The Magnificent Seven

[NickDavies]

http://www.camra.org.uk/article.php?group_id=7422

"As part of the anniversary celebrations, the Good Beer Guide has heralded the few pubs which have made it into all of its forty editions. These ‘Magnificent Seven’ are-

-Buckingham Arms, 62 Petty France, London SW1
-New Inn, The Hill, Kilmington, Devon
-Queen’s Head, Newton, Cambridgeshire
-Roscoe Head, 24 Roscoe Street, Liverpool
-Square & Compass, Worth Matravers, Dorset
-Star, Netherton, Northumberland
-Star Tavern, 6 Belgrave Mews West, London SW1 "

[Mobyduck]

http://www.camra.org.uk/article.php?group_id=7422

"As part of the anniversary celebrations, the Good Beer Guide has heralded the few pubs which have made it into all of its forty editions. These ‘Magnificent Seven’ are-

-Buckingham Arms, 62 Petty France, London SW1
-New Inn, The Hill, Kilmington, Devon
-Queen’s Head, Newton, Cambridgeshire
-Roscoe Head, 24 Roscoe Street, Liverpool
-Square & Compass, Worth Matravers, Dorset
-Star, Netherton, Northumberland
-Star Tavern, 6 Belgrave Mews West, London SW1 "

Only been in the two in London before, The Buckingham arms just the once,probably about four or so years ago,found it to be a decent place but nothing outstanding as evidenced by the fact Iv'e never returned to date. The Star Tavern Iv'e been in four times but for me it fails to impress,just not my kind of place,to me its like a hotel bar with not a very inspiring beer range, (Fullers). I will say though probably the poshest toilets in a pub Iv'e ever been to. In truth I would rather spend more time in the nearby Nags Head,a proper pub ,although granted the beer there lacks excitement too,(Adnams).

[sheffield hatter]

I once cycled 32 miles to the Star at Netherton, relying on the opening times stated in the GBG, only to find that it opened only between 7:30 and 10pm.

[Wittenden]

http://www.camra.org.uk/article.php?group_id=7422

"As part of the anniversary celebrations, the Good Beer Guide has heralded the few pubs which have made it into all of its forty editions. These ‘Magnificent Seven’ are-

-Buckingham Arms, 62 Petty France, London SW1
-New Inn, The Hill, Kilmington, Devon
-Queen’s Head, Newton, Cambridgeshire
-Roscoe Head, 24 Roscoe Street, Liverpool
-Square & Compass, Worth Matravers, Dorset
-Star, Netherton, Northumberland
-Star Tavern, 6 Belgrave Mews West, London SW1 "

Ahh, the Star Tavern! The first time I went in here was during one of the very early pub-crawls published in "Whats Brewing" in about 1974 or 5.Probably the first time I'd come across Fuller, Smith and Turner, and definitely ESB: a bit like loosing one's virginity, really. Been back several times since, but a bit of the beaten track. Even so, excellent pub.

[Bucking Fastard]

Just one tick from me,Roscoe Head.

I dont live too far from Newton,Cambridgeshire so I will put The Queen's Head on the list for a photo and sample the Adnam's beers within.

[gillhalfpint]

Roscoe Head is the only one for us too.

[Andy Ven]

The Roscoe P Coltrane I vaguely remember from my student days in Liverpool.

The Buckingham Arms I am familiar with because of its proximity to my London office. It must have some friends in the local CAMRA branch because I don't think it stands out particularly in the way that might be implied by its inclusion on the list.

[Al 10000]

I have been in three out of the seven.

Buckingham Arms twice but did'nt think it was that great
New Inn in Kilmington,i walked it to this pub from Axminster after getting a bus from Weymouth,i thought it was well worth the effort
Star Tavern Belgravia,i really liked this pub because i was rubbing shoulders with people who would'nt give me the time of day if i was not in this pub,i had a look into their local but they would never be seen in my locals.

[Aqualung]

I've been to four of these, the two London ones, the Queen's Head at Newton and the Roscoe's, none of them recently and in the case of Roscoe's it was part of a long Liverpool Crawl probably over thirty years ago.

In the case of the Queen's Head it was a stop on a cycle trip to Cambridge in the seventies, probably for the beer festival. My one abiding memory of it apart from the fact that the beer was fine was a drinker turning up to the pub on a horse.

I went to the Star twenty years ago and it was fine, I can't imagine it has changed much. As for the Buckingham I'm told that it has undergone the 21st Century Young's upgrade, aka trashing the place. If I was choosing pubs for the GBG I would think twice about putting any of them in as most have been trashed and their beers are not what they were (notably the Special).

A letter to London Drinker a few months ago from a school pal of John Young revealed that he said shortly before his death "I can't fight them any more" referring to the people who wanted to sell the brewery and turn the company into another pub chain.

To me they are just another pub chain, expensive and not selling very good beer. As someone who cut their real ale teeth on Young's I find this very sad. Look at the current GBG entries for SW London. In the old days it was rammed with Young's pubs, now there are about half a dozen. The same applies to the Henley area and Brakspears. Many of the long-standing remote rural gems have gone to the wall.

[Farway]

Not been in any of them, and to my shame when I saw the title of this thread I thought it was about Watney's Party 7s