at all, I know some of the ones you've submitted are particularly helpful. If at some point in the future we start listing the PubCo/Brewery that owns a pub then we will already have a lot of seed data by just looking at the links we have to Fullers, Youngs, Shepherd Neame etc.
One thing - I know it's fun to point out the goings on on another pub review website but does linking to it in fact promote it up Google's league table? I know it sounds a bit killjoyish but if that were the case it would be rather self-defeating.
Depends on how you look at it, the pages we are promoting tend to be a bit of a negative advertisement for the site, so in terms of promotion on Google I am not too bothered.
That said I don't like to point and laugh on the basis that the trolls in general are not here and I am happy to not have to deal with it, there but for the grace of God and all that.
There is a lot of stuff in here I don't understand. Someones being getting educated and it ain't me. I suppose it is a good job that there is a lad down in the engine room that understands the mechanical gubbins. I am glad its not me.
Keep up the good work Dave and don't let the Bots and Links get you down, Conrad has some cream you can put on them.
I will make no further comment because I haven't a clue what I am on about but thats nothing unusual.Dammit, I think I may be sober. Lawd we can't be having that.