Southampton Pubs

Now closed for updates for the 2007 season. Watch this space early in 2008 for an all-new revised pub guide which will see all the pubs revisited and reviewed again in an even more comprehensive review than this year.

Update 12th Feb 2008: 2008 pub guide website now launched! Visit it here:

http://www.soton.ukpub.net

Want to know the top pubs in Southampton? Click here for more stats and tables than you could shake a pint glass at:

Top Ten pubs
Lowest scoring pubs
Highest scores in each category
Highest scores in each district

This is a project to visit - and review - all the pubs in Southampton. I discovered last week that there was a pub within spitting distance of where I live that I never realised existed. This made me wonder about how many other pubs I didn't know about and quickly progressed into the idea of a comprehensive survey of all the pubs within the city

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*** Last updated December 2007 ***

Done:	186
To do:	NONE!
Closed (but should re-open)	11
Total open pubs	186
Total pubs including closed:	197

The criteria

Area

How am I defining which pubs are within the remit of this survey? A basic way is to include the following postcode areas:

SO14 - Central Southampton
SO15 - South West area
SO16 - North West area
SO17 - North of the centre, (Portswood mainly)
SO18 - North East
SO19 - South East

I am also excluding any pubs outside the M27/M271 'circle' although in practice this only excludes 'The Clump' in Chilworth which isn't exactly in the city itself anyway.

Is it a pub or a club or a trendy eating hub?

The survey only includes pubs. It does NOT include bars in hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, Working Men's clubs, other social clubs, dedicated music venues or other such places. With the difference between these types of venues becoming increasingly blurred, I have set some ground rules:

- Pubs must be open to anyone, not just members
- Pubs must normally have no admission fee, admission fees for special events are OK
- Pubs must be open at some point during the day and most days as well - not just at night or at weekends.
- Anywhere with table service or wine glasses set will be classified as a restaurant - not a pub

Scores on the doors

Each pub is ranked out of five in five different categories and then a total out of 25 is given - however, if I am suitably impressed, I will give a score of 6 - however, the bar is very high for this. These ratings are NOT scientific and should be taken with a pinch of salt. They reflect only the scores awarded at the time of my visit, obviously pubs might be busier or more welcoming at night or during the day.

Price ratings are based on a pint of Fosters (as it's available in the majority of pubs). If Fosters is not available, Carlsberg then Carling will be used for the benchmark.

£3 a pint of more - extortionate!!! No points
£2.51 or more - 1 point
£2.41 - £2.50 - 2 points
£2.31 - £2.40 - 3 points
£2.21 - £2.30 - 4 points
£2.11 - £2.20 - 5 points

Less than £2 a pint scores a 6!

Entertainment

A pool table, dartboard, or jukebox each score 1 point up to a maximum of 3 points total although a very good jukebox could earn a bonus point.

A regular disco, karaoke, quiz, live music or open mic night will earn 2 points

Other features can also earn points, subject to my discretion - for example - film nights, board games, books, table football etc

Atmosphere

This is judged on how friendly, welcoming and lively the pub is. Pubs that appear threatening or unwelcoming will lose points. Bouncers on the door usually result in a point being docked too, WHY?

Attractiveness

Judged on how the pub looks, inside and out. Inspiring, welcoming, clean spaces will score more highly than tatty spaces with spartan furnishings. If pubs have decent beer gardens or are situated in attractive places, they can score extra points. Lurid decor will result in deduction of points.

Beer

The first three points are awarded according to the range of proper beers (ie ales) available. If they only serve the usual brands of Carling and John Smiths etc, no points will be awarded.

A further two points are available for the presentation and taste of the beer so even if a pub only serves the usual brands, they can still pick up points here. Lagers should be cold, refreshing, tasty and not flat, ales should taste as they should. Glasses should always be clean or else points will be lost.

The List

Here goes! At the moment, all pubs are listed here alphabetically although I might put them into smaller categories later, either geographical or alphabetical.

If you are the proprietor or drink at any of the pubs here, please leave your comments. If you feel that the review and/or scores for a certain venue are unfair, please let me know and I will arrange a return visit at a different time.

Alexandra, The
Bellvue Road, City Centre, Southampton
	From the outside, The Alexandra, or the 'Alex' as it is colloquially known looks like an average pub, however this is definitely a hidden gem. There is a bit of a movie theme going on and the pub has weekly Film Nights where a certain movie is shown on the big screens (several of them, including one in the fairly spacious beer garden), free popcorn too! I think the movies are voted for by the patrons. There's also the usual pub games including pool, darts, giant Connect 4 and table football, as well as a jukebox. Good selection of ales including Ringwood Best, London Pride and Hopback Summer Lightning. Visited 10th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	15
The Anchor (East Street)
East Street, City Centre, Southampton
	The Anchor is a long and narrow traditional pub that looks very small from the front but actually goes back a long way. The decor is very traditional with wooden paneling and some fantastic Victorian tiling in the toilets, which are in the basement. It does food and has TV and darts, however there was no sign of a jukebox, only background music. It was dead when I visited which is a shame as it seems quite nice. It also has a couple of ales. Date visited: Tuesday 1st May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	10
The Anchor (Redbridge)
Redbridge, Southampton
	The Anchor, like the nearby Ship Inn is located at the far South West of the city, with panoramic views of the dual carriageway to Totton, a railway line and the Test estuary. This Eldridge Pope pub was fairly busy when I visited on a Sunday afternoon and the smallish main bar area was quite smoky. There is a slightly bigger lounge bar offering a good range of food at good value but this was devoid of any patrons! The service was good and there were two ales on tap. The only for of entertainment I spotted was a dart board. Visited 20th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	00
Anchor and Hope
Foundry Lane, Freemantle, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Anchor & Hope is a massive looking pub although half of it is a bar for private functions. It boasts a pool table, jukebox, dartboard and regular karaoke nights and when I visited, there was a fairly lively atmosphere, however the beer was not very well kept. Visited 1st April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	15
Angel (Of The South)
Palmerston Road, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Angel looks a bit rough from the outside and inside it looks even rougher! The upper part where the bar etc is located is fine but the back room where the pool table is looks very spartan and rough. It does have a nice mural in the upper section, otherwise I would have just given it one point for decor. However, look past the shabby decor and it seems a nice enough place. It has disco and quiz nights on Fridays and Saturdays (the disco equipment seems to be permanently set up, a bit like the Ice House in Shirley Warren) and the quiz nights are fantastic! Rather than the usual pub quiz where teams scribble away on pieces of paper, this Scottish guy called Lemmy (who I presume to be the landlord and yes, he likes Motorhead!) asks a question and the first person to shout out the correct answer gets a free drink! My original visit was on a mid weekday night and it was dead but I liked what I saw so made a return visit on a Friday night and it was still fairly quiet, despite the great quiz. Very friendly and welcoming though, this pub is definitely an undiscovered gem. The drinks are very good value. TVs and pool but I didn't see any darts. No ale except for Courage Best. I will definitely be coming here more often. Visited 10th April, 18th May 2007 Update December 2007 Too late for any more points as the 2007 season is closed, however this place is fab! The landlord likes getting on the stage and DJing and is always amusing on the mic. It has recently benefited from a lick of paint and looks much smarter than it did earlier in the year. There's also a new covered smoking patio and air hockey table plus there is definitely a dartboard (hidden away round the corner). The cocktails in here are worth a mention too, particularly "Lemmy's Black Death" (my favorite). There is also regular live music and occasional karaoke nights (not for the easily offended!). A year ago, I'd never even heard of this pub but now it's one of my favourites.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	17
Apartment 26
Bedford Place, City Centre, Southampton
	Apartment 26 is a highly pretentious bar above the slightly less pretentious Lizard Lounge in the trendy Bedford Place area of the city. The place was full of Suited Bores and other showoffs when I visited early on a Friday night. Definitely not a place I fit in. It's very anonymous and most of the seats seemed to be reserved for non-existant groups of people. The decor is very nice and extremely contemporary, the furniture looks like it came straight out of an IKEA catalogue and it has a fab 60s supermarket style floor like the Lizard Lounge below. There is definitely no ale and in fact only two beers on offer, neither of which were very good at all and both of which were very expensive. The only form of entertainment is a DJ playing pretentious 'urban' music. Apparantly it has a roof garden but it was Closed when I visited. Not a place I'd reccomend unless you have a lot of money and want to show off your new designer suit. Visited 11th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	7
The Ark
Meggeson Avenue, Townhill Park, Southampton
	The Ark is located on the edge of Southampton on a fairly rough but by no means the worst housing estate in the city. The outside is nothing special, a fairly standard 1960s building. The interior features a delightful combo of green striped and beige woodchip wallpaper and an equally lurid patterened carpet. The most interesting thing about the decor is the pattern on the ceiling. I visited during the daytime and the pub was full of Chavs who kept issuing dirty looks so I didn't stay long. I didn't even dare venture into the games room as the doorway was blocked with Chavs but it looked dingy and while it contained pool and darts equipmment, it was all covered up. The main bar also contains a piano and a blackboard advertising karaoke and various other Easter events but the whole place was unwelcoming. It is supposed to offer Gales ales but they were all covered up and the face on the barmaid was unwelcoming. Visited 7th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
Avenue, The
Inner Avenue, Southampton
	The Avenue is a compact-looking pub from outside, however it goes back a long way, extending right the way between two parallel roads. It has a fairly compact beer patio and several different rooms inside, the one at the back housing a pool table. When I visited, there was a quiz night in progress which is a regular weekly fixture. They also have a jukebox, pool table and dartboard and the place was very busy indeed, the only place to sit was outside. They have Wadworth 6X but not a lot else in the ale department. My pint contained a piece of plastic but to their credit, they changed it, however that doesn't stop them being docked a point for it. The Gents contains a washing machine and tumble dryer, with the pipes trailing across the floor! How very odd. Date visited: Tuesday 8th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	15
Avondale House
Carlton Place, City Centre, Southampton
	If there was ever such a thing as a pub with no beer then Avondale House would be it. All the beer taps were covered up although there wasn't much to miss, in fact the barman said I could have either Carling or Guinness and that was all they had, the rest being Off. There are some hand pumps but they probably haven't been touched for years and there are no signs on them. I opted for the Carling but wish I hadn't bothered, the glass seemed to have a sickly sweet taste to it, probably a sign of poor glass washing procedures. However, the venue is otherwise decent enough, it's set out on three levels which can be confusing for the newcomer, it was fairly dead when I visited but can get packed later on. They do good value food but if their glass hygiene procedures are anything to go by, I wouldn't risk it. They have TVs, a jukebox, two pool tables and the decor is quite nice, however the quality and quantity of the beer was a real let-down for me. Date visited: 26th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	4
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	11
Bald Faced Stag
Freemantle, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Bald Faced Stag is located only a couple of minutes walk away from where I live - yet I didn't realise it existed until recently. It is located along a dead end back street, way off the beaten track, goodness knows how it survives. The beer was slightly chemically and the interior quite shabby and dated, however, it is generally welcoming and offers an old fashioned mechanical jukebox, pool and darts. Visited 1st April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
Balmoral Inn, The
Romsey Road, Rownhams, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Balmoral is a large Beefeater pub/restaurant on the edge of the city along the main road to Romsey. It has recently been refurbished to a high standard with the front room being a bar area and a large table service restaurant area with a mezzanine floor to the rear with a separate entrance. They have a couple of ales, including Ringwood's on tap and a karaoke night every other Saturday. When I visited, it was very quiet which was surprising for a Friday lunchtime but apparently it gets very busy on the karaoke nights. Visited Tuesday 8th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	4
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
Bambuubar
Leisure World, City Centre, Southampton
	Bambuubar is an ultra-trendy bar located in the massive converted warehouse that is Leisure World. The decor is very contemporary with a general red and black theme throughout and there are some seating alcoves that resemble padded cells towards the back. There is also an upstairs mezzanine floor accessed by a groovy spiral staircase but it was closed when I visited. Despite the fact it was 8:40 on a Friday night, it was totally dead when I visited. They normally have a DJ and various theme nights, as well as deals on drink but there is definitely no ale. Visited Friday 18th 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10
Banana Wharf
Ocean Village, City Centre, Southampton
	Banana Wharf is a recently opened bar and restaurant at the foot of a strikingly modern block of flats (sorry, I meant luxury apartments) in the Ocean Village marina area. The restaurant area is much bigger than the bar area, with only a small seating area for drinkers. The prices are extortionate and my enquiry as to whether there was any Ale resulted in "Er...John Smiths?". The decor is nice and very contemporary with a fabulous 1960s style stone wall and an upstairs mezzanine featuring among the highlights. It also has a good view across the marina. There is no entertainment, not even a TV but the place was fairly busy, albeit very anonymous.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	8
Bar Coda
City Centre, Southampton
	Bar Coda is a pretentious bar hidden away in the backstreets of the city centre. The most noticable thing about the decor is the empty shell of a large TV at one end of the main bar area, otherwise it is fairly contemporary and clean but nothing special. It has a stage and a pool table but nothing else in the form of entertainment that I could see. It was totally dead when I visted and there is no ale. Visited Thursday 10th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10
Bar Ice
High Street, City Centre, Southampton
	Bar Ice is a fairly recently opened bar in the busy High Street area of the city but it is certainly nothing special. The decor is very blue as the name would suggest and while it is fairly contemporary, is nothing special. There are no ales but it has TVs, a DJ playing loud dance-pop music, bouncers, a set of Chavs and that's about all there is to say really. Date visited: 27th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10
Bar Risa
High Street, City Centre, Southampton
	Bar Risa is one of Southampton's longest established trendy bars and it works in tandem with the Jongleurs Comedy Club above (which is excluded from this project as it doesn't open til 11pm and you have to pay). I wasn't expecting much but I was swayed by the £1.50 a pint (Carlsberg) promotion, although there are no ales. It's a massive place all on one level and it has a huge dance floor, complete with Townies dancing round their handbags. There is a DJ but that's all you get in the entertainment department. The decor is contemporary but nothing special although the exposed pipes on the ceiling add something to the general ambience of the place. Despite the fact I visited at quarter to 11 on a Friday night, it wasn't all that busy and it was easy to find a seat. Date visited: 27th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	6
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	16
Bedford's
Bedford Place, City Centre, Southampton
	A typical city centre youngsters pub. It all looks very nice and contemporary and there are several pool tables, large TVs and a regular karaoke night. Always quite busy but no sign of any proper beer at all. Visited 4th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	14
Bellemoor Tavern
Bellemoor Road, Shirley, Southampton
	The Bellemoor is a large food-orientated pub located in the pleasant area of Upper Shirley, adjacent to a college and Southampton Common. Like the nearby Malvern Tavern, it is a part of the Spirit pub group and is a popular eaterie with reasonable prices. Other than a quiz night, there is no entertainment apart from the usual easy listening background music you tend to get in these places. The decor is very nice and contempoary, shiny and new. It was quite busy when I visited but not particularly lively, most of the patrons munching away. However, it does have a good range of ales, including London Pride. Date visited: 8th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	13
Bent Brief
Lodge Road, Southampton
	The Bent Brief is a fairly large music-focused pub in the busy student district of Bevois Valley, however unlike some pubs, the music offering is informal, there is no proper stage and no entry fee, plus they close at midnight so if you have work the next day, you can get home at a sensible time without having to miss half the performance. As well as local bands, they have open mic nights and jazz music. Even if you're not a music person, there's plenty on offer in the form of two pool tables, a dartboard and loads of quiz/fruit machines. The decor is nothing special (although the aquarium is a nice touch) and a bit 'lived in' with some of the armchairs being ripped but there's a good atmosphere and a superb range of ales, including London Price, Spitfire and Brains SA although it took a while to get served. The presence of the latter may be explained by the large Welsh flag hanging in the window but they also have the occasional Irish theme night so it caters for all corners of Britain! In addition to this, they do food.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	15
Bevois Castle
Onslow Road, Bevois Valley, Southampton
	The Bevois Castle is a lovely traditional pub in the Bevois Valley area of the city. It doesn't have a lot in the way of entertainment except for background music and a pool table but has ales and looks very nice. However, it was dead when I visited.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	9
Bevois Town Hotel
Middle Street, Inner Avenue, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Bevois Town is located in the back streets of the inner city and not surprisingly therefore, doesn't attract a lot of passing trade. The decor is nice enough buy nothing special. The front bar is quite small but the back bar is quite large, they used to have karaoke nights there but now the only entertainment on offer appears to be darts, pool and a jukebox. They do food (not sampled) and there is no ale apart from Greene King IPA. Date visited: 24th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	12
Big Cheese
West End Road, Midanbury, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Big Cheese is a typical franchise restaurant-pub, in this case, part of the Hungry Horse chain. The main bar is primarily intended for dining and is massive (and probably child friendly) while there is a smaller bar to the side featuring a dart board and jukebox. The decor is pretty average but quite homely and well-kept but there is no atmosphere. Visited 3rd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	11
The Bittern
Thornhill Park Road, Southampton
	The Bittern is located on one of the main roads out of Southampton, while it is located in the relatively pleasant suburb of Thornhill Park, it is close to the Thornhill housing estate. The Bittern is a Modern style pub with Crittall windows, it has been partially painted in bright orange paint which doesn't suit it and is now starting to peel. This tattiness continues inside the pub although the decor is otherwise generally welcoming. Scores: Price - 1/5 - £2.60 a pint Entertainment - 2/5 - Dartboard and pool table but nothing else Atmosphere - 1/5 - Very dead when I visited Looks - 2/5 - A bit tatty inside and out Beer - 2/5 - Not much on offer but well kept. Visited 3rd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	8

Bitterne Park Hotel
Bitterne Triangle, Bitterne Park, Southampton
	Mock Tudor hell! This massive building contains a 'Saloon Bar' and 'Public Bar'. I opted for the Public Bar and managed to come out alive. Bitterne Park is by no means the roughest area of Southampton yet this pub contains a fine selection of down and outs including a lady who sneaked a bottle of Vodka in but the barmaid confiscated it. The decor is just as shabby as the clientele although the pub does offer pool, darts, karaoke and a jukebox. No sign of any ales, the patrons only drink Stella 'Wife Beater' Artois probably. Visited 5th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	11
Blue Keys Hotel
Northlands Road, Fitzhugh, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Blue Keys Hotel is a recently opened bar/restaurant off the beaten track in the Fitzhugh area of the city. It was formerly the Golden Lion but has had a major refit and rebranded itself as a posh eatery, hotel and jazz/blues bar, with live music several times a week although when I visited there was just background music. The front of the establishment is a good sized bar area with casual seating and a stage featuring a piano. The decor is very nice with a contemporary yet traditional theme. Behind the main bar area is a posh looking restaurant area. There are three ales on tap but no bar games or TV (the lack of the latter being a good thing as all the other nearby pubs were heaving with people watching football on TV). This place was quite dead when I visited. Date visited: Wednesday 2nd May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	11
Bosun's Locker
City Centre, Southampton
	The Bosun's Locker is a large pub located near the city walls in the old town and while at first glance it may appear to be old, in actual fact it is a Mock Tudor structure erected in the 20th century. There are supposed to be two bars, a large lounge and a smaller public bar but only the public was opened when I visited on a rainy Friday night, hoping to seek a nice cosy pub to shelter in from the rain. No such luck. The public bar is very spartan with exposed floorboards and little in the way of comfortable furnishings. All the tables were taken up by very noisy men playing pool. As well as the pool table, it also has a jukebox and a few ales, including Ringwood's and London Pride and the prices aren't bad at all. Visited Friday 11th May 2007 Update December 2007 I visited this pub just before Christmas and was very pleasantly surprised. It has been refurbished and the Public Bar is now smart and modern and the Lounge Bar is large and more homely and traditional and very nicely furnished. It's too late to pick up any more points for the 2007 round but this pub looks very promising for next year.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	11
Bowlers
Golf Course Road, Bassett, Southampton
	Bowlers is a bar/restaurant located within the very pleasant surroundings of Southampton Golf Course. It is a 1930s building but the interior is fairly dated rather than retro. It has TVs and disco equipment set up in the corner which would suggest that they have entertainment sometimes, however there was no sign of anything else on the entertainment front (other than the football on the radio) and they don't have any ales, however it's a great place to relax and have a meal or a refreshing pint in beautiful surroundings. Date visited: Sunday 5th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
Brass Monkey
Shirley Road, Shirley, Southampton
	Formerly the Rising Sun (a pub going back over 100 years), this place was given a major makeover a couple of years ago and was transformed into the Brass Monkey. While it looks a lot fresher, it has lost a lot of the atmosphere. It is currently up for sale so more changes may be afoot (see here) Described as "Audio And Visual To The Extreme", the pub features loads of TVs, including mini screen in the beer pumps. These usually show a variety of sports and videos from the jukebox. There are also several pool tables. It has a quiz on a Sunday and a live DJ on Fridays and Saturdays although they tend to play mainly new stuff as the pub seems to be aimed at the under 30s market. There is also occasional live music and a recently started (as of yesterday!) Thursday karaoke night. Food is available although not cheap and Ringwood 49er and Hopback Summer Lightning were available on tap when I visited. Date visited: 12th April 2007 Update November 2007 Still trundling along steadily minus the Thursday karaoke night which has moved to Sunday and replaced the quiz. I don't know why but I never really feel much at home in this place.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	17
Bricklayer's Arms
Wimpson Lane, Millbrook, Southampton
	The Bricklayer's Arms used to be a country pub until the Millbrook estate was built around it, however it still seems like a decent place. The hanging baskets outside look a bit sorry for themselves and somebody in their infinite wisdom has painted the outside walls black! The inside is nice and homely, however I have docked a point from the Attractiveness score upon seeing the toilets which were scruffy and dingy and while there was a light, there was no evidence of any way of switching it on!!! On the ale front, there's not a lot to choose from but they do superb value meals. There is Karaoke on Thursday nights (which I can highly recommend) and disco and quiz nights the weekends as well as a pool table, dart board and cribbage (according to the sign). It has a small paved outside seating area. I visited at lunchtime and it was dead-ish, however I will visit in the evening and perhaps re-evaluate the score. Date visited: 12th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	12
Bridge Inn (Woolston)
Woolston, Southampton
	The Bridge Inn is a large and prominent pub located near the end of the Itchen Bridge (hence the name). The upper floor is set back from the road which gives the place a kind of hanging gardens of Babylon look. There are even some palm trees on the terrace and the place is floodlit at night which gives it a really eyecatching look. Inside, the decor is very nice, contemporary but cosy and welcoming, the green fingered theme continuing with plenty of indoor plants and foliage. There are TVs and pool but no evidence of any other entertainment. Ales are a bit thin on the ground apart from Marstons and it seems fairly busy whenever you visit. They also do food. Date visited: 17th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	12
Bridge Inn (St Denys)
Priory Road, St Denys, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	A mainly unremarkable but pleasant and busy enough pub. Decent décor, great jukebox, pool and darts. Greene King IPA but nowt else in the proper beer category. Visited 5th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	14
Brightwater Inn
Shirley Road, Shirley, Southampton
	A JD Wetherspoon Free House. Enough said. While like all Wetherspoons pubs they do cheap food and drink, these places are pretty much the same everywhere except for the building and the Brightwater is basically just a converted shop unit with no features of architectural merit, the most interesting thing being the ceiling lighting and the old pictures on the walls of Shirley when it actually had interesting pubs! There is no atmosphere (although they're always quite busy) and no music but they had a superb selection of ales as my visit coincided with a Real Ale Festival which offered three 1/3rd of a pint glasses of different ales for £1.69. Normally, they usually have some decent ales, Ringwood Brewery being a regular feature. Visited Friday 4th May 2007 Update November 2007 Still a good place to go, my visit coincided with another Real Ale festival but apart from the smokers congregated outside the doors, little has changed.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	6
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	6
		Total (out of 25):	17
Bulls Eye
Butts Road, Sholing, Southampton
	The Bullseye was a pleasant surprise. The area it is in has a bit of a reputation so I wasn't expecting too much, however I kind of liked the place. It has a great range of entertainment, including darts (of course!), pool, TV and karaoke nights (another pub where the karaoke equipment seems to be in permanent residence!) and the interior is just fab! It is SO 1950s I had to give it an extra point for authenticity, from the interesting curved ceiling mouldings to the frosted glass patterns to the original Formica bar counter. It was fairly busy when I visited and seemed friendly enough, however there were no ales. Date visited: 22nd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	14
Bush Inn
Wimpson Lane, Maybush, Southampton
	The Bush Inn is located next to the Ordnance Survey HQ - one of the city's largest employers, therefore at lunchtime, it is usually fairly busy with civil servants, particularly on a Friday. However, it did have a bit of a reputation at night although I have been in there on a Friday night fairly recently and not seen any signs of trouble so perhaps it is under control now. Formerly called the Maybush, after the area it is located in, the pub boasts two bars and a large beer garden, two pool tables, darts and table football. As would be expected, it also has the usual TVs, Sky Sports etc and a jukebox. A nice touch and a good idea is a TV behind the bar so patrons propping up the bar can watch TV. They usually show the news/weather at lunchtimes which is a good idea too. There are also disco and karaoke nights at the weekend and rooms to let. The decor is nothing special but is comfortable and adequate. When I visited, there were no real ales available. Date visited: 13th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
C Breeze
Canute Road
	To be honest, this place stretches the definition of a pub, it is definitely a restaurant - with a strong Carribean theme. There is no beer on tap at all although they have some interesting Caribbean bottled lagers. The food smelled very good although I didn't sample it and I suspect it is on the pricey side as the bottle of Carib lager cost over £4! The decor is nice enough, with beach style colours and palm trees being the order of the day. No entertainment - as I said, it's more of a restaurant than a pub. Visited 10th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	6
Castle Inn
Witt's Hill, Midanbury, Southampton
	A very interesting pub, The Castle is located at the top of Witt's Hill, probably the highest hill in Southampton. Views North and West across Southampton can be seen from the pub. The pub itself is kind of semi-circular, with a Games Room sporting pool and darts and a large main bar area with a conservatory at the back. They have karaoke nights every weekend and a fairly large beer garden with play area. Food is available and while not sampled, it smelt very appetising. Bombardier and Hobgoblin ales on tap. The decor is very pleasant and modern. While I haven't been in the pub in the evening, I thoroughly liked what I saw. PS: The area this pub is located in is pronounced MID-AN-BURRY not MY-DAN-BURRY which in fluent Southampton dialect equates to MID-UN-BRIE Visited 7th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	17
Ceno
Highfield Road, Southampton
	A somewhat upmarket pub (well more of a bar really) attached to a hotel. It has some very nice outdoor decking and a contemporary interior and the service is good, however the closest you get to real ale is Boddington's! No entertainment but fairly busy.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	8
Chamberlayne Arms
North East Road, Sholing, Southampton
	The Chamberlayne Arms is a very unremarkable pub. There is no entertainment except for TVs, pool and a jukebox, no ales and the barmaid seemed more interested in chatting to a regular than serving customers. It was fairly dead when I visited except for a couple of Chavs. It does, however, have a garden. Otherwise, the decor is fairly spartan. Date visited: 24th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	8
Chambers
London Road, City Centre, Southampton
	Chambers is predominantly a wine bar, however they serve very popular pizzas (not tried). The first thing that grabbed my attention on going in was a large sign proclaiming they were "Open Late Thursday, Fridays and turd". Obviously some (t)wit had stolen the SA and AY from Saturday! However, that pretty much summed up my visit. The decor is a bit plain and dingy in places. It has two pool tables and some TVs, however it seemed fairly dead when I visited and the lager I had tasted poor.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	1
		Total (out of 25):	9
Chapel Arms
Albert Road North, Southampton
	The Chapel Arms is a small but generally pleasant, albeit unremarkable pub located in the Chapel area of the city. Due to its close proximity to the St Marys Stadium, there is a football theme throughout, however it also has a selection of books on the windowsills which is a nice touch. It has two joined bars, the smaller of the two was very dark but otherwise the decor is nice and there is a friendly dog in residence. It was fairly busy when I visited. The pub boasts TVs, jukebox and pool but apart from Greene King IPA, no ales and it was let down by the toilets which had were a bit malodorous. Date visited: 24th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
Clowns
Bevois Valley, Southampton
	Clowns is a very popular student bar in the Bevois Valley area of the city. I think there is a nightclub upstairs/downstairs called Jesters. Clowns itself looks quite tatty but was packed with students wearing strange masks and hats. I didn't ask. It's a bit cliquey but very busy. It has a pool table but no music or ale as far as I know.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	4
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	13
Cork & Bottle
Ocean Village (ish), Southampton
	Part of the Laurel Pub Co., the Cork & Bottle is a massive pub located near Ocean Village that has definitely seen better days. The herringbone flooring is breaking up and the wallpaper is peeling. The main bar area is a huge double height space which has a lot of potential to become an inspiring space while at one edge is an area with lower celings containing further seating and a pool table. There is also a very nice 'snug' room in a cosy alcove. Unfortunately, the loos let it down as there was a definite smell that would best be described as 'pungent'. The place is fairly busy, albeit anonymous, probably due to the excellent drinks prices as well as the range of typical Wetherspoons-style food. Apart from the aforementioned pool table, the only form of entertainment is a tV. Date visited: Thursday 10th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	6
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	14
Court Jester

	A light and airy pub with lots of glazing around the street-facing facades. The décor is very Green. Quiz nights and pool. Apart from that, nothing of note. Visited 4th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	15
The Cowherds
The Avenue, Southampton
	The Cowherds is one of Southampton's oldest and most famous pubs. Located on the edge of the Common, one of the largest urban open spaces in the UK, it is mainly aimed at the food market, with no entertainment being available and the prices slightly pricey. It is under the same ownership as the Fisher's Pond pub near Eastleigh. When I visited, it was neither busy nor quiet but I can imagine it is very popular for meals on Sunday lunchtimes etc. There were three ales available but two of them were off, however Old Speckled Hen did the trick nicely. The decor, as can be expected in pleasant and cosy, with a distinctly rustic flavour. Date visited: Tuesday 8th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	11
Cricketers Arms
Carlton Place, City Centre, Southampton
	The Cricketers looks and seems like a proper pub, however it has more of a wine bar type atmosphere and there are no bar games. However, they do have a DJ at weekends and they also serve food. The decor is nice, a cross between modern and traditional that works well to create a chilled out style. It seems quite popular with students and has three real ales, however why ANY pub needs a bouncer at 8pm on a Tuesday night is beyond me so it lost a point there.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
Crown & Sceptre
Burgess Road, Highfield, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The crown & Sceptre is a large Mock Tudor pub located near the main Southampton University campus. Inside, the decor is attractive, with wood panelling throughout, however it is perhaps a little spartan in places. For some reason, there were loads of chairs piled up at one end of the pub. Apparantly, they normally have ales, however they were all Off when I visited. They have pool, darts, TV and a good jukebox. It was totally dead when I visited although friendly enough. Date visited: Tuesday 8th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	12
Crown Inn (Highfield)
Highcrown Street, Highfield, Southampton
	The Crown Inn is a very pleasant surprise. It is tucked away off the main road in the back streets of the pleasant Highfield area of the city and is a proper traditional pub. It seems to be mainly a food pub although it does have a Sunday quiz night as the only form of entertainment. No TV which is sometimes a good thing. The decor is very nice, cosy and traditional and the various old pots hanging from the ceiling add to the rustic character but this is a genuinely rustic pub. It was very busy when I visited, despite the fact it was a Tuesday night. It also has a very good selection of ales. Date visited: Tuesday 8th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	14
Crown Inn (Shirley)
Shirley Road, Shirley, Southampton
	The Crown (known as 'Tramways' until recently) had a bit of a dodgy reputation, however it has since been comprehensively refurbished and given back its original name (where the name Tramways came from is anyone's guess; there haven't been any trams in Southampton for years!). When I visited, on a Friday night, there were no signs of any trouble in the front bar, although there was something vaguely musical going on in the back bar bus as it looked totally pitch black in there, I stayed in the front bar which is adequately furnished in a traditional style and fairly green colour scheme. The clientele were all over the age of 40 and it was a bit smoky. They had three ales on draught but no sign of any jukebox or bar games. Date visited: Friday 4th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	12
Cuccini's
Town Quay, City Centre, Southampton
	An up market bar somewhat off the beaten track at the wrong end of Town Quay. Fairly quiet with a contemporary but slightly dingy interior and pricey food. No entertainment except for TVs. Visited Tuesday 15th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	1
		Total (out of 25):	6
Dock O' The Bay
The Avenue, Fitzhugh, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	A silly bar with a silly name. There is no dock or bay anywhere near it although the walls inside are painted with brash watery murals and they seem to specialise in shellfish. The upstairs area was closed as was the downstairs, they seemed to be very keen on closing completely for the night, despite the fact it was only 10:20pm. In fact, I was the only customer in there! It was also incredibly warm and the decor a bit tatty. No ale at all and no entertainment apart from dull backing music. It seems to have lost its way. Date visited: Tuesday 8th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	6
Dockgate 4
Terminus Terrace, City Centre, Southampton
	Dockgate 4 is a 'bar and grill', and a pretentious one at that. The interior is very grand although perhaps a little dingy, which I guess is to try and increase the candlelit ambience. The restaurant is massive but was pretty dead when I visited, apart from a group of Suited Bores who were busy guffawing about their latest adventures on the FTSE 100. No ale here unless you count John Smith's (I don't). There is an electric piano in residence but no sign of anyone playing it or any other entertainment. Visited Thursday 10th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
Dorchester Arms
Onslow Road, Bevois Valley, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Dorchester Arms is a large, traditional-looking pub in the Bevois Valley area of the city, an area popular with students. It has pool, darts, a good jukebox and regular live music, however when I visited, there was no entertainment except for the jukebox. It was pretty dead which was very surprising for 10pm on a Friday night. Flowers bitter available, very good value. The decor is OK but nothing special. Date visited: 13th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	5
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	17
Drummond Arms
Welbeck Avenue, Portswood, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	This pub is located in the back streets of Portswood but is pleasant, welcoming and busy. Good selection of ales, darts, pool, big TV, quiz nights, clean and well kept décor. Nothing special. Visited 5th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	15
Duchess Of Wellington
Grove Road, Freemantle, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	A pleasant enough pub with two dartboards, pool tables, card games and a selection of Wadworth ales, although these were fairly expensive. The décor is quite nice, with a historic OS map of the locale on the wall but the lurid patterned carpet spoils it. Visited 8th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	12
Duke Of Wellington
City Centre, Southampton
	The Duke Of Wellington is a historic pub in the heart of the Old Town. It was badly damaged by WWII bombs, but was reconstructed to the original design after the war. It is a very traditional and welcoming pub offering food and a superb range of ales. It has a function room but nothing in the way of entertainment. It was relatively busy when I visited and the decor is very cosy and traditional. Well worth a look.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	5
		Beer:	5
		Total (out of 25):	14
The Eagle
Palmerston Road, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Eagle is a fairly prominent Mock Tudor pub on the edge of Southampton's city centre parks and the place seems massive inside! It's got a flagstone floor and lots of exposed wooden beams to give it an old fashioned look but it works surprisingly well and seems quite cosy. TVs, jukebox, pool and darts plus disco nights every week. No ale except for Flowers ("Sorry, this isn't actually Flowers, it's Whitbread Best but it's almost the same, honest!"). Great value though. Visited 10th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	5
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	18
Earl Of Locksley
Sholing, Southampton
	The Earl Of Locksley was a pleasant surprise. Despite being in a typical housing estate location, it seemed very friendly and had a good selection of ales, including 6X and Ringwood's. The decor is very nice, very wooden although perhaps slightly dark in places. It also boasts a beer garden (not seen), two pool tables, darts, TVs and a jukebox. All was well until I saw the loos which looked very poor so it lost a point there but otherwise, very good. Date visited: 24th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	00
Encore
Commercial Road, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	As the name suggests, Encore is located adjacent to the Mayflower Theatre and is very popular with theatregoers. It was pretty busy when I visited with no seats available it is but not all all pretentious - it is along the same lines as a Wetherspoon's type pub, offering affordable food and drinks and indeed a couple of proper ales. It also has a jukebox and pool table, as well as karaoke nights every week. Like most 'shop unit' type pubs, the decor is nothing special but it is well kept and nice and contemporary. Visited Friday 18th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	4
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	17
Endeavour
??, City Centre, Southampton
	The Endeavor is a small city centre pub, located off the beaten track in the Old Town area. When I visited, it was pretty dead, however it seems decent enough. Some of the tables have flowers and candles on; one end of the pub is set out as a restaurant. It has a piano but no other form of entertainment other than background music. It has Greene King IPA but no other ales. The bar area looks rather spartan and the chairs are squeaky!	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	10
Englishman Inn
English Road, Freemantle, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Englishman is a friendly local pub off the beaten track in the back streets of Freemantle. There are two bars and a beer garden although the rear bar is quite small. It hosts karaoke twice a week (Weds and Fri) and has a pool table, dartboard and jukebox. The decor is pleasant and homely and 6X is on tap. It is usually fairly busy and as one of my regular watering holes, I would definitely recommend it.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	17
Exford Arms
Harefield, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Exford Arms is a modern pub located within the Harefield estate in Southampton. It is nothing special inside and out and the architecture is typical of bland 1980s housing estates. However, it is a generally pleasant pub offering a good selection of entertainment. Scores: Price - 2/5 - £2.50 pint Entertainment - 4/5 - Pool, big screen TV, disco Atmosphere - 1/5 -Dead when I visited Looks - 2/5 - A bit spartan but well kept Beer - 2/5 - Not much choice but well kept. Visited 3rd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10
Ferryman & Firkin
High Street, City Centre, Southampton
	The Ferryman & Firkin is part of a national chain of pubs and this one was a popular evening venue a few years ago but seems to have fallen badly out of fashion. The large interior looks very tatty and unloved and the place was very, very dead. There was no ale available but it does have pool, darts and live music (apparently). The only other saving grace was low prices, £2.10 for a pint.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	5
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	13
Firehouse
Vincent's Walk, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Originally, I wasn't going to include this venue in the project as I thought it was more of a pay-to-enter/only open at night live music venue along similar lines to Unit 22, however, I went past on a Monday night and it was open and free to go in so I thought I may as well add it. This place has undergone many name changes recently, previous incarnations being 'The Parkside' and 'Strikers', now Under New Management and rebranded as 'Firehouse', it's themed as a Rock Music bar and so perhaps unsurprisingly, the jukebox was playing endless Bon Jovi. It was fairly dead but then again, it was a Monday night. As well as the jukebox, they have TVs and pool although obvious the main attraction is the live music nights at the weekend. The only ale I could see was Green King IPA, the decor is OK but nothing special, perhaps a little dingy and over cluttered.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
The Fitzhugh
Milton Road, Southampton
	The Fitzhugh is located in a street full of student digs so you'd think it would be busy in the evening, but it was dead when I visited. However, the staff were incredibly friendly and there are two very inquisitive but harmless dogs. Pool table, TVs, jukebox, table football and a good selection of board games on offer. The decor is decent but perhaps a little on the spartan side, however there are some nice modern paintings on the wall. No ale. Visited 10th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
Flares
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Flares is a national chain of 70s themed bars, however this one got off on a bad foot to me with the bouncer grumbling about the fact that I looked "unsteady" despite the fact I was pretty much sober. Seeing as there was only one customer in there anyway, you'd have thought they would have wanted people to go in. He did let me in in the end which is fortunate, otherwise they would scored NO POINTS! They still lost a point anyway due to this officious Jobsworth. The only thing worth saying about this place is cheap drinks - £1.50 a pint but there's not a lot of choice anyway and certainly no ale. They have a DJ most nights and while he plays mainly 70s disco dirges, he also played an 80s song! That just about says it all. It doesn't really looks that 70s at all, they could have tried a lot harder, it could learn a lot from the nearby Reflex 80s Bar. Date visited: Wednesday 2nd May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	6
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	13
Fleming Arms
Wessex Lane, Southampton
	The Fleming Arms is located next to the railway line near the edge of the city and very near Swaythling station. It has been through a bit of a troubled spell in the last few years but has recently been refurbished to a very high standard. Formerly a Gales pub, it has now came under the stewardship of London-based Fullers brewery as has the entire gales operation. Fortunately, it still offers a very good range of Gales ales including the legendary HSB, these are now supplemented by London Pride. The Fleming Arms used to be known for its live music but it doesn't have music any more, preferring to cater for the food market. A large part of the pub is a restaurant area but they do proper pub food at reasonable prices. I was impressed by how shiny the beer pumps were and indeed the high standard of upkeep is apparent throughout the building. When I previously visited, the gents toilets left a lot to be desired but they have now been totally refurbished and are better than most. They have a big TV and pool table but I was surprised how quiet the pub was at Sunday lunchtime, although there was a crucial Saints football match on and it wasn't on Sky. Date visited: Sunday 5th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	12
Four Horseshoes
Nursling, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	A pleasant pub that was in the middle of the countryside until the M27 motorway was built very close to it. Unfortunately, the motorway definitely spoils the ambience of the pub garden which is huge and more like a field than a pub garden except for the half demolished shed in the middle of it. The service was very good and they offer a selection of somewhat pricey food and ales (mainly Wadworths). The pub itself is cosy and welcoming but no entertainment.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	10
Fox & Hounds
Brook Road, Bitterne, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Fox & Hounds is hidden away in the back streets of Bitterne but is well worth a look, it's a small but welcoming pub with darts, pool, and a jukebox. The furnishings are slightly spartan though. Visited 3rd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	11
Freemantle Arms
Albany Road, Freemantle, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Freemantle Arms is another of Southampton's hidden gems, tucked away down a dead end back street, it looks very unassuming from the outside. Its interior is nice although slightly dimly lit. There is no pool or music but there is a dartboard and a selection of board games as well as a boxed microwave (?) Visited 1st April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	10
The Freemantle Hotel
Paynes Road, Freemantle, Southampton
	The Freemantle, sometimes known as the Freemantle Hotel, is a Modern style pub offering two bars which are both very comfortably furnished and very well kept. The toilets an are authentic 1950s design and they looked as good as new. However it was quiet when I visited and there were no entertainment events advertised so it lost points there. It serves Ringwood beer which is an advantage and the service was very good. Visited 1st April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	14
Frog & Frigate
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Frog & Frigate is a 'spit and sawdust' entertainment bar off the beaten track near Ocean Village. Apparently it's very lively at peak times with people dancing on the tables but when I visited it was totally dead. They do have a jukebox, TV, pinball, fussball table and regular live music but no ale. The decor is very 'well worn' but there is an interesting mural on one of the walls. Visited Tuesday 15th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10
Fruit Style Bar
City Centre, Southampton
	The Fruit Style Bar is a recently opened upmarket bar in the High Street. It's very luxurious, instead of ordinary seating, there are sofas with cushions! It has a DJ but no sign of any other entertainment. The luxurious ambience is continued with candles. There are no ales, which is hardly surprising for such an upmarket establishment, in fact the only beer on tap was Beck's. It seemed fairly quiet when I visited on a Friday night. There is an interesting 'House Rules' sign which has amusing touches to it. Visited Friday 11th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	1
		Total (out of 25):	00

Gardener's Arms
Newtown, Southampton
	The Gardener's Arms is the South-Eastern outpost of hostelry in my epic voyage around Southampton's pubs and it's located in Newtown, which is virtually a village in its own right. It looks rather like a 1960s community hall from the outside and this theme continues inside, although it is well kept and generally pleasant, it also has a large beer garden containing the remains of a rusting tractor, presumably to add to the gardening theme. The main bar contains an impressive collection of assorted trophies. However, there was no ale and it was fairly quiet on a Sunday afternoon. It offers pool and darts, as well, as TV. Date visited: 22nd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
The Gate
Burgess Road, Highfield, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Gate is located near Southampton's main university campus although it was fairly quiet when I visited (well it was a Tuesday night). They have two ales available, food, pool, darts and live music. However, the decor looks a little dated and the large open space of the main bar is perhaps a little spartan, it somehow appears to be lacking something. Like the Platform Tavern, there is an adjoining cafe next door. Date visited: Tuesday 8th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	12
The Gatehouse
Padwell Road, Inner Avenue, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Gatehouse is located in the back streets of the inner city and until fairly recently was known as the Royal Arms. It seems to have reinvented itself as an entertainment pub which is a good thing and it has regular live music, DJs and open mic nights, as well as a pool table, jukebox and large TV. It has a fairly good selection of ales including Adnams (fairly rare round these parts). The decor is nice albeit nothing special. Date visited: 24th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	16
Giddy Bridge
London Road, City Centre, Southampton
	The Giddy Bridge is a JD Wetherspoon Free House and is pretty much like any other Wetherspoons pub. The decor is nothing of merit, the furniture seems to be a but crammed in, particularly on the upstairs mezzanine floor. I think it has a roof terrace. Like most Wetherspoons pubs, there is no entertainment at all although this place is always busy, probably due to the excellent prices. There is aLso an excellent choice of ales, when I visited they were in the middle of a Real Ale Festival so you could have three third-of-a-pint glasses of different ales for £1.69! There were about half a dozen different ones to choose from.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	6
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	6
		Total (out of 25):	17
Goblets
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Goblets is one of the better drinking venues in the city centre. While it calls itself a 'wine bar', it has a far more eclectic crowd than the usual inhabitants of wine bars such as Townies and Suited Bores. It is always quite busy, no matter when you visit. It also has a choice of three ales, TVs and a fantastic old fashioned jukebox that is free. The main bar is actually in the basement of the building although there is a small seating area at ground floor level. The decor is nothing outstanding but the exposed air ducts on the ceiling make an interesting feature. Date visited: Tuesday 1st May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	13
Gordon Arms
Portswood Road, Portswood, Southampton
	The Gordon Arms looks like a nice pub from outside and I'm sure it is normally, however I was unfortunate to visit on the same day as a massive group of 20 or 30 Public Schoolboy Upper Class Toff types who were very noisy indeed and had taken over the beer garden. The service at the bar was very slow as well although they do have Bombardier ale. Otherwise, it's nice, the decor is decent enough, perhaps slightly on the dingy side though and they have a jukebox, big TVs and even a bookcase! Update May 2007 This pub is a lot nicer than I originally thought, unfortunately the Upper Class Toffs that were in residence on my last visit spoiled it! Good range of ales, quiz night, TV, good service, fairly busy, food.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	14
The Grapes
Oxford Street, City Centre, Southampton
	A nice enough city centre venue with a vague Titanic theme, however the prices are extortionate - £1 dearer than the cheapest price seen! It has a superb selection of ales and always seems busy and popular, although it is quite small. It features karaoke, pool, a jukebox and TVs. Visited 7th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	14
Griffin, The
Anglesea Road, Shirley, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Oh dear. The Griffin is a huge 1950s vintage pub on the edge of the main Shirley shopping area that has changed its name several times recently, former inn-carnations being the Moose Inn and the Henry Paget. Recently refurbished to a decent standard, the decor is green and nice enough but not outstanding. The front bar is quite green and a bit spartan; it features a piano, jukebox, TVs and pool table while the back bar which is absolutely colossal has a warmer, more inviting colour scheme but never seems to be used. There used to be karaoke nights here but they were cancelled due to Lack Of Interest. Indeed, when I visited on a Friday night, there were only a handful of people in there, dodgy looks abounded and the barmaid was more interested in chatting to the regulars than serving me. I don't know how this pub survives, it has a lot of potential but at the moment doesn't seem to have a lot going for it. Date visited: Friday 4th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	13
Grove Tavern
Woolston, Southampton
	The Grove Tavern is located on a quiet residential street in Woolston and this 1950s vintage pub looks massive from the outside although it doesn't look so big from the inside, the decor being fairly basic. There are two bars and it has London Pride and Whitbread Best on tap, the latter being very good (I've had it in other other pubs and it has been poor) so they obviously care about the quality of their beer here. It has pool, darts and a jukebox and the landlady was very friendly and helpful in giving directions to the remaining establishments on this night's adventure. Date visited: 17th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
Guide Dog
Bevois Valley, Southampton
	The Guide Dog is a small and cosy pub located off the beaten track in the back streets of Bevois Valley. It was very busy when I visited, probably due to the superb range of ales on tap, there were about eight of them to choose from, including some local Hopback and Flowerpots Brewery ones. They also have promotions with some of them being only £2 a pint at times. As previously mentioned, it's a small pub but very homely. They have a dart board and occasional live music. There is no sign of a jukebox but they have loads of CDs behind the bar. Date visited: 27th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	4
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	6
		Total (out of 25):	20
H2O
Onslow Road, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	H2O is a strange kind of place. Outside it looks quite big and boasts loads of neon lighting but inside it's quite small. It has a pool table and apparently a weekly karaoke/disco but no darts or jukebox. No ale. The decor is OK but apart from the nice mural on one of the walls, nothing special. There is a small garden outside. It was dead when I visited. Visited 10th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
Hamptons
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Hamptons is a "Deli Bar" (eh?), however it looks just like any other trendy bar to me. I believe they do food although there was no evidence of this when I visited in the evening. It's quite a small and intimate place and the decor is nothing special, although the wall above the bar has a very long list of different shooters on it. While there may be plenty of shooters, those preferring more grown up refreshments such as a proper pint of British ale will be disappointed. You can have any beer as long as it's Fosters or Kronenburg. The choice is so poor, I docked a point for this. It was fairly dead when I visited, despite the fact there was a half decent blues-rock band playing. As well as live music, they also have comedy nights. Date visited: Wednesday 2nd May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	1
		Total (out of 25):	9
Hare & Hounds
Cheriton Avenue, Harefield, Southampton
	The Hare & Hounds is located at the very edge of the Harefield estate and is one of the farthest outposts of hostelry in my grand expedition to explore all the pubs in Southampton. It is a Modern style pub and when I visited, it appeared a lively and pleasant local, being busier than some of the other pubs I visited the same night. Scores: Price - 2/5 - £2.50 a pint Entertainment - 5/5 - Pool, darts, jukebox and karaoke nights Atmosphere - 2/5 Looks - 2/5 - A little dated but would got 3/5 if I hadn't seen the toilets, they leave a lot to be desired. Beer - 2/5 - Not a lot on offer but well kept. Visited 3rd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	14

The Highfield
Highfield, Southampton
	The Highfield is a large pub, probably of 1950s vintage which contains two bars, a Lounge Bar and a Public Bar. The latter features a pool table and dartboard plus there is a weekly quiz night. The place was very dead when I visited and there are no ales apart from Greene King IPA. While the interior is nice and contemporary, following a fairly recent refurbishment, it is perhaps a little too spartan.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	12
The Hinkler
Hinkler Road, Thornhill, Southampton
	The Hinkler, located in the midst of one of Southampton's most notorious council estates, Thornhill, has something of a reputation for being rough. However, when I visited, there were no signs at all of it being rough (although admittedly this was early on a Tuesday evening). The impression that I got was that The Hinkler was a lively and popular local, offering a good variety of entertainment. The interior is nothing special but is pleasant, comfortable and very well kept. Scores: Prices - 1/5 - £2.60 a pint - too pricey Entertainment - 5/5 - Pool, jukebox, darts, quiz nights, discos Atmosphere - 1/5 - Was a bit dead when I visited Looks - 3/5 - Very well presented although nothing special Beer - Not a lot of choice but well kept. Visited 3rd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	12

The Hobbit
Bevois Valley, Southampton
	The Hobbit is one of my favourite watering holes and deservedly so. It's the kind of pub where everyone and anyone would fit in. Although it is quite popular with students, it is not at all 'cliquey' like some of the other pubs nearby. There is always a very interesting collection of characters in there. The pub itself is on a hill and is unusual in that you enter the main bar at ground level and then you can go down some stairs to another small lounge area and another bar where they have live entertainment of some kind every night of the week. The Open Mic Night on Thursdays is highly recommended as it brings out some of best examples of British eccentricity in the area and some really talented people. The Hobbit also boasts the biggest beer garden I have ever seen, again it is on a hill and kind of laid out a bit like an amphitheatre. It's a bit tatty but that's part of the charm. The beer garden really has to be seen to be believed. It even has it's own burger bar and in the summer hosts one-day festivals. Sometimes you also get outdoor theatre or spoken word and I even witnessed some Morris Dancing once! It really is the sort of place where anything can happen! The jukebox is also of note, you can tell a lot about a pub by looking at the most requested songs on the jukebox and The Hobbit's is very good and quite eclectic. It wasn't too busy when I visited but can get packed sometimes. They have a couple of ales on and a selection of famous pint glass cocktails in various bright colours (named after Lord Of The Rings characters; Gollum, the green one is my personal favourite). Also a pool table.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	6
		Atmosphere:	6
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	23
Hogshead (NOW CLOSED)
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Hogshead is one of a chain of pubs that are actually one of the better chain pub brands. That said, it's nothing special. When I visited on Monday night, it was totally dead. There's a large bar downstairs and another large bar upstairs but the upstairs was closed when I visited, probably due to Lack Of Interest. Surprisingly, it does not appear to have a website. There is a pool table but no evidence of any other entertainment. It has two real ales on tap and also serves food and the interior is fairly decent. If you want a nice quiet drink or a meal in the heart of town, this is ideal. Date visited: 16th April 2007 Update 8th May 2007: I went past this place yesterday and noticed it has ceased trading permanently. Work is underway to convert it into a 'Slug & Lettuce' pub.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	9
Honest Lawyer
Lodge Road, Southampton
	The Honest Lawyer is a fairly small pub located in the busy student district of Bevois Valley, however it is very much a traditional British pub. The decor is lovely and traditional and very well kept and they have a couple of ales on tap. There is a jukebox and a separate games room containing the usual pool table and dart board. It was fairly quiet when I visited, despite it being a Friday night, however it was a welcome oasis of tranquility where I could actually sit down for a quiet drink. Date visited: 27th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
Hop Inn

	The Hop Inn looks fairly unassuming from the outside, however like the nearby Castle Inn, it is well worth a visit. The building is kind of triangular and features two bars, a main bar and a sports bar featuring the usual pool, darts and a jukebox. The main bar has an open fire. They have regular quiz nights and Bombardier ale is available. There is a beer garden which is well worth a look. It features what looks like the metal framework of a roof but without any roof covering, a guinea pig/rabbit hutch (which appeared to be vacant when I visited) and some very nice murals. Visited 7th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	16
Horns Inn
Romsey Road, Rownhams, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Horns Inn was a country pub once upon a time, however it is now on the edge of the sprawling suburb of Lordshill although it is still a very pleasant pub. The pub loses a point for attractiveness due to the badly peeling paint on the front exterior walls, however, inside it is nice enough. The main bar is perhaps a little dimly lit but there is a bright and airy non smoking restaurant area and ample seating outdoors. I could not see any sign of any entertainment but it is friendly and was fairly busy at lunchtime. They do good value food and a very good range of ales, including HSB! Visited Friday 18th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	11
Hotshots
Leisure World, City Centre, Southampton
	Hotshots is more of an amusement arcade than a pub as it features numerous arcade machines, pool tables, tenpin bowling, loads of TVs and occasional DJs. It was very dead when I visited (Sunday night) and the bouncers outside are a very unnecessary permanent fixture. The closest you'll get to real ale is Boddington's.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	5
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	00
Humble Plum
Commercial Street, Bitterne, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Humble Plum is hidden away from main roads but is well worth a visit. I would even go as far as to describe it as Bitterne's best pub. While it scores low for entertainment, it has a splendid range of proper ales, including four guest beers which were well kept. The pub was very busy when I visited, despite it being the quietest night of the week, obviously a sign of its popularity and the interior is very cosy and welcoming with a log fire. They also do a good range of food but I did not sample this so cannot comment. Visited 3rd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	6
		Total (out of 25):	15
The Ice House
Warren Avenue, Shirley Warren, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	This pub is an interesting place. Once you've got past the Elvis fixation and the mirror tile clad DJ booth, it looks like somebody's living room. A corner of the pub had odds and ends spread all over the place and the DJ booth has CDs and other paraphernalia arranged in a haphazard fashion that is unusual in a pub. It also has an ordinary TV on an ordinary TV stand, no wall-mounted TVs here! All this gives it a unique character and it is a generally welcoming and homely pub with lots of entertainment, such as karaoke and quiz nights every week. Visited 4th April 2007 Update November 2007 Have made a couple of lunchtime visits to this place as I kind of like it! Good for a quiet drink watching the news on TV. Haven't been in at night though.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	17
Isobar
St Marys Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Isobar is a 'gay' pub but certainly nothing special. When I visited it was very dead, however it does have a beer garden which is unusual for city centre pubs. No ale and no entertainment except for TVs although I guess they might have DJs at the weekend. Date visited: Tuesday 1st May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	7
Joe Daflos
Commercial Road, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Jo Daflos is a large wine bar/restaurant located in an old church building and while the interior is eyecatching, it isn't as good as I expected it to be, it is very white and doesn't really look much like a church any more inside. The first thing that struck me was the fact that the clientele were almost exclusively female - hardly any men at all depsite the fact that it was fairly busy. There is no ale at all but more than fifty different types of wine stacked up high behind the bar (so high that some of them are impossible to reach so they are obviously there more for effect than for use). The upper mezzanine floor is exclusively for diners while us lower forms who just want a drink are limited to the ground floor. The service was terrible and the highly overpriced lager I bought was badly kept and tasted of cleaning chemicals. Visited Friday 18th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	1
		Total (out of 25):	00
Jones Wine Bar
??, City Centre, Southampton
	Jones Wine Bar is a 1960s vintage bar that has had many names over the years, recently becoming Jones Wine Bar. The decor is pleasant and contemporary with some nice paintings and an authentic vintage 1960s staircase. It has live music nights but no other signs of any entertainment apart from the 60s Hammond Soul style backing music. Funky dude. No ales here and it was very dead on Tuesday night except for the odd Suited Bore, for whom this type of establishment is their main haunt.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
Junction Inn
St Denys, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Fabulous atmosphere. The layout is odd, you go in and it looks small but if you go far enough around, you get to the main bar area which is a decent size and very homely. There was a table with a few people sitting around it and they suddenly started playing music on accordion and guitar and singing. Fantastic! Also pool, darts, bar billiards (a rarity nowadays), good selection of proper beer, a friendly dog and a well-stocked bookcase. I have booked a repeat visit. Visited 5th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	20
Kelly's
City Centre, Southampton
	Kelly's is a popular bar located in the basement of a shop building in trendy London Road. It doesn't have any ale but there is a reasonable range of the usual big brand beers on draught. There are no bar games but DJs playing proper music such as party tunes and classics and there is a karaoke night every week too. I visited early on a Friday night and it was pretty quiet but I can imagine it gets busy later on. The interior is decent enough, fairly contemporary and perhaps a little on the dim side but nothing of note except for loads of disco lights on the ceiling. Visited Friday 11th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	6
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	00
Key & Anchor
Shirley Road, Freemantle, Southampton
Photo coming soon	The Key And Anchor is located in the back streets of Freemantle and is a fairly average 'local' pub featuring pool and a jukebox (which was not working when I visited). There are handpumps but they were all turned round out of use. Decent enough décor but nothing special particularly. Visited 8th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
King Alfred
Northam Road, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Located very close to the St Mary's Stadium, this pub is understandably very sport orientated and has loads of TVs. Despite the fact there were only a few people in there, it took ages to get served. The layout is strange - the loos are located downstairs off the front door. The decor is shiny and new but quite nice. London Pride on offer. The pub features occasional live music at weekends. Visited 4th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	12
King George
Oakley Road, Shirley, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The King George is located on the edge of Shirley and is a typical Mock Tudor suburban pub dating from the 1930s. Inside, it offers all the usual facilities and has a pleasant, new-looking interior. A couple of Courage ales are available but no other proper beer. It also hosts a weekly karaoke night. Visited 4th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	14

King's Arms
Church Street, Shirley, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The King's Arms, located conveniently for Shirley's shops, looks small from the outside, however it goes back a long way. The decor is rather blue, albeit a bit spartan in places but the seating is comfy. Jukebox, pool, darts, TV. No ale. Fairly dead when I visited. Date visited: 12th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
Kingsland Tavern
St Mary's Street, City Centre, Southampton
	The Kingsland Tavern is located in the St Marys area of the city and like the nearby Plume Of Feathers has something of a bad reputation. While it has a good jukebox which was belting out the classics, pool, darts and TV, it has no ale and the decor is best appreciated through dark glasses - a combination of Postbox Red and Daffodil Yellow and it just looks very dated and in need of a good scrub up. It was also very smoky although not really unfriendly - it was fairly busy too! Date visited: 24th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
Kolebka
Bevois Valley, Southampton
	Kolebka is a recently-opened Polish themed jazz bar in the Bevois Valley area of the city, however when I visited, it was fairly quiet and there were no signs of Polish-ness apart from the sign advertising numerous different types of Polish vodka. Even the barman was English! Not being a spirits person, I sampled their range of guest beers which was highly commendable. At weekends, it has live jazz music but when I visited, there was just background music. The decor is nice, albeit nothing special apart from the glass chess sets at some of the tables, all pubs should have chessboards if you ask me.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	11

Lizard Lounge
Bedford Place, City Centre, Southampton
	A popular student venue in the trendy Bedford Place area of the city, the Lizard Lounge is a large and very contemporary styled bar. The decor fweatures some large lampshades and fabulous 60s supermarket style flooring. It has a pool table and DJs most nights but no TV (which is an advantage when all the other nearby pubs are heaving with football supporters). it was fairly quiet and has no ale at all. The lager I had was poorly kept.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	1
		Total (out of 25):	10
London Hotel
Terminus Terrace, City Centre, Southampton
	This is a 'gay' pub although when I visited you wouldn't guess if you didn't know apart from the very theatrical atmosphere and rather camp quizmaster. The décor is incredibly lavish and the bar is square in the centre of the room. Strange place. Visited 4th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
Lord Palmerston
Palmerston Road, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The decor is horrid - lurid bright blue and red which clashes badly and apart from that, the decor looks spartan. No ale. Dead. Not particularly friendly. Apparently has karaoke nights. Pool, TV and jukebox. Visited 10th April 2007 Update December 2007 Every time I go past, it appears dead or closed. No sign of any entertainment.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10
Malvern Tavern
Winchester Road, Shirley, Southampton
	The Malvern is a large food-orientated pub located in the pleasant Upper Shirley area of the city. Part of the 'Spirit' pub group (like the nearby Bellemoor, it offers an extensive menu at reasonable prices but also has a jukebox, dartboard and pool table. On my first visit to this pub, the jukebox ate my money but I am pleased to see that the offending contraption has been removed and replaced with a new one now. There's not a lot in the way of ales except for Greene King IPA (which was Off) and Bombardier. It's always fairly busy, mainly with diners but pretty harmless. Update December 2007 Had a works Christmas meal in here, 'twas not bad. Fairly busy trade for food.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	14
The Manor (Shirley)
Shirley High Street, Southampton
	Like The Crown opposite, The Manor has had a very recent refurbishment and rebranding. Formerly the Shirley Hotel, this prominent corner pub has a bit of a bad reputation but major structural works have taken place and it is now a lot bigger than it used to be and the decor is very contemporary, minimalist, white, trendy and 'shiny'. They have regular live music, including some good tribute bands although when I went there was just a DJ playing bland chart rubbish. The place was also very dead indeed which was surprising for a Friday night. Like most trendy pubs, there is no ale but it does have a jukebox and pool, as well as TVs featuring live feeds from the CCTV cameras. Date visited: Friday 4th May 2007 Update November 2007 I haven't been in here lately but have heard they've upped the ante with entertainment with karaoke and regular themed disco nights as well as live music.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
Manor House
Woolston, Southampton
	The Manor House is a huge pub on a bland housing estate in Woolston, my first attempt at finding it failed but unfortunately, I found it the second time. It looks like a place that could do with a little tender loving care, the interior is very Postmodern and probably hasn't been refurbished since the late 80s. It is also very green. It has a stage which is empty and no sign of any activities to utilise it. It has a jukebox and a dart board and an empty space that looks like it was designed to house a pool table although said table was nowhere to be seen. There is no ale and the place was dead. Very dead. Date visited: 22nd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	8
Miller's Pond
Sholing, Southampton
	The Miller's Pond is a Wadworth pub located adjacent to the tranquil oasis of calm that is the pond itself which the pub takes its name from. The layout is strange, from ground level, it looks closed as all the windows are blacked out and there is no door. To enter, you have to go through the beer garden and the pub itself is at basement level! The decor is nice and the beer garden is even better, being large and located on a pleasant slope. It offers a good selection of real ales (mainly Wadworth's ones obviously), a pool table and a regular quiz night. It probably has food as well, however it was dead-ish when I visited. Date visited: 22nd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	15
The Mitre
Portswood Road, Portswood, Southampton
	The Mitre is a popular and very large pub in the heart of the Portswood shopping area. It boasts a beer "Garden" although in reality, it is more of a patio and was not very pleasant when I visited due to some idiot leaving a noisy engine running in the nearby bus depot. It has three pool tables, big TV, table football and a jukebox and has a quiz night every Sunday and occasional live music. It serves Greene King ales but no other ales and also serves food. It seemed pretty busy when I visited, perhaps due to the televised football and the only place to sit was outside. The decor is nice but nothing special.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	16
Mono
Vernon Walk (off Bedford Place), City Centre, Southampton
	This fairly compact bar in the back streets of Southampton's trendy Bedford Place area recently won an award for the best venue in the city. I can't see why. Drinks are expensive, there are no ales and the only entertainment is DJs. On the plus side, the very contemporary interior is nice and it seemed quite busy.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
Mountbatten, The
Lordshill District Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Mountbatten is a fairly modern (1970s/80s) pub situated in the heart of the Lordshill estate, along with local shops, a library and bingo hall. The exterior is unassuming, with 'U' shaped windows and brickwork. The interior is equally unassuming, and the exposed internal brickwork and artexted lintels and ceiling truly give it that 70s/80s look. However, the decor is generally pleasant and well kept, part from being very smoky but that problem will be gone come July, hurrah! They serve a good selection of food at good prices and have one ale, Ringwood Best on tap. Entertainment takes the form of TVs, background music and disco/karaoke/quiz nights. If there is a jukebox or bar games, I couldn't see them. The pub also boasts a function room. When I visited at lunchtime, it was fairly busy, mainly with older people having meals. Not sure I would visit at night though due to the location but it certainly seems pleasant enough by day.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	12
Obelisk
Woolston, Southampton
	The Obelisk is a huge old pub located off the beaten track in Woolston. It has two bars, one being a 'public' bar and the other being more of a restaurant. They have a carvery on Sundays and a good selection of ales, including London Pride, Ringwood's and Flowers. There is a jukebox, pool and darts but it was pretty dead when I visited. Date visited: 17th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	11
Old Farmhouse
Mount Pleasant Road, Bevois Valley, Southampton
	The Old Farmhouse is, as the name suggests, a converted farmhouse although it has been a public house for over 100 years. However, the landscape around it has changed and it is now sandwiched between a railway depot and a cement works, on the edge of a notoriously seedy district of the city. The decor is very rustic, with exposed beams and a wooden floor and it's quite a small place. It has a separate room with a pool table and jukebox and a huge beer garden. I also believe they do food although there was no evidence of this when I visited. It was fairly busy when I visited and quite friendly. They have a couple of ales including London Pride. Date visited: 26th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
The Old Fat Cat
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Old Fat Cat is a typical city centre shop-unit pub which was formerly a gas showroom. It has been refurbished a few times but while it's huge, is nothing special. They have DJs at the weekend, live music occasionaly, open mic nights I think and a karaoke night on Thursday featuring a DJ who never shows any emotion. They also have a pool table and some games machines and I think they serve food. However, there is no ale and it was totally dead when I visited. It was so quiet that the bar staff were all busy polishing tables which accounted for the strong Aroma Du Pledge. Date visited: Wednesday 2nd May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10
Orange Rooms
Vernon Walk (off London Road), Southampton
	As the name suggests, this place is quite Orange, however the decor is fab in a 70s Retro kind of way. Brown and orange wallpaper of the kind you hoped you'd never see again, loads of disco balls and those awful concrete patterned see through bricks (hard to describe) that graced many a garden wall. The place is a bit pretentious really although I recommend a look just to see the decor. Outside it's nothing special apart from the two Orange Mod scooters, I forgot to mention, there's an Orange Chopper bike upstairs (the upstairs is strange). They do food but I suspect it's very pricey, the drinks certainly are and there are only four beers to choose from, none of which are very special. When I visited there was no entertainment (other than the elevator music in the background) but I believe they have proper DJs - none of of this business of an old bloke playing Status Quo and Elvis records but somebody playing crappy dance records you've never heard of and are instantly forgettable and mixing them with other equally dirgy tunes in the interests of Break Beats and all dat funk. Yeah, whatever. Visited 10th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	5
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	11

The Osbourne
Shirley Road, Freemantle, Southampton
	A very sports-orientated pub with large TVs and darts, it also features weekly disco and quiz nights plus the odd karaoke competition, however the regulars often seem hostile to strangers. Visited 5th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	11
Oxfords
City Centre, Southampton
	Oxford's is one of several dull pretentious upmarket restaurants in trendy Oxford Street. It's quite large but the vast majority of the space is given over to dining, with there only being a few chairs for the 'wet trade'. However, the whole place is non-smoking which is a bonus although with the prices they charge for drinks, they can probably afford to lose those who smoke. While there is an unparralelled selection of wines, there are only two beers on tap, both being the usual brands of lager. No entertainment apart from the usual schmaltzy backing music. Visited Thursday 10th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	1
		Total (out of 25):	00
Park Hotel
Shirley Road, Freemantle, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Park Hotel, located conveniently on Shirley Road and a short walk from the railway station is one of Freemantle's best pubs. The current landlord, Matt Dean, has extensively refurbished this once unfashionable venue which had horrid dark purple walls and created one of Freemantle's best venues. The Park boasts an unusually high ceiling throughout which gives it a certain ambience and the main area is pretty large. The Park features a pool table, darts and jukebox and food is usually available. The drinks are the cheapest in the area and Happy Hour deals make the Park even better value. There is a weekly curry/quiz night, two karaoke nights and a disco night or two every week. There are usually at least two ales on tap, including some excellent locally brewed White Star Brewery ones and at £2 a pint for some of them, you can't go wrong! Visited 1st April 2007 Update September 2007 Unfortunately, this pub has been going downhill during the last year or so. While real ales are occasionally available, it seems that more often that not there are not any. Food has not been served for ages and judging by the state of the kitchen, there is no intention to resume this. Curry and quiz nights are no more and the only live entertainment is a disco on Friday, and karaoke on Saturdays and Sundays although the Saturday karaoke is best described as poor, particularly the selection of songs available. Friday and Saturday nights are usually dead in this pub though and I think even if Elvis was still alive and performed live in there, it would still be dead. The turnover of staff since the last review has also been very high. However, by far the worst thing about this pub and in my opinion in need of urgent attention are the gent's loos. No hot water, filthy floor, no paper and often very pungent smells make the loos a no go area. Revised scores: Price 6 - still cheaper than most pubs locally; Entertainment 4 - not bad but needs more people in; Atmosphere 2 - it's all gone quiet; beer 3 - ales need to be more consistently available; Attractiveness; 1 - sorry, but the state of the gent's loos is worth a deduction of two points. TOTAL: 16	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	6
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	16
Park Inn
37 Carlisle Road, Shirley, Southampton
	The Park Inn is located off the beaten track in the back streets of Shirley, however it is only a stone's throw from the main shopping area and well worth a look. A Wadworth's pub, it offers a fairly good selection of ales, including of course Wadworth 6X and Henry's IPA. The only entertainment is a popular dart board and quiz night but it was very busy when I visited although most of the patrons were middle aged or older! The decor is comfortable enough and fairly traditional, but nothing of note apart from the selection of beer glasses hanging up. Date visited: Friday 4th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	15
Pear Tree Inn
Peartree Green, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Pear Tree Inn seems like a nice enough place. It's a 50s-ish building (the original pub on the site was bombed in WWII) with a slightly over-bearing patterned carpet but nice enough decor. It has TVs but fortunately, this was a football-free zone as they were turned off. Pool and darts, jukebox, quiz night on Sundays and karaoke on Saturdays. No sign of any ale though. Date visited: 17th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
Pensioners Arms
Carlton Place, Southampton
	The Pensioners has a very sport orientated theme and the first thing you see on entering is a sign boasting that it is the home of the Official Saints Supporters Club. It has TVs and a jukebox but no pool or darts; it also hosts quiz nights and somewhat surprisingly, live music (it's a small pub). It was fairly dead when I visited apart from a few people watching the football on TV. Trouble is, everywhere is going to be dead when the final edition of 'Life On Mars' is on TV! A few Greene King ales but nothing special. Visited 10th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
Percy Arms
Commercial Street, Bitterne, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Percy Arms is located off the beaten track near Bitterne Health Centre, it is a very compact pub with darts, pool and I believe a weekly disco. It is welcoming but small and the décor is very basic and spartan. It was also dead when I visited. Visited 3rd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10

Pig 'n' Whistle
Shirley Road, Freemantle, Southampton
	Formerly the Sidford Arms, The Pig & Whistle is one of Freemantle's best venues for live entertainment wsith weekly disco, karaoke and quiz nights as well as full pool and darts facilities. The décor, while not exceptional, is comfortable and decent. Visited 5th April 2007 Update November 2007 Lots of 'trouble' here recently and the pub has lost its music licence so no more karaoke.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	14
Pitcher & Piano
Ocean Village, City Centre, Southampton
	The Pitcher And Piano is a chain of bars/restaurants that often seem to crop up in waterside locations. I was expecting it to be pretentious but it wasn't too bad in the end, apart from seeing somebody slipping up on the highly polished shiny wood floor. Unlike the nearby Banana Wharf, it is mainly a bar with a small restaurant area. The decor here is superbly modern, featuring a funky clock and 60s style stone wall. It was fairly busy but anonymous and there is no entertainment apart from a TV showing adverts for the venue and background music, (no sign of the piano!) however they do have Marston's Pedigree on tap, a nice suprise. Visited Thursday 10th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	00
Platform Tavern
Town Quay, City Centre, Southampton
	The Platform Tavern, located on the waterfront, is one of Southampton's best live music pubs, it's a very intimate venue with comfortable chairs and it has a very 'chilled' atmosphere. The decor is quite dark, with subdued lighting and rich colours. They have a good selection of newspapers there and a recently opened restaurant which seems to specialise in seafood. There is live music every Thursday and Sunday, with an emphasis on blues and jazz, when I visited on a Friday night, they just had a DJ playing weird music but it was busy-ish. There is a good selection of real ales including some locally brewed White Star ones. Date visited: 27th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	15
Plume Of Feathers
St Mary's Street, City Centree, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	This stone-clad pub looks imposing from the outside but inside it looks very rough and tatty with brown paint. It probably hasn't been redecorated since the 1950s., The clientele were 'enjoying' the seemingly perpetual country & western music on the jukebox. Barman with vest. On the plus side, it contains darts and a piano - not many pubs with a piano these days. Visited 4th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	11
Poletrix
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	A recently-opened venue that caters for the less sophisticated 'gentleman', when I went in here I didn't know quite what I was letting myself in for. Technically, it is excluded from the project as it doesn't open til the evening, however it was open when I passed so in I went, not before being given a full explanation of the House Rules by the Bouncer (no touching etc...). Oh dear, I didn't realise it was THAT kind of venue. Well, there was no turning back now so in I went to this den of iniquity. There were a few scantily clad ladies whose job it is to offer the clientele a 'private dance' which comes in two flavours according to what you want to pay. I politely declined, swiftly sank my drink and left. There is no ale and no entertainment (unless you count ogling as entertainment) and the atmosphere is seedy. A real gentleman doesn't pay for that sort of thing. Date visited: Tuesday 1st May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	6
The Quayside
West Quay Road, City Centre, Southampton
	The name of this establishment implies that it enjoys a pleasant waterside loocation but you'd be wrong. Instead, it offers panoramic views of a dual carriageway on one side and a large tin shed masquerading as a cinema on the other side, there's no quay to be seen! None the less, this huge pub features a very lavish (although not original) interior, pool and occasional DJs. They also do food but there is no ale. It was totally dead when I visited though.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
Que Pasa
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Que Pasa is a fairly new 'pub', until a few years ago, it was a shop unit then it was converted into a drinking establishment called 'Toad In The Park'. Not surprisingly for a pub with such a silly name, it didn't last long and mutated into its current form, a trendy, somewhat pretentious bar serving Tapas (whatever that may be; what's wrong with Chicken In A Basket?) and a delightful range of exotic beers that can only be found in any pub in the country. No ales at all. The loos smelled unpleasant and contained a selection of bluebottles that would fascinate Chris Packham (I docked a point for this). The place was busy-ish but anonymous. They have a posh DJ at the weekend but that's all the entertainment you get. It's probably nice in the daytime when you can sit outside. Date visited: 16th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10
Queensland Tavern
Clovelly Road, City Centre, Southampton
	The Queensland Tavern is tucked away in the back streets of an inner city area and often seems to be closed. There were only three people in there when I visited and I think they were all staff! The place is rather white and rather tatty but it does have pool, darts, TV and a jukebox - no ales though. Date visited: 24th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10
Red Lion (High Street)
High Street, City Centre, Southampton
	The Red Lion is the oldest and most historic pub in Southampton and it's still going strong today. A far cry from the modern trendy bars up the road, this place just oozes history. There are plenty of Mock Tudor pubs in the city but this is the real thing - the conspirators that plotted to murder King Henry V were put on trial in this pub! The main bar is a double height space with a gallery above offering more seating and a dart board. There is a huge old fireplace and loads of historic artifacts. Behind the main bar room is a cosy restaurant area - the pub does good traditional pub food at sensible prices. The pub also contains an absolutely gorgeous grey parrot in a cage and he's really tame and let me scratch his neck for him. They have a few ales on tap but they're quite pricey. There is also a jukebox. I can highly recommend this pub, it is a must-see. Date visited: 27th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	6
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	15
Red Lion (Bedford Place)
Bedford Place, City Centre, Southampton
	A very football orientated pub. Apart from lots of TVs, no entertainment. Was dead when I visited. London Pride and Ringwood beers on offer (although the Ringwood was off when I visited). It looks very shiny and new. Nothing special. Visited 4th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	9
Red Lion (Bitterne)
Bitterne Road, Bitterne, Southampton
	The Red Lion is located at the top end of Bitterne shopping precinct, however it is distinctly average inside, the décor being dated and slightly tatty. The pub does meals, however these were not sampled on this visit. It was also dead when I visited. Visited 3rd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	7
Reflex
Off Bedford Place, City Centre, Southampton
	The Reflex is a recently opened (the building previously housed The Academy) massive 1980s themed bar, part of a growing nationwide chain. Strictly speaking, it's not really a pub as it only opens in the evening but as they open early-ish (7pm) compared to other nightclubs, and plus the fact I am a child of the 80s, I thought I'd give it a try. The 80s theme is everywhere and very over the top. There are dozens of disco balls, mirrored tiles, fab lighting effects and a huge, light-up dance floor. The place is absolutely massive and as well as the main bar on the ground floor, there is a mezzanine floor above one end with another bar. The decor is really worth seeing, it's so colourful and oh-so-80s! However despite the fact it was about 8:20pm and they'd been open for well over an hour, it was totally dead. In fact I was the only customer but it was nice to have the place to myself! There were also two girls dancing on the stage, bit of a waste of time when there's nobody in there! No bar games (except some arcade machines) and definitely no ale although the beer is served in funky chunky tumblers rather than the usual boring plain glasses.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	6
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	14
Regents Park Hotel
Regents Park Road, Shirley, Southampton
	The Regent's Park is a huge Mock Tudor pub located in the Regent's Park area of the city, near the recently closed BAT tobacco works. I must say I wasn't expecting too much as it looks like a typical suburban estate pub, however I was pleasantly surprised. When I visited, they had a barbecue going on in the (fairly small) garden and some kids playing at being a DJ. It seems friendly and the service was good, what surprised me was the number of kids in there but it shows the vital role a pub serves to the local community. They also have a pool table and table football but the only ale was Courage Best. The gents are also of note, you have to go downstairs into the basement and they look like they something straight out of the 1930s, fabulous. Visited Sunday 20th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	00
Richmond Inn
Portswood Road, Portswood, Southampton
	The Richmond Inn is exactly what a pub should look like. Unlike the other pubs in the area, it wasn't too busy. It has two bars, an ordinary bar and Lounge Bar. The Lounge Bar is nice and cosy and has a really old fashioned metal till which is still being used! A great talking point. The guy behind the bar was very friendly and the selection of ales was very good. Then I saw the garden which is incredible! It's really well kept and has a lot of character. They also had some CAMRA leaflets which is a good idea. Entertainment is a bit lacking but it's a small pub and does have darts and a nice old jukebox.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	14
The Rover
Shirley Road, Freemantle, Southampton
	A typical town pub with nothing special to offer really. No ales at all, good jukebox, pool and darts, usually fairly busy. The décor looks a bit dated (very green!) and carries a football theme, such as football scarves and pictures. Visited 8th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	11
Royal Oak
Houndwell Place, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	From the outside, The Royal Oak looks dull, perhaps even univiting. Forming the corner of a 1960s shopping centre, it is nothing to look at from the outside. However, you should never judge a book by its cover because this is a very welcoming and lively pub. The Royal Oak has one of the best entertainment schedules of any pub in town with karaoke, live music, themed nights, open mic nights and live music on a regular basis. Being close to the student accomodation in St Marys, it is naturally popular with the students and can get quite busy, however I have never seen any trouble in there (although somebody once stole a urinal from the gents toilets - said article was recovered and now hanging on the wall!). The landlord and staff are very friendly and the only thing I can say agsinst the place is the drinks are generally a bit more expensive than other pubs although they do have deals sometimes. Pool, darts, table football, big TVs and a good jukebox too plus the barmaids are gorgeous! Visited 2nd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	6
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	16
Saints, The
? Road, Millbrook, Southampton
	The Saints is one of those pubs where the reputation goes before it. Unfortunately in this case, the reputation is bad. From the outside, the pub looks derelict, upon first seeing it, my first thought was that it looked closed. The car park out the front is as rough as the building itself. I saw a fire door propped open and assumed it must be builders at work in there but to my surprise, it was open although it looks even more sorry for itself inside. The interior is dated, battered and very tatty but I don't blame whoever runs the place for not doing it up as it is being pulled down in the near future to make way for new flats and a new, albeit smaller pub. The walls have holes in which makes it look like somebody has been punching them and the barstools were held together with duct tape. The Saints is massive inside and as well as the vast, high-ceilinged Games Room, there is a Function Room. It was dead when I visited at lunchtime with only one regular in residence but the barmaid was friendly enough and was talking about the uncertain future of the pub. There was a rooftop protest and a petition when the plans for demolishing the place were proposed although all it seemed to achieve is a stay of execution. It has a pool table and jukebox (the latter was either switched off or broken) and no ale or food. Date visited: 12th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	1
		Total (out of 25):	6
Salisbury Arms
Shirley Road, Shirley, Southampton
	The Salisbury Arms is a long-established pub on the busy Shirley High Street. It has a rectangular bar you can walk round all sides of! Apart from that, the decor is nothing special and a bit dingy in places (one corner of the pub was in total darkness!). They had a karaoke night in full swing when I visited but it was still fairly dead. The Friday night karaoke market in Shirley is pretty much saturated. It also has regular quiz nights and TV but no sign of any bar games or jukebox. No sign of any ales except Greene King IPA, seeing that this is a Greene King pub that is to be expected. This place has a lot of potential but it's not being fulfilled. Date visited: Friday 4th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	11
Seymour's
Carlton Place, City Centre, Southampton
	A typical 'trendy bar' with the obligatory bouncers. Small and fairly busy on Friday night when I visited but not packed. A rather Anonymous place. The decor is decent enough but nothing special apart from the interesting display of multi-coloured swirly drinking straws. DJ every night of the week apparently. They were actually playing some half-decent music when I was in there but no bar games. Real Ale? Don't be silly.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	10
Shield And Dagger
Stratton Road, Shirley, Southampton
	Located on the edge of a large 1960s housing estate, the Shield & Dagger is hidden away from all the through roads surrounding it so it's quite elusive! It is a Modern pub and the decor is fairly modern inside. All the tables have condiments on which suggest it does food and there are several tanks of tropical fish which are a nice focal point. Like the Bricklayer's Arms, the light in the gents does not work! It has pool, darts, TVs and a jukebox and apparently, live entertainment on Fridays. It also has a beer garden and taxi telephone numbers displayed prominently which is a good idea. It is a Wadworth pub and 6X and Henry's are available on tap. It was fairly busy-ish when I visited. Date visited: 12th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	17
Ship Inn (Redbridge)
Redbridge, Southampton
	The Ship Inn is a lovely pub located on the South Western edge of the city. Once upon a time, it would have been a delightful country pub on the main road between Southampton and Totton, however it is now dwarfed by a massive dual carriageway overbridge which carries the new main road to Totton and as such, The Ship and the nearby Anchor are now located on a back road. The pub has a lot of heritage and a large and very well kept beer garden. The interior is just as good, it is large but cosy and welcoming with a vague nautical theme and there are several different rooms. They do reasonably priced food and three ales on tap, however there is no entertainment. When I visited on a Sunday afternoon, it was fairly quiet. Visited Sunday 20th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	5
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	12
SoBar
Bevois Valley, Southampton
	The SoBar is a fairly recently opened pub in the student-centric Bevois Valley area of the city. It always seems quite busy and usually has a live DJ most nights, sometimes playing good stuff! The decor is very contemporary and there is a huge beer garden. It has pool, table football and a vintage Space Invaders game, however there was no sign of any ale when I visited, however they do food at reasonable prices. It's a good jack-of-all-trades pub really. Date visited: 26th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	5
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	15
South Western Arms
St Denys, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Being located right next to St Denys station, this pub understandably has a bit of a railway theme to it, including some old station signs. The décor is very wooden and you can see the beams of the roof, no ceiling here! There is a mezzanine floor upstairs containing a pool table and seating while downstairs often features live music. There is also the best selection of proper beer I have seen in Southampton, including some locally brewed ales. Highly recommended. Visited 5th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	5
		Attractiveness:	5
		Beer:	6
		Total (out of 25):	23
Spike Islander
Sholing, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Spike Islander is a fairly nice pub with two bars (sort of), however there was no evidence of any ale. It appears quite homely, particularly in the lounge-type bar. It was fairly dead when I visited and the only entertainment is a big TV, pool and darts. Date visited: 24th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	11
Sporting View, The
Sports Centre, Lordswood, Southampton
	As the name suggests, the Sporting View is situated within Southampton's excellent outdoor sports centre and it offers a panoramic view across the centre. The location is lovely, it could almost be rural if you didn't know otherwise and the building is a splendid 1930s Art Deco pavilion, however the interior is perhaps a little tatty and in need of a lick of paint. The beer was superb value and while there isn't a lot of choice in the ale department, Theakston's was on offer. As would be expected on a sunny Saturday afternoon, it was fairly busy. It has a pool table, dart board, TVs and events - the day I visited was set up with real bales of hay for a Barn Dance in the evening! Date visited: 21st April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	4
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	00
The Square
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Square is a massive bar located inside a converted cinema, the architects have made full use of the interior space and created the largest bar I have ever seen, it is about four floors high and has several different levls of terracing with a huge hot air balloon with a video wall suspecnded from it as the centrepiece. Very impressive. They have a DJ playing various chart/dance stuff at weekends but no ale or bar games. They do food during the day. Visited Friday 11th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	5
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	00
St Denys Hotel
Priory Road, St Denys, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	This is a strange pub. Like many, it has two bars but I could see no way of entering the larger of the two so this review is based entirely on the smaller bar. Very small, good music being played on the jukebox, plus a dartboard. Quite lively, however, the beer I had was tasteless and flat. Visited 5th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	1
		Total (out of 25):	11
Standing Order
High Street, City Centre, Southampton
	The Standing Order is a huge Wetherspoon's pub in the High Street - it used to be a bank hence the name! Like most Wetherspoon pubs, you know exactly what to expect - good value food, low drinks prices and no entertainment, although they have been known to get the TV out in the case of major sporting events. Like most Wetherspoons, the range of ales is superb, however there is little atmosphere and this place is looking rather tatty in places with torn seats etc. I also ordered fish and chips in here a few months ago and it came out almost stone cold! Time for a refurb/change of management methinks. Visited Thursday 10th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	6
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	6
		Total (out of 25):	00
Station Hotel (Bitterne)
Bitterne, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Station, as the name suggests, is located near Bitterne railway station (which is actually quite a way from the main part of Bitterne). I get the impression it is a foodie- type pub but the place is absolutely massive! It boasts TVs, pool, two jukeboxes and a Sunday pub quiz. Greene King IPA and Old Speckled Hen were on offer. It seemed fairly busy for a Tuesday night. The decor is nice (contemporary) but nothing special. Date visited: 17th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
The Stile (Burgess Road)
Burgess Road, Highfield, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Stile is located adjacent to the main campus of Southampton University and as part of the 'Spirit' pub group, it does the usual food offering - a varied menu at reasonable prices. The pub is light and has a lot of windows which is nice. It was fairly busy when I visited and has newspapers, a weekly quiz night plus a selection of board games are available from the bar. It has four ales on offer including some not often seen arouind these parts. Date visited: Tuesday 8th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	16
The Stile (Freemantle)
Shirley Road, Freemantle, Southampton
	The Stile is a Biker's pub and this is clearly evident from the shiny Harley's parked outside to the bike-themed décor to the heavy rock music on the jukebox to the leather-jacket clad patrons. While this is a bit intimidating to a non-biker like me, the place seemed friendly enough and offers good music (if you like rock!), darts and pool as well as a couple of ales, however I was given a short measure!!! Visited 8th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
Stoneham Arms
Bassett Green Road, Southampton
	The Stoneham Arms is a huge Mock Tudor pub located on the Northern fringe of the city in a slightly dodgy area, however it seemed pleasant enough (albeit quite quiet) when I visited on a Sunday afternoon. There was an important Saints football match in progress when I visited, and as Sky weren't showing it, they had it playing on the radio (good idea!). They do have a big TV, as well as a pool table and jukebox plus they have regular karaoke nights. The pub serves bar snacks and has a garden although there isn't a lot in the way of ales apart from Whitbread Best. The decor is quite nice and like a lot of Mock Tudor pubs, it has an ornate fireplace. Date visited: Sunday 5th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	15
The Swan (Woolston)
Portsmouth Road, Woolston, Southampton
	The Swan is located in the outer reaches of Woolston, along the busy Portsmouth Road. It looks a bit tatty from the outside, however it is a superb pub famous for its live music which is up to five times a week and free of charge! (see website for listings etc). I visited on a Sunday afternoon and there was a band on and the place was packed! They also have quiz nights, TV, a pool table, raffles and traditional pub food (basket meals - yaay!) at very reasonable prices although I haven't sampled them (yet!). It seems to be popular with bikers but that's a good thing - they never cause any trouble and are usually friendly! Superb range of ales on offer and it also has a beer garden. Highly recommended. Date visited: 22nd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	6
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	5
		Total (out of 25):	19
Talking Heads
Portswood Road, Portswood, Southampton
	Talking Heads is a live music venue and due to the policy of charging for entry most nights, is on the fringe of inclusion within this study. Occasionally they don't charge although the drink prices are quite reasonable. They're usually quite busy and offer a good selection of ales including Strong's Romsey Bitter, a rarity nowadays! The back room is huge and reserved for live music; it has guitars hanging on the walls which make it attractive, however the state of the toilets loses a point.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	4
		Total (out of 25):	13
The Terminal
Portswood Road, Portswood, Southampton
	The Terminal is a typical 'shop unit' pub in the main shopping area of Portswood. A part of the Smith & Jones pub chain (similar kind of setup to Wetherspoon's), the place sells reasonably priced food. It was very busy when I visited and the patrons were cheering in response to the televised football. Unlike Wetherspoons, it has a quiz night on Sundays and occasional nice music. Not a bad selection of ales (Ringwood in particular) but very slow service. The decor was nice but nothing special.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	13
Two Brothers
Townhill Way, Townhill Park, Southampton
	The Two Brothers is located on a very dull housing estate and is a part of the 'Sizzle' pub chain. It is really more of a restaurant than a pub as there is no music, events or games. The décor is pleasant and contemporary and there is a beer garden, however its location next to a busy road spoils the ambience somewhat. The drinks are very cheap as is the food - astonishingly cheap although I cannot comment on the quality as I did not try it. Visited 7th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	5
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	12
Varsity
London Road, City Centre, Southampton
	Varsity is a part of a nationwide chain of bars that cater for both the daytime and evening market, however they close at a sensible time unlike some other bars. They do food and things were looking promising when I spotted some hand pumps, however they were not being used. I visited on a Friday night and the place was absolutely heaving. The mezzanine floor upstairs overlooking the bar was a bit quieter but still busy. I'm not sure what the attraction is really as it's nothing special. They had loud generic dance/pop music on but no sign of a DJ or jukebox, no pub games either. The decor is quite nice and contemporary, the double height space and mezzanine floor combining to produce an inspiring space. Date visited: 27th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	4
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
Victoria Inn
Woolston, Southampton
	This pub is located by the main entrance to the massive Vosper Thornycroft shipbuilding works - or at least it was until recently. The works have been cleared to leave a massive area of wasteland and the closure of the works no doubt affected the trade in this pub. However, it seems like a nice enough place although my first impressions were not good at all as when I was exploring it, I banged my head on a low doorway. A 'Mind Your Head' sign or some high-vis tape wouldn't go amiss. I'm sure the locals enjoy watching strangers making the same mistake on a regular basis! However, if you take a hard hat in or avoid the little snug bar in to the right of the main bar, it's fine! They have a full schedule of entertainment with a good jukebox, pool, darts, karaoke, disco and quiz nights. The decor is a bit rough and ready and peeling round the edges and while the place was fairly dead when I visited, it was friendly, the barman actually saying bye when I left (a little politeness goes a long way and gained the pub an extra point!). It also has a good beer garden and very good value food and a payphone with taxi numbers prominently displayed (a good idea). Date visited: 17th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
Waggoners Arms
Portswood Road, Portswood, Southampton
	The Waggoner's Arms is a very small 'local' pub in Portswood, it looks as though there is a second bar and large garden but if there are, they are off limits. The prices are very reasonable and it offers TV, a jukebox and dartboard. It was fairly busy when I visited and while it 'usually' offers Greene King IPA, it was "off" when I visited. The pub features lurid red wallpaper and lots of horse brasses.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	3
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	12
Walkabout
High Street, City Centre, Southampton
	The Walkabout is part of a chain of Australian themed bars, this place is like a massive barn which gets packed full of youths on Friday and Saturday nights when they have a DJ playing various cheesy music. I visited on a Thursday night and it was fairly dead. They do food but if you were expecting real ale, forget it, Fosters is of course about as good as it gets in here. One thing I did think was a good idea is they have some of those racing car arcade machines - unusual for a pub but another way of relieving the tedium. Not a bad place really but as with all the chain bars, you know exactly what to expect wherever you are in the country. They also have sport on TV (the English variety). Date visited: 19th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	3
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
The Waterfront
Shamrock Quay, Northam, Southampton
	This pub is fairly pleasant although perhaps more of a restaurant than a pub, particularly given its location in the Shamrock Quay marina. Apparently they have live music sometimes. Visited Tuesday 15th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	9
Waterloo Arms
Waterloo Road, Freemantle, Southampton
	The Waterloo Arms is a popular venue for fans of decent beer as it offers a superb range of ales, including some from the Hopback Brewery. It features a nice, sizable beer garden, conservatory and dartboard but no other entertainment, however there seemed to be a noisy party going on at the house next door! Fairly busy. Visited 8th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	4
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	5
		Total (out of 25):	16
Wellington Arms
Park Road, Freemantle, Southampton
	The Wellington Arms is rather like Doctor Who's TARDIS. It looks rather small and cosy from the outside while inside are several different rooms, each with a different decoration theme including one non-smoking room, it's actually quite big! The décor is very nice and cosy throughout, as well as somewhat lavish and it also offers a beer garden. There is a superb range of ales on offer including Ringwood's and London Pride at good prices and it's a nice friendly pub, however the score is let down by the fact that there is no entertainment other than background music and a TV. Visited 8th April 2007 Update November 2007 Visited again and still impressed. Good range of ales and welcoming although it was quite dead for a Sunday night.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	4
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	5
		Total (out of 25):	17
White Star
Oxford Street, City Centre, Southampton
	More of a restaurant than a pub really. Very pretentious. No form of entertainment whatsoever. Candlelit, clean and shiny décor. Ringwood ales but not very well kept. Visited 4th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	8
White Swan
Mansbridge Road, Mansbridge, Southampton
	The White Swan is one of the outer bastions of hostelry in Southampton and it enjoys a pleasant riverside location (except when the river bursts its banks on an increasingly frequent basis). However, the tranquillity is spoiled by the permanent roar of the nearby M27 motorway (not to mention the low flying planes from the very close airport) and the riverside patio is fairly small. The White Swan offers a Carvery every day and this is good value. The drinks are also fairly cheap compared to most of its local rivals. However, the pub is almost totally catering to the food market and as such offers no music, TVs, games or other such entertainment. Courage Best is on offer but that was the only sign of proper beer I saw. Visited 7th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	5
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	11
Whitehouse
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	This recently-opened bar was totally dead when visited on a Tuesday night. Technically, it should perhaps be excluded from the project as it does not open until 9pm but it was open and I was passing so I thought I'd have a look. The place is painted white throughout, and while this makes it look large, it also makes it look plain and uninspiring. This theme is continued by the distinct lack of furniture. There were a selection of dope-inspired paintings for sale above the bar, that's about as exciting as the decor gets. Of course, there was no ale and the only entertainment is a DJ who wasn't there when I visited. Date visited: Tuesday 1st May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	2
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
Willows
City Centre, Southampton
	Willows was a very pleasant surprise. The evening I visited had so bar been full of dull, pretentious establishments and I have to admit that from the outside, this looked like it was going to be the same again, however it is a friendly, welcoming and relaxed bar and it has Ringwood Best on tap. There is a nice snug bar at the back and the chequered floor tiles add to the general ambience. I also believe they serve food, however it was fairly quiet when I visited. Visited Thursday 10th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	7
Windsor Castle
Shirley Road, Shirley, Southampton
	The Windsor Castle is a Mock Tudor pub in Shirley Precinct that has a bit of a reputation, which is reinforced by the huge "OVER 21S ONLY NO ID NO DRINK" blackboards outside. However, inside, it's quite a nice pub with cosy decor including wood paneling, glazed arches and a huge stone fireplace although it is perhaps slightly tatty. It features a good jukebox, pool, darts and regular karaoke nights. When I visited on a Friday night, the karaoke was in full swing and the place was quite busy with an interesting assortment of characters in residence. Apart from a couple of noisy Chavs, it seemed harmless enough. No ale except for Flowers and Whitbread but better than nothing. Date visited: Friday 4th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	5
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	19
Wine Bar, The
Bedford Place, City Centre, Southampton
	The Wine Bar is a somewhat pretentious establishment that can't be bothered to think of a more original name. The typical clientele are up-market townies and upper-middle class types , indeed when I visited, the place was packed full of Suited Bores boasting about their high paying jobs and their holidays in Cambodia. Yawn. The upstairs bar is far more chilled out and a safe retreat from the Suited Bores. It has a pool table which permanently seems to be covered, TV and also serves Tapas (grumble). However, the drinks seemed very cheap (happy hour perhaps?) and the decor is nice and contemporary, the sparkly lights on the ceiling are good. Obviously with the emphasis being on Wine, real ale is non-existent. Date visited: 26th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	5
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	4
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	15
The Winning Post
Peartree Avenue, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Winning Post is a typical Mock-Tudor estate pub and the interior is very White, which matches the shiny trainers worn by the Chavs that seem to frequent it. It seemed quite lively but not the sort of place I wanted to hang around in for long. Very loud jukebox, table football, pool table, football on TV and karaoke nights. Serves London Pride and Courage Best (can't imagine the Chavs drinking that!). Date visited: 17th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	1
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	11
Winston Hotel
Hill Lane, Southampton
	The Winston is a fairly large pub that always seems to be very popular, indeed I have had to abort three previous attempts at visiting becuause the crowds have been literally bulging out the doors! The main bar is nothing special and perhaps a bit tatty and dimly lit in places although there is an adjoining airy conservatory area which is mainly dedicated to dining use. The main bar features a jukebox, pool table and TVs and there is a weekly quiz night, however there was no sign of any ale when I visited. Visited Friday 18th May 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	2
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	11
Woodman, The
Lordswood, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	The Woodman is a large suburban pub on the edge of the Lordshill estate, probably of 1950s vintage. It has a fair sized public bar and a huge main bar which also includes a small cosy restaurant area leading out onto a pleasant but compact outside patio area with seating and BBQ and a large function room boasting a pool table and stage. They do a good selection of food at good prices, however I couldn't see any ale (although there are a couple of hand pumps). As well as the pool table, there is a jukebox, quiz night every Sunday and regular karaoke nights and live music. The decor is pleasant, albeit slightly blue and when I visited at lunchtime, it was fairly dead. Another thing they have which is a good idea is a selection of second hand books and videos for sale. Date visited: Friday 4th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	2
		Entertainment:	4
		Atmosphere:	2
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	13
Yacht Tavern
Sea Road, Woolston, Southampton
	The Yacht Tavern, unsurprisingly, is located by the River Itchen, however it doesn't face directly onto the river which is probably just as well as it is not a particularly salubrious part of the river. It's off the beaten track in what seems like an industrial estate, however, it seems homely and welcoming, the decor having a vague nautical theme. It has a big TV, darts, jukebox and apparently live music and karaoke nights. Bombardier ale was on tap when I visited but that was the only real ale I could see. It was fairly quiet when I visited, as would be expected early on a Sunday evening. Date visited: 22nd April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	5
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	3
		Total (out of 25):	00
Yate's Wine Lodge
Above Bar Street, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	One of Southampton's longest established chain bars but definitely nothing special. The interior is very contemporary and modern but it is let down by its lack of ales. Website doesn't work properly. No evidence of entertainment whatsoever although I think there may be a DJ at the weekend. It was busy-ish for a Monday night when I visited although that was mainly due to the presence of a load of people wearing silly outfits. Just about says it all really. Date visited: 16th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	1
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	3
		Attractiveness:	3
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
Zeb
St Mary's Street, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Formerly the Oddfellows Arms, this pub has been revamped and given a silly name. The interior is splendidly retro/contemporary with glass block walls and zebra print but £3 a pint of lager and no entertainment other than a jukebox? There were only a couple of patrons in here so that says it all. No ale except Greene King IPA. Visited 4th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	1
		Atmosphere:	1
		Attractiveness:	5
		Beer:	2
		Total (out of 25):	9
Around The World
Town Quay, City Centre, Southampton
	Closed; For Sale Checked 15th May	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Blacksmith's Arms
Romsey Road, Shirley, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Apparently "Closed for refurbishment" Will come back soon Checked 8th May 2007 Update November 2007 Still closed and boarded up too now	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Bridge Tavern (Shirley Warren)
Coxford Road, Shirley Warren, Southampton
	Closed when I visited. Locked up, a broken window, peeling paint. Sign outside saying "Closed until further notice". Who knows whether it will reopen or not? Checked 4th May 2007 Update September 2007 Still closed	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Prince Of Wales
Northam Road, Northam, Southampton
	Closed when I visited Checked 15th May	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Old Thatched House
Romsey Road, Shirley, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	"Closed until further notice due to family illness" Will come back soon Checked 8th May 2007 Update September 2007 Has reopened at last! Great roast dinners on Sundays. Will review properly in next year's round.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Dolphin, The
St Denys, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Closed when I visited. Apparently awaiting a new licence? Will come back soon Checked 5th April 2007	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Latimers On The Quay
City Centre, Southampton
	Closed when I visited, looks like major building works in progress. Checked Friday 18th May	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Merry Oak, The
Spring Road, Merry Oak, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Has been closed for ages following Trouble. All boarded up. No signs of any re-opening. Will come back soon Checked 7th April 2007 Update December 2007 Another pub threatened with demolition.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
New Inn
Bevois Valley, Southampton
	Closed for refurb! This one-great pub looks like it going to be renamed to 'The Usual Suspects'. Who thinks up these stupid names?	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Cooper's Arms
Northam, Southampton
	Closed when I visited; For Sale sign up. Checked 15th May	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Ship Inn (Woolston)
Woolston, Southampton
	Closed when I visited Checked 22nd April 2007 Will call back soon.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Victory, The
Blechynden Terrace, City Centre, Southampton
Photo to come soon!	Has been closed for ages. No signs of any re-opening and has been totally stripped out. Will keep an eye on. Checked 2nd May 2007 Update November 2007 Now closed. The office building it is located in is still there but the space occupied by the pub has been divided in two and half of it converted into a Starbucks!	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Star & Garter
Waterloo Road, City Centre, Southampton
	Closed for good, will soon be demolished for flats. The Star & Garter was my local for a year or two, while it was a good mile down the road from where I live, it was worth the walk once my geographical local, the Rising Sun was sanitised and converted into the Brass Monkey. Gordon the landlord moved to the Star and spent a lot of money refurbishing the place. There were regular disco and karaoke nights and good meals. I spent many memorable occasions there and even had the honour of running a regular disco and karaoke show there. Unfortunately, the greedy property developers don't care about the history of the city. It's a shame that the pub can't be converted into flats (or better still reopened as a pub) rather than flattening such a historic building and putting yet another bland development on the site but it seems that little can be done to save it now. See more photos Update November 2007 Has been demolished now. Shameful.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
The Target
Butts Road, Sholing, Southampton
	Closed for good, will soon be demolished if it hasn't already been. Update 26th April 2007 - it's gone, as has the footbridge I took the previous photo from. I have added a new photo.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Elephant & Castle
Bursledon Road, Sholing, Southampton
	A Mock Tudor pub, recently demolished to make way for dull identikit homes (see photo)	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00
Sun Inn
Weston Lane, Weston, Southampton
	I don't know anything about this pub but apparently it's been closed for ages. Who knows how long it will be before another vital community asset is destroyed to make way for flats? Weston currently has no pubs at all, the other one, The Seaweed Inn being long gone. Checked 7th May Update November 2007 Currently threatened with demolition by vandals who care nothing for the history of local communities in the interest of squeezing more and more people into dull houses or flats.	Scores (all out of 5)
		Price:	0
		Entertainment:	0
		Atmosphere:	0
		Attractiveness:	0
		Beer:	0
		Total (out of 25):	00

Friday 13th April 2007

Ally and I went for a swift half at The Saints in Millbrook at lunchtime yesterday and managed to come out alive, despite the place looking like it was about to be bulldozed. We then went in the Bricklayer's Arms which was much more homely. In the evening, Cartlionel and ViEiRA joined me for a recce of the Brass Monkey, King's Arms and Shield & Dagger.

Monday 16th April 2007

After the 'interesting' experience of The Saints pub, Ally and I went to check out the infamous Bridge Tavern down the road. As it's Mock Tudor form loomed on the horizon, we approached with some trepidation, noting the broken windows and the faded blackboard with the word 'OPEN' on it. We opted for the safe option and tried the door to the Lounge Bar. It was locked. The Public Bar was as well. No signs of life. Who knows what horrors lurk inside? Will we ever find out? The Daily Echo have sent one of their roving reporters to investigate but will they come out of there alive? Has Time finally been called to put this place out of its misery? We retired to The Bush Inn instead.

In the evening, I started off with the best of intentions but the karaoke at The Englishman meant that I only managed to get as far as the Dorchester Arms but not before stopping off in Seymour's en route.

Thursday 19th April 2007

Three days of successful pub-spotting have seen some good progress made in Woolston and Portswood, as well as making a very small dent in the city centre. Monday night, I went to the Royal Oak for their karaoke but instead of staying, I went for a trip to the Firehouse, Que Pasa, the Hogshead and Yates's. None of these 'pubs' filled me with inspiration. Reviews of these to follow as I seem to have mislaid the piece of paper I wrote them down on.

On Tuesday night, I started at the Station Hotel (Bitterne) and worked my way South via the Winning Post and the Pear Tree. The next scheduled stop was the Manor House (Woolston), however I had assumed it would be easy to find therefore not brought a detailed enough map. After a quick wander around the estate with no sign of any hostelries, I decided to come back to that one and continued on to the Bridge Inn in Portsmouth Road then The Victoria where I banged my head on a low doorway. Ouch! Next stop was the Ship Inn but it was Closed so I looked for the next pub, the Prince Consort...except it didn't seem to exist. Again, I didn't waste too much time in abandoning that plan and continuing to the Grove Tavern where there was a very friendly landlady who I discussed my Project with. Turns out the Prince Consort does exist but when I saw 'Victoria Road' as the address, I assumed it was Victoria Road Woolston...in actual fact, it is Victoria Road, Netley (therefore outside the scope of this survey). D'oh! The final stop of the night was the Obelisk Hotel.

Last night (Wednesday), I had a stroll across the Common to Portswood where I reported to The Mitre to start off the evening before working my way South once again via the Terminal before coming across a dilemma...whether to go in the Richmond Inn or the Gordon Arms first. I opted for the Richmond which was very friendly and had a fab old fashioned cash register and then the Gordon which had very poor service and the beer garden was filled with Rugby Players or some other kind of Upper Class Toffs making a hell of a noise. I quickly made my way to one of my favourite watering holes, The Hobbit. I was expecting for it to score very high and it didn't let me down. I broke with tradition and had one of their legendary coloured pint glass cocktails! Next stop was Clowns, I wasn't sure whether it would be open or not as it has appeared Shut in the past sometimes but it was open and filled with students in strange attire. The penultimate stop was Kolekba, apparantly a Polish jazz bar but it didn't seem particularly Polish to me although the glass chess sets on some of the tables kept me busy for a while. Finally, I visited the Bevois Castle, another of my watering holes of old. There are still a few pubs to do around that way, I missed a couple (SoBar and the New Inn (which seems to have been renamed 'The Usual Suspects' (?))). We're almost to the halfway mark! Another six pubs and we'll be there. Unfortunately, I have to do other things every night until Sunday although Ally and I are planning a lunchtime foray tomorrow.

Monday 23rd April 2007

It's half four in the morning, I can't get back to sleep so I thought I'd so something useful and update this website with the latest findings. Mind you, you can't accuse me of burning the candle at both ends as I had an early night yesterday as I wanted to ensure that I visited the pubs opn yesterday's itinerary in daylight (not so much for safety reasons, more so I could take photographs of them).

A rather successful weekend. On Saturday, due to work commitments, I only got one pub done, the Sporting View which as the name suggests, has a good view of the Sports Centre. Yesterday, I made another significant dent over the East side of the River Itchen and went for the South Eastern extremities, starting off at the Swan in Woolston which had live music, then going up the hill to the Gardener's Arms which really isn't as bad as it looks. After that, I went back on myself then over the railway and up Butts Road to the Bullseye which I was pleasantly surprised by, although there seems to be a rather worrying shooting theme with the place names in Sholing: The Bullseye (which is run by somebody with the surname of 'Bull'!), The Target (closed, RIP), Shooters Hill Close, Range Gardens, Bowman Court, and I suppose Butts Road could refer to the butt of a rifle? Anyway, I then went down and then up the very hilly South Eastern Road then Kathleen Road towards the Miller's Pond, although before I went into the pub, I made a brief diversion to see the pond itself, which is opposite the pub. The pub itself looked closed, however that was fortunately not the case. The front entrance is all boarded, the entrance is actually at basement level from the rear but it's a nice pub with a very nice sloped garden.

I then took the scenic route around Woolston, photographing some of the pubs I visited on Tuesday night (as it was too dark then) before finding the Manor House, I don't know how I missed it on Tuesday although to be honest, I hadn't missed much. The next, and final stop of the evening was the Yacht Tavern as daylight was fading fast and in any case, I had came to a natural finishing point near the bridge. That was a nice enough pub, albeit a bit off the beaten track. Only four pubs East of the Itchen to go now: The Earl Of Locksley, The Spike Islander, The Chamberlayne Arms (all Sholing) and the Fleming Arms (Swaythling).

I might do a couple more pubs tonight but probably not. Tomorrow I will definitely do some more pubs, perhaps finishing off the remaining three in Sholing and then some in Town. I think the Fleming Arms is best tackled with a train trip to Swaythling, as the Stoneham Arms up that way needs doing as well.

Friday 27th April 2007

Another two successful days of pub spotting! On Tuesday, the Raving Alcoholics went on tour across to Sholing and we checked out the Chamberlayne Arms (after figuring out that the bus doesn't go right past it in the evenings!), the Spike Islander and the Earl Of Locksley, the latter definitely being the better of the three. We then walked to Woolston as the buses are at best infrequent in the evenings around there and took the bus across the Itchen Bridge (I had a Day Rider and I was determined to use it!) before retiring to the nearest hostelry on the Wanted list, the Chapel Arms. After that, we worked our way through some of the remaining establishments on the Eastern fringes of the city centre - the Kingsland Tavern (closed last time I visited but open again now), the Queensland Tavern (ditto), The Bevois Town Hotel and the Gatehouse, which had an open mic night. The Queensland was just dead but the Kingsland was rather rough and ready!

After a well-earned day off pubs yesterday, I took to the town again last night and attacked most of the establishments in the Bedford Place/London Road area with the camera before reporting to the first stop of the night: The Reflex. I know it's not a proper pub but being a child of the 80s, I couldn't resist a quick look at this shrine to the 80s, very impressive it is too, even though I literally had the place to myself! I then went in the Wine Bar which was full of Suited Bores (I can feel a book coming on called "Pains In Pubs"!)and Avondale House (about three different levels). My next stop was intended to be the New Inn but this once great pub is now officially CLOSED for refurbishment and looks like it will be renamed "The Usual Suspects". Honestly, who thinks up these silly names? It's probably been called the New Inn for well over 100 years, everyone knows it as the New Inn so why change it? I proceeded to the next pub on the list, The Old Farmhouse which was slightly out on a limb in a rather seedy area of town but it's a nice enough pub and the first place that had proper beer. I then had to alter course and visit a substitute to the New Inn's closure, the SoBar (another silly name). This place is uber-trendy but harmless enough. I then proceeded to the South Western Arms for another look and that finished another successful evening. I'm going out again tonight to visit some more pubs!

Saturday 28th April 2007

Friday was another successful night. I started off in Lodge Road with The Honest Lawyer and Bent Brief then the Guide Dog before working my way down into town where I checked out Varsity (too busy) and then some of the establishments at the Southern end of town, the Platform Tavern being the only place of note apart from the cheap drinks in Bar Risa.

Monday 9th May

Apologies for the lack of recent updates, I've been busy continuing this noble quest and my aim of having every pub 'done' by the end of May is well on schedule with just under 40 establishments left to go - it could be slightly more or slightly less depending on the nature of some of the establishments and whether any more open or close before I finish - since I started this mission, The Hogshead in town has already gone.

I am slightly behind with updating this site - sometimes it takes longer writing up the reviews than it does actually visiting the pubs but rest assured I am working on it. Here's a brief resume of recent field trips:

On Sunday 29th, I didn't manage to do any pubs although I did visit a couple in the Titchfield area. Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd were more industrious as I had another crack at the establishments at the top end of town, pretty much finishing them off except for a few stragglers. A couple of establishments previously excluded were visited; while I previously thought they were actually Nightclubs rather than pubs, they were open and free to enter when I passed so thought I ought to include them although in the case of Poletrix, I wish I hadn't bothered!

After a day off on Thursday, Ally and I ventured out to The Mountbatten and The Woodman - the two pubs in Lordshill/Lordswood and both with a bit of an iffy reputation, however they seemed perfectly harmless in the light of the day, albeit a bit smoky (the sooner 1st July comes, the better!).

My intention on Friday night was to finally have a crack at the clump of pubs in Highfield, the only remaining group of establishments outside the city centre, however due to washing machine repairs taking longer than they should, I didn't leave until nearly 9pm so didn't fancy the routemarch across the common and instead decided to check out the last remaining pubs in Shirley which were far more local. Nothing too hair-raising apart from The Griffin. Come Sunday lunchtime, I decided to have a crack at a few of the furthest remaining out-liers - the Fleming Arms and the Stoneham Arms. My walk back through the sports centre revealed another pub that wasn't on my list (shock horror!) - The Bowlers on the golf course. It was added and reviewed as was The Malvern further along my journey home. That concludes the Eastern side of the river, as well as the SO18 and 19 postcode areas.

Last night I finally got round to the Highfield quintuplet. Actually, I tell a lie, I didn't do Ceno but there are a couple of stragglers left in Portswood anyway which need doing so I can visit all three in one hit. I started off at the Bellemoor to break up the walk to Highfield then went in The Crown Inn, The Stile, The Gate and the Crown And Sceptre before learning that there was apparantly a pub called the Stag's Head nearby. WHAT? There can't be a pub I don't know about! Enquires at the bar established that said establishment was in the University so I went past for a closer look and found it, however it is definitely excluded from this survey as you can't get in unless you have a student card. Pah, bloomin' elitist Members Only clubs. It's not a Pub as by only allowing members, it violates the definition of a 'Public' House. The same applies to Working Men's Clubs which are excluded from this project for the same reason. A pub has to be somewhere ANYONE can just go in for a drink without paying for entry and without being obliged to buy food. Anyway, after that I went in the Highfield, the Cowherds, Dock O' The Bay (which was in the process of Early Closing for the night) and The Avenue which features a washing machine in the Gents and my pint had a piece of plastic in it. Not impressed I'm afraid.

At the weekend, I plan to have a real bash at the pesky remaining outlying pubs - two in Redbridge, one in Regents Park, three in Nursling and a handful in Portswood. Ally and I will hopefully be making another lunchtime trip to have a go at the Nursling/Redbridge ones then most of the rest are in town.

Friday 11th May

After a day off Wednesday night, I took to the pubs again last night, despite the dreadful rain all night, this time at the lower end of town, they varied from expensive to posh to reasonable but nothing special all round. I am catching up with all the reviews at last!

Monday 21st May

At last, the end is in sight! The last couple of weeks have seen progress slow right down, due to the number of pubs thinning out and now there are just three outliers in Portswood and The Four Horsehoes, that North Western outpost of hostelry. Both should be done by the end of the week although I have loads of reviews to catch up on. A quick resume of the last week's activity: Sunday and Monday I didn't go anywhere due to a horrid cold, Tuesday I went to Northam, only to find both the pubs had closed! I did manage to tick off a few outliers at the bottom of town though. On Friday, Ally and I visited the Horns Inn and the Balmoral at lunchtime and I ticked off all but one of the remaining city centre establishments (I would have done Hotshots as well but you had to pay to go in and I wasn't going to pay £2 to have a swift halfpint!). Then yesterday afternoon I did both of the pubs in Redbridge and the Regent's Park which was a pleasant surprise before retiring to the Park Hotel in the evening but not before checking out that pesky Hotshots (not really a pub anyway, more a giant amusement arcade with a bar in) where I won a handful of 10p's on the coin push machine. What's with the permanent bouncers outside? They just look threatening and out me off going in places.

Wednesday 23rd May

Yesterday, I finished off all but one of the remaining pubs. A lunchtime excursion to the Four Horsehoes with Ally ticked that one off the list then an evening foray to Portswood finished those off. Only one pub left now - The Old Thatch - and with that, the end of this epic voyage is nigh.