# Family pubs



## M44RT L (May 6, 2002)

I love pubs. I really do. 
Well most of â€˜em, especially those with personality. Theyâ€™re everywhere. In the city centres, in the towns and in the villages. However, I do believe that it is the people in the pub who create the personality. Not the punters, although they are important to a pubâ€™s atmosphere and ambiance, but the landlord and landlady. And not just them either. The staff play a huge role. Which is why I get so pissed off when, for one reason or another, I have to go into one of those â€˜family-typeâ€™ open plan places run by a non-front-of-house post grad with no concept of what makes a pub tick.

You know the type. You walk in the place, surrounded by plastic and false repro/retro decor, dodge the screaming, out of control kids running about, their oblivious parents committed to getting pissed as quickly as possible on last bloody weekâ€™s benefit money. You reach the inadequately sized bar which is six deep in sweaty, Reebok-clad tossers stubbing **** out on the sticky carpet, â€˜cos thereâ€™s no friggin ashtrays on the sopping wet bar. You try the other side of the bar in an effort to attract the attention of the disinterested, sullen spotty oik dressed in his fluorescent yellow Mad Mauler Fun House corporate shirt, two sizes too fucking big, only to be told, half an hour later, in monotonic yoof language that â€˜Soz mate, food orders only here, I am not on bar duty today, just doin grub.â€™ Twat.

So you rejoin the drinks queue to discover that the bar person serving before has gone to collect some bloody glasses! Whatâ€™s that all about then?

When you finally get your overpriced drinks and decide to sit in the beer garden... beer garden! Council tip more like. Empty plastic bottles strewn every bloody where, rubbish bins overflowing, inhabited by swarms of frigging wasps intent on making you their next target and evey table stacked with filthy plates full of half-eaten burgers, and ketchup-clad chips, swimming in blue coloured pop, that permanently changes the colour of your kidsâ€™ mouths, with Mayfair *** butts floating in it.

Come on...youâ€™ve all been there...Thereâ€™s no point in ordering any food, â€˜cos when you were at the bar you spotted a chalkboard which informed you that there is a two hour wait. Bastards. What ever happened to quality service, pride in your work, organisation and good management.

end of rant


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## PaulS (Jun 15, 2002)

> I love pubs. I really do.
> Well most of â€˜em, especially those with personality. Theyâ€™re everywhere. In the city centres, in the towns and in the villages. However, I do believe that it is the people in the pub who create the personality. Not the punters, although they are important to a pubâ€™s atmosphere and ambiance, but the landlord and landlady. And not just them either. The staff play a huge role. Which is why I get so pissed off when, for one reason or another, I have to go into one of those â€˜family-typeâ€™ open plan places run by a non-front-of-house post grad with no concept of what makes a pub tick.
> 
> You know the type. You walk in the place, surrounded by plastic and false repro/retro decor, dodge the screaming, out of control kids running about, their oblivious parents committed to getting pissed as quickly as possible on last bloody weekâ€™s benefit money. You reach the inadequately sized bar which is six deep in sweaty, Reebok-clad tossers stubbing **** out on the sticky carpet, â€˜cos thereâ€™s no friggin ashtrays on the sopping wet bar. You try the other side of the bar in an effort to attract the attention of the disinterested, sullen spotty oik dressed in his fluorescent yellow Mad Mauler Fun House corporate shirt, two sizes too fucking big, only to be told, half an hour later, in monotonic yoof language that â€˜Soz mate, food orders only here, I am not on bar duty today, just doin grub.â€™ Twat.
> ...


Totally agree - they are chain pubs, utterly soulless Â 



> What ever happened to quality service, pride in your work, organisation and good management.


...and being on first name terms with your regular clientele?

So what's the name of this pub that we should avoid, M44RT_L?

At the other end of the scale, I could suggest some lovely east-end pubs that have regular lock in's Â :-X oops - back to work 3 hrs late for my nightshift Â  wasn't my fault


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## M44RT L (May 6, 2002)

It's a pub in west yorks belonging to the Hungry Horse chain. But it's name is unimportant - my comments are a generalisation of the majority of these types of pubs - which piss me off so much


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## PaulS (Jun 15, 2002)

> ....the Hungry Horse chain.


On that name alone, I think I'd avoid it Â 

Not by any chance one of those 'eat all you can stuff in your face' American style places, is it?


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## jonhaff (May 20, 2002)

those with kids have to go somewhere, although you are right there are better 'family' pubs !! preferably with an outdoors so the kids are screaming in the garden


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## Nimbus (Sep 20, 2002)

Amen to all the above..

my local, across the road... which was a bearable 'modern pub' was bought out by H Horse last year...
Its now the worst kind of shitehole you can imagine 

Rude bar staff,underage drinkers, getting wrecked every night, pukeing up in the road on their way home past my flat most nights, fighting in the car park, revving and wheel spinning their 'fat' novas round the road in front of the pub, and generally making it a very unpleasent place to be :-/

Not to mention the 'tastefull' 8 foot glowing Santa and fairy lights in the front garden..

And to think I thought living in staggering distance of a pub would be fun ! [smiley=hanged.gif]


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Also some of the grotty chain pubs sell really grotty processed food aswell . 
Hubby and I have really struggled since having our two little sons to find a nice family pub that does home made food and caters for little ones. 
Usually a drive into Suffolk from Essex does the trick and with a nice find of a nice pub tucked in somewhere offering us with some nice home made ale pie and sorts the boys out well with some sort of meal and a nice pud aswell


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## M44RT L (May 6, 2002)

You would think that some company would really capture the 'family' market and open some good pubs, with good, wholesome grub and good management teams which are interested in providing a good service wouldn't you? Yes? Good!


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

Oh definately M44RT_L. With so many modern couples having children and a bit of money to go out and have a good meal with a drink and the family it is a nice social event when you team up with friends aswell.

I wish more pubs had the 'older landlord' approach when it comes to greeting and making the drinkers/eaters more welcome rather than some moody university female who needs the money and is miserable because she has to work and takes it out on the customer bu not greeting or be at least polite. 
But then again I suppose most chain pubs are cheaper aswell i.e Weatherspoon pubs do very cheap drinks. But I still prefer a smaller old fashioned pub with a nice fire, happy ambiance and good food


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## scott28tt (Jul 30, 2002)

The Hungry Horse chain is shite. 

Loads of cheap food, but shite. 

Shite shite shite shite shite     

Ooh, I feel better after that (and I didn't even properly swear) ;D


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

I hate the Witherspoons pubs too. Yes, Cheap beer, but processed packaged food and no music or atmosphere.


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## PaulS (Jun 15, 2002)

> those with kids have to go somewhere, although you are right there are better 'family' pubs !! Â preferably with an outdoors so the kids are screaming in the garden


No, just send them off to the nearest retail park, and MacDonalds for the day Â [smiley=clown.gif] [smiley=clown.gif] [smiley=freak.gif] Â [smiley=toilet.gif][smiley=sick2.gif]

Abi


> I wish more pubs had the 'older landlord' approach when it comes to greeting and making the drinkers/eaters more welcome rather than some moody university female who needs the money and is miserable because she has to work and takes it out on the customer by not greeting or being at least polite. Â


I have a very welcoming 'local' that is within staggering distance, yet far enough away so as to not hear any noise. There is never any noise or trouble there anyway, nor any car park, so you don't get any Nova boys either [smiley=kid.gif]

If you are going past Kneesworth, drop into the Red Lion - always a friendly welcome from the landlord & staff, good food, and excellent service Â [smiley=gorgeous.gif]


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

In some of my experiences most of 'ye olde pubs' have got quite modern thinking these days. They do welcome couples with a couple of children. If your decent looking and sit in a corner quietly and the children are well behaved, not running all over the place I don't think they mind. ....*hickety hick*...stumble *BANG :*...it's the parents they have to watch ;D


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## phil (May 7, 2002)

I think all children should be banned in pubs, because I don't have any and am selfish.


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

> I think all children should be banned in pubs, because I don't have any and am selfish.


I think little children should be encouraged to go and kick old farts legs in when they are like you ;D .

And then let your tyres down before you come stumbling out the pub pissed [smiley=dizzy2.gif]! ;D ;D

Ready to drive


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## Guy (May 13, 2002)

> on Today at 5:44pm, phil wrote:I think all children should be banned in pubs, because I don't have any and am selfish.


I do have kids and pubs are NOT the place to take them. 
A pub with kids in does not get my custom. 
Horrible squawking bratlings always ratting about under foot.


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## Nimbus (Sep 20, 2002)

I think kids in pubs are fine as long as the parents are looking after them, rather then abandoning them to the whole bar as some sort of creche whilst they get pissed...

Sadly tho, that seems what a lot do :-/


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## R6B TT (Feb 25, 2003)

> I think kids in pubs are fine as long as the parents are looking after them, rather then abandoning them to the whole bar as some sort of creche whilst they get pissed...
> 
> Sadly tho, that seems what a lot do Â :-/


Exactly. Thankfully, we've actually been complimented on our children's behaviour when out in Bars and Restaurants. However that courtesy should extend both ways - and my kids should not be subjected to a diet of smoke and 4 letter words by waiting punters (as we were in a Restaurant in Bourne End on monday which won't be seeing our custom again for a while. Fuck off Poco Loco.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> I think all children should be banned in pubs, because I don't have any and am selfish.


Me too. And I like to smoke and swear with impunity also.

I had to sit in the car with one bottle of coke and a bag crisps whikst not disturbing the adults. I expect the same.

It's different in Spain and Italy before anyone pipes up - children are generally better tolerated, catered for and behaved than in UK.

I blame the parents.

Pubs are for adults. Take the kids to TGIs or Pizza Hut, or Leisure Shopping. Leave our boozers.


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

> Me too. Â And I like to smoke and swear with impunity also.
> 
> I had to sit in the car with one bottle of coke and a bag crisps whikst not disturbing the adults. Â I expect the same.
> 
> ...


Some pubs do in actual fact have a childrens area. I wish they had a complete and utter bastard area for gits like you though ;D .


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Some pubs do in actual fact have a childrens area. Â I wish they had a complete and utter bastard area for gits like you though ;D . Â


It's called the Public Bar. :-*


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

;D


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