tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post2744971126671607720..comments2024-03-28T17:11:52.333+00:00Comments on The Pub Curmudgeon: Donnington disappointmentCurmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-32089229310854749652016-07-10T18:17:40.852+01:002016-07-10T18:17:40.852+01:00I am sorry i got the date wrong for the visit to t...I am sorry i got the date wrong for the visit to the White Bear it was 10th May 2013 a mix up with the last number.<br />My Donnington pub crawl has now been published,i hope you like it.Alan Winfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13143831341388857795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-50797918242287229552016-07-10T17:05:19.937+01:002016-07-10T17:05:19.937+01:00According to the Donnington website, they acquired...According to the Donnington website, they acquired the pub in July 2013, so you have been in it under their ownership. If you had an Ilkley Mary Jane presumably they were or are offering guest beers.<br /><br />I'll add a link to your blog to this post once you've published it.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-71948436920707286312016-07-10T14:36:32.254+01:002016-07-10T14:36:32.254+01:00Thanks for those which i did not know about,it is ...Thanks for those which i did not know about,it is a shame that the White Bear is one on the new ones,i did it on 10th May 2015 while doing the other pubs in the town,i did have nice drink of Ilkly Mary Jane in it though.<br />My blog about the Donnington crawl is in response to this blog of yours,how would i link my blog which will hopefully be published this afternoon to yours.Alan Winfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13143831341388857795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-26811859565092512492016-07-09T15:02:42.656+01:002016-07-09T15:02:42.656+01:00The three new ones are the Pheasant at Toddington ...The three new ones are the Pheasant at Toddington and the White Bear at Shipston-on-Stour, which are both quite close to their traditional trading area, and the Red Lion at Castle Eaton in Wiltshire, which is quite a long way to the south.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-7282136096654535292016-07-09T13:32:37.741+01:002016-07-09T13:32:37.741+01:00I did all of the Donnington tied estate on the 7th...I did all of the Donnington tied estate on the 7th may 2011,this was a birthday treat from my brother who drove me round them.<br />I think they have some really nice pubs in great locations,but i do agree the BB is a bit insipid.<br />I think i have now got one more to do as i think they opened or took over another pub to the South of their normal trading area.<br />My next blog will be of this crawl which also included four other pubs in the Costswolds to bump up the numbers of pubs done.Alan Winfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13143831341388857795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-70140709730269508342016-07-08T14:42:46.219+01:002016-07-08T14:42:46.219+01:00Yes, there are far worse pubs in the Cotswolds, an...Yes, there are far worse pubs in the Cotswolds, and I was allowed to eat my baguette and drink my hazy £3 pint of BB in the public bar. But, as you say, the lounge side is basically a restaurant.<br /><br />I don't begrudge paying £6.95 for a decent baguette, but that is a bit on the steep side. I'd say £5.50 would have been reasonable.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-12837053810418433002016-07-08T14:03:10.083+01:002016-07-08T14:03:10.083+01:00I've stayed at the Red Lion for a few nights, ...I've stayed at the Red Lion for a few nights, and it was great. But we did notice early on that we were being constantly directed to the dining side of the pub, which is a 100% restaurant, whilst we could see on the other side of the bar a pool room where all the locals hid, and who we'd subsequently join.<br /><br />A nice pub, a fantastic B&B, but by God drinking the same (perfectly good) beer 3 nights in a row made me hate it in the end.deadmanjoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17920080723618205512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-87350183969376736082016-07-07T22:47:49.756+01:002016-07-07T22:47:49.756+01:00I'm not convinced that Arkells beer is that ba...I'm not convinced that Arkells beer is that bad. There's an excellent pub of theirs near Ascott (Simon Everitt also positive recently) and Cheltenham's Adam & Eve still pretty good. Again, like many managed Greene King houses, just don't think cellarmanship a priority. Best landlords in the free trade round there ?retiredmartinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15429804437739227082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-91412832618159536382016-07-07T22:44:13.262+01:002016-07-07T22:44:13.262+01:00My experience too.
I've struggled to explain...My experience too. <br /><br />I've struggled to explain clearly the average micro beer I had in Cornwall this week on my blog, but the lack of coolness and condition I associate with Donnington (probably visited half a dozen GBG pubs over years plus a few beers in free houses) was very familiar. Whether that's loose cellarmanship or inherently poor beer I don't know, but clearly local CAMRA agree on quality.retiredmartinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15429804437739227082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-19418962722995947202016-07-07T16:34:54.876+01:002016-07-07T16:34:54.876+01:00I've not been in an Arkells pub for years, and...I've not been in an Arkells pub for years, and their beer doesn't tend to appear in the free or off-trades. I've heard similar reports from others, for example Twitter contributor "Pigtown Grump".Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-830472250546591252016-07-07T16:13:26.267+01:002016-07-07T16:13:26.267+01:00Yes i always am very disappointed both by Donningt...Yes i always am very disappointed both by Donnington and Arkells. I was in the Nags Head in Great Malvern on Tuesday night. Lovely range of beer including Bathams Best and a stunning pint of Woods Shropshire Lad.Lucretius1https://www.blogger.com/profile/18213610249777895917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-68575580375827922052016-07-07T14:10:11.968+01:002016-07-07T14:10:11.968+01:00It's all baguettes and paninis and wraps in Sp...It's all baguettes and paninis and wraps in Spoons, Cookie.<br /><br />You'll struggle to get a plain sarnie or batch in a pub nowadays.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5623537812609722663.post-84512407746057427332016-07-07T13:55:17.057+01:002016-07-07T13:55:17.057+01:00You go in pubs ordering baguettes? What type of Fr...You go in pubs ordering baguettes? What type of French rubbish is this?<br /><br />Get a cheese bap down you. Cheddar. None of that Brie.<br />Cooking Lagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02830924433230427226noreply@blogger.com