Nearest pub you yet to visit

[Soup Dragon]

Good man - it was good to meet you both tonight

[Alesonly]

That's gotta be 200 yards?

I'm a great believer that one should check for a decent pub before deciding on an area to live, so... how the heck am I in W.Norwood?

Yes that was meant too be around 200 Yards Typo corrected now.Those earlier Pints were must have been stronger than I thought.
Its the Same in this area there is no really good Old style Pubs.

[Maldenman]

There are a fair few pubs around here that would need special encouragement to enter. It's strange how the outer south western suburbs of London are in the main quite well off, however the pubs built back in the 30's are often now like those found in rough areas. They tend to be huge drinking barns now, with the seperate rooms of one time no more, and market themselves to the lower denomination drinker, so the original community focus has gone. A shame as the original idea was of multi roomed pubs serving the range of local people. Generally today, as the demographic has changed, the now open plan pub does not serve the general community, and only a certain group occupy the pub particularly at weekends. If there was a bit of local competition in these suburban areas there might be an improvement.

[Delboy20]

Just been having a quick look and I think The Balds Lane Tavern - http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/38610/ - is the closest I haven't been in.

Don't know why really. I just haven't got round to it.

Cheers,

Del.

[arwkrite]

I have done all of the five pubs in my town and I cannot think of any local rural pubs that at some time or other I have not visited.So that means a bus trip of 16 miles bus trip with Worcester at the end of it. Its a rather torturous route and demanding on the bladder when its time for the return trip.May be its time I had a catheter fitted.There are quite a number of good pubs within walking distance of the bus station I have yet to visit. Its my dilemma.
I see a number of big Ansells / Bass type pubs now trading as Mc Donalds or Chinese / Indian resturants.I can remember this sort of place being chock -a- block on a weekend when visiting family in West Bromwich in the 60s and 70s. Wreathed in tobacco smoke, everyone standing because chairs and tables were in short supply.This was an early attempt at elf and safety as it cut down on the number handy weapons should a fight break out. Then they were divided up into Public/Saloon and Snug rooms containing bars with often a small room with no bar but close to the off sales hatch. This hatch , now consigned to history, was often waist high. A tap on the glass was eventually recognised. The hatch was raised to its minimum height and a terse, disembodied voice would shout " WADDYA WANT ?" Your request was made in a timid voice not wishing to further irritate the owner of the voice. A pint of your choice would appear with the demand "THATS 1 AND SIX ". You placed the correct change on the sill and quickly removed your hand before the hatch was slammed shut with enough force to remove your fingers.Only small children were of the correct height to see the owner of the voice but were treated with no more courtesy than the adults. I always had the feeling that using the off sales hatch was a great imposition on the staff which they did not like.
Now opened out into single bars and often carpeted these big places have the hushed tone of an undertakers waiting room. That is until the four or five flatscreen TVs burst into life. Often playing the latest on MTV to a scattering of pensioners awaiting / eating their choice from the two for one Golden Greats Menu. I think its time to bring back a modern version of the Snug, aka Gods Waiting Room. No MTV or Sky Sports but plenty of comfortable chairs us oldies can doze away the day and nibble on digestion friendly food.( And not to far from the toilets please).

[Strongers]

The Orange Tree in Totteridge is 2 miles from me and the nearest I've not been to. It's a bit out of the way and by all accounts more a restaurant than pub so I cannot see myself visiting soon.

I've been to the Village by Alesonly a few times in the day and it's been ok, but the whole area is a war zone at the weekend as the Village and Cafe Loco over the road kick out in the early hours and there is also a club on the same roundabout which can get a bit lively.

[Farway]

The Brewmaster http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/14088/

about a mile away, never go there as it looks really scruffy & dirty, I was once told they eat their young around there, and it looks like it could just be true

Well the Brewmaster fulfilled it's destiny and duly closed, soon to become flats I hear

So, the nearest open pub yet to visit is the Plough & Barleycorn, which looks like a pleasant enough place, but I suspect not for real ale or bar billiards fans

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/14103/

[hopwas]

The nearest Pub too my house I have not visited because its a crap kids place is only around 200 yards away on the roundabout at the end of my road on Muswell Broadway Its a absolute dive by all the neighbours accounts as well. Every time I Pass on a Fri or Sat evenings theres always trouble on the roundabout plus we have all sorts coming out Pissing in the front gardens on the way passed in the early hours. Before now Ive had too wake drunks on my doorstep in the mornings on my way out too work. So in over 30 years Ive never been there the Name keeps changing I think Its called The The Village at the moment but before it was the swiss chalet the steam Cafe and various others. I preferred it when it was the Unigate Milk Depot which it was originally till the late 70s.

I advise you.. just bite your lip and go in. Order half and down in one. Walk out and you just realise that you finally done it after 30 years. Works for me

[Andy Ven]

Good man - it was good to meet you both tonight

Yes, I'm sure we could have rattled on for a lot longer!

[Soup Dragon]

For me, it was the Magic Lantern in Walsall - well, till a couple of hours ago. I had to wait until the clientele returned after Andy Ven made his karaoke debut there some 10 years ago!