Watch out Conrad, new kid on the block for pub reviews

[Farway]

Looks like pub reviewing has just become very commercial

"From tomorrow, the details of every pub in mainland Britain will also be on useyourlocal. com. Customers will be able to rate their local for quality of food and drink, service and whether it has a beer garden or hosts a pub quiz, for instance.

The site is backed by drinks companies Diageo - which owns Guinness, Smirnoff and Gordon's gin - Heineken UK and Coca-Cola, which will receive feedback on drink purchases".

from

http://www.lcplc.co.uk/thirdparties/thisismoney/life/

web site here

http://www.useyourlocal.com/

Oh Oh, looks like the PuG cards are also about to have big competition

"100 million beermats hit pubs

Thursday 18th November 2010

As part of our plan to get more people scoring pubs and their drinks the first of 100 million beermats are now printed and hitting pubs. Our friends at John Smith's have been the first our of the stalls to let their drinkers know about the new service - which we guess is what you'd expect from the Grand National sponsor!

I note also from article that internet deliveries are about to made to local pub, which for many will be a very useful service

[Gann]

Yep, commercially slick, but not a great deal different to other commercial pub listing sites. And as mentioned, clearly not independant..

Of course you have to be fully aware of the competition but with Carling, Fosters and John Smiths extra Smooth in the top four drinks choices i don't think I'm in the target demographic..

And for many, PuG and dare i say, the Dark side, will always be a better alternative to seeing a series of statements on how marvelously cold the Fosters is served in certain establishments...

[Farway]

I have now had a perv around the new site, I think you can rest easy for while Conrad, for my immediate area 1 mile radius, 9 pubs listed, it shows one non existent pub [I reckon I know the pub they mean, but wrong name and a mile out with location], plus two closed pubs, plus a members only social club

So 4/9 errors just one mile radius from my location

When I widen the search to 2 miles it is similar errors, more closed pubs, plus a snooker club

I also wonder just how they, being backed by big pubco, will take to honest reviews? "Beer was flat, steak was tough & cold, when I complained staff told me if I did not like it I could go somewhere else"

[rpadam]

Just checked my local five mile radius, and their list has many duplicates, members clubs, restaurants, and sadly some long-closed pubs. So it looks like several databases have been combined, including a rather old one containing all premises with an on-sales licence.

[RogerB]

This site is hilarious. Tried a search for pubs within 1 mile of my house. Results were in order...

The Salutation - has been closed for at least 10 years - now offices.

The Windmill - Closed 6 months ago.

Dartford Social Club - Not a pub.

Glentworth ex-Services Club - Not a pub.

DA1 - Night club - closed for at least 3 years.

Two Brewers - first sucessful open pub albeit probably next in line for closure.

Walnut Tree - closed 3 years ago.

Litten Tree - Was converted to the Flying Boat Wetherspoons 18 months ago.

Dartford Conservative Club - Not a pub.

There are then 4 pubs that are genuinely open followed by (and it gets better)....

Twin Noodle Bar - er, hello!

Bar Mondo - fair enough

Dartford PO Sports & social Club - Not a pub

Fox & Hounds - OK

and then, best of all... Central Park, presumably to cater for the meths drinkers on the benches.

I don't think I will even dignify this site by adding to favourites!

[Rex_Rattus]

It definitely has a long, long, way to go before it gets up to the level of PuG. Maldenman will be interested to see that among the many long closed pubs included, it does have The Nags Head in Morden Rd, with Streetview showing the block of flats where I believe it used to be.

[Maldenman]

It definitely has a long, long, way to go before it gets up to the level of PuG. Maldenman will be interested to see that among the many long closed pubs included, it does have The Nags Head in Morden Rd, with Streetview showing the block of flats where I believe it used to be.

It is clearly a conspiracy. No such pub ever existed.

I am fairly sure that the end-on pub and pub sign photo of the nearby Prince of Wales is actually mine!

[RogerB]

If Carlsberg did Pub Review websites...

[oldboots]

Yes, same story wherever I looked, duplications, closed pubs, WMCs, and even an upmarket chippy in Harrogate Not much in the way of reviews of any sort either.

Total drivel, just a lazy trawling of the Yellow Pages etc I think.

[Wittenden]

What a wonderful site! Knowing that I live 2 1/4 miles from the nearest pub, I typed in 1 mile, and up came the Bowl at Charing-an excellent pub, but at least 9 miles from home, and up a steep hill-snow for 11 months of the year.I suppose its there because it seems to be the only pub to have signed up locally. Apart from this, all the usual golf clubs, cafe ruoges and closed pubs you could imagine.