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Ashby's |
Early August 2008 saw the opening of Portsmouth's first self-styled Gastropub and Boutique Hotel. Housed in the former Owtback Bar premises on Ashby Place, Southsea, new owners The Chapman Group have spent a cool £0.5m on transforming the former, tacky Australian theme pub into a smartly furnished bar, restaurant and seven-room hotel. Commendably, the Chapman Group has chosen to resurrect the pub's former name for their new venture.
Despite its postal address being on Auckland Road West, the pub's entrance can be found opposite the surface car park on Ashby Place, off Osborne Road - convenient for both the shopping centre and the sea front.
On entering the premises the customer is confronted with a well-lit, tastefully decorated lounge, with the bar counter situated to the right. Polished wood flooring can be found throughout, with the exception of two small, carpeted decks on either side of the bar room, where drinkers can relax in more intimate surroundings. Furnishings consist of a combination of low-level tables and sofas and high tables and bar stools. An assortment of ornaments and plants give the pub a homely feel. Two large plasma television screens are mounted on each side of the bar room, broadcasting different entertainment on each. Low level, unobtrusive music is piped throughout the bar.
With regard to the drinks on offer, Ashby's sells a competitive range of wines, lagers and spirits, plus two cask ales. During the Webmaster's visit, these were Fuller's London Pride and Boddington's Bitter (which was not available). Greene King IPA is due to replace the latter shortly. Unfortunately, the quality of the London Pride could only be described as average, which is a shame. This shall be monitored on subsequent visits and the findings updated as appropriate.
Away from the lounge bar, a connecting room has a number of tables carefully laid, awaiting diners. A third area on the south side of the pub features an ornate fireplace. This area is also reserved for diners. A connecting door leads to a staircase to which customers can access the hotel rooms.
The staff were found
to be attentive, though the company's choice of uniform, consisting of black shirt and trousers with pink necktie was maybe not their best decision!
In summing up, Ashby's is a very pleasant pub/restaurant which will appeal mostly to the over 35s. It shall be interesting to see how the business fares in the coming months. Further information regarding the food menu shall be posted when available. If as much attention is given to the quality of the real ale as it is to dining and ambience, then this could become a very good place for the more discerning drinker to socialise.
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The Slug & Lettuce |
The second of Portsmouth's Slug & Lettuce pubs opened its doors on 4th June 2008 in the former Santa Fe restaurant at Gunwharf Quays. Housed on two floors, with a bar counter on each level, the outdoor drinking areas offer fine views across Portsmouth Harbour to Gosport and Ryde. The upstairs bar room is used mainly for dining, though customers wishing to just enjoy a drink are welcome here. The pub sports a very modern interior, with a variety of comfortable seating.
Cocktails are very popular here, meaning that delays may be experienced at busy time. There is a comprehensive range of lagers and popular european beers such as Hoegaarden available on draught, as well as additional bottled beers. As far as cask beer is concerned, Wells Bombardier (at £2.85 per pint) is the sole real ale on offer and this was found to be in good condition during a visit on June 29th.
A varied food menu offers a good choice of meals, though at a somewhat higher price than your traditional pub.
Expect the Slug & Lettuce to be
busy with young drinkers during the evenings, especially at weekends. Daytime trade tends to comprise a mixture of shoppers and day trippers.
This is a welcome addition to the cask ale outlets in Portsmouth, though traditionalists may prefer to drink in more homely surroundings. |
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The Fat Fox |
Early December 2007 saw the conversion of the former Wonkey Donkey and Black Bar on Victoria Road South, Southsea. This latest venture is the brainchild of Portsmouth entreprenuer and pub owner, Mike Hughes. His company, Wine Vaults (Portsmouth) Limited, presently owns a number of bars in the immediate area and the Fat Fox is hoped to become the flagship of the estate.
The Webmaster visited the pub on 23rd December, where Mr Hughes informed him that he hopes to establish the Fat Fox as the replacement for his former Wine Vaults pub (now owned by Fuller's) on Albert Road. The pub is divided into two distinct areas, with the bar counter in the former Wonkey Donkey part of the premises. The decor here remains much the same, with a small flight of steps leading up from the entrance doors to the long, narrow bar room. Bare boarded with off-white walls, the pub is furnished with unfussy tables and chairs, with the addition of low sofas to the rear. Upended wooden casks provide additional placement for your beer glass. Pictures of old brewery scenes are hung around the walls and a framed illustration showing the course of the River Thames can be found at the rear.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the dividing wall, in what was previously the Black Bar, there is a good amount of seating, with a stage dominating the far end of the room. Here it is planned to host regular live music events, with a good mix of musical genres and tastes catered for, from rock to blues and jazz. In addition, there is an upstairs function room which may be hired for parties and meetings.
On the bar counter, customers can choose from a range of eight real ales. At the time of the Webmaster's visit, these included three Theakstons beers, Courage Directors and three from Romsey's Hampshire Brewery. Prices ranged from £2.50 to £2.90 per pint, dependent on strength. Alongside the cask beers, drinkers have a choice of three draught lagers and two keg ciders, plus Guinness. The beers sampled were in good condition. The choice of wines is adequate, though spirit drinkers are more limited, though Talisker and Glenlivet single malt whiskies were spotted out-of-reach on a high shelf!
A good selection of quality food is on offer, with prices ranging from a very reasonable £2.95 to £7.95 and is prepared by the former head chef from the Wine Vaults on Albert Road.
The Fat Fox has much potential and will hopefully compliment Mike Hughes' present pubs and bars well. Portsmouth could certainly do with another venue for differing styles of live music, so this will be welcomed by jazz and blues fans across the city. |
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The Slug & Lettuce |
The former Hog's Head on Palmerston Road, Southsea has now (July 2007) been reopened by the Laurel Pub Company as part of their Slug & Lettuce chain of pubs. The internal layout of the house remains the same as its former identity, albeit with a greater emphasis on comfort. On entering the pub, a carpeted area to the left is home to a number of low-level tables and upholstered chairs, whilst the area directly adjacent to the long bar counter has a row of high tables and stools.
A large plasma screen is hung from the left-hand wall and various commissioned works of art are displayed throughout the bar, depicting local scenes such as South Parade Pier and the Southsea War Memorial.
A third area, at the rear of the pub, contains further seating away from the main bar.
The bar stocks a wide range of drinks including no less than eight draught lagers. An excessive amount in anyone's book! Cask ales are Fullers London Pride and Caledonian Deuchars IPA. Additionally, a choice of continental bottled beers are available, along with a good range of spirits and a comprehensive wine list.
A varied menu offers a good choice of sandwiches, starters, salads and main courses at reasonable prices, served throughout the day.
Piped music is played at low level through a network of speakers, though the volume may well be increased on busy nights.
The Slug & Lettuce is a perfectly good replacement for the tired decor of the Hog's Head and is likely to prove popular with drinkers and diners alike. |
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The Duck |
Situated next door to the One-Eyed Dog on Elm Grove, Southsea (to which it has an interconnecting door) the Duck advertises itself as a real ale and wine bar, which is a pretty accurate description. On entering the premises through two narrow doors, the interior can be likened to the Hold In The Wall on Gt Southsea Street. Wood panelling is much in evidence and the floor of the bar is bare-boarded. Furnishings consist of a mixture of basic tables and chairs, together with church pews. The rear of the pub has a raised deck and a seperate drinking area.
The bar counter offers a choice of five real ales. At the time of the Webmaster's visit these were Hop Back Summer Lightning, Greene King IPA & Old Speckled Hen and Courage Best & Directors. A good selection of wines are available as well as a more standard choice of keg and bottled beers (the best of which being Budweiser Budvar).
Piped music is played through speakers situated around the bar room and is played at a level which is not intrusive. During our visit this was some impressive electric blues. The Duck provides a welcome addition to the Portsmouth pub scene and is an intimate venue in which to enjoy a good pint of ale or glass of wine. Service is friendly and efficient. Food is planned to be introduced in the near future. On the down side, the drinks are rather expensive -Summer Lightning £2.60, 330ml bottle of Budvar £2.80.
(July 2005). |
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The Lanyard |
This superb conversion of the fomer North End Baptist Church opened its doors in mid January 2005. At a reported cost of around £1.5m the Barracuda Group have succeeded in transforming this noted building into a worthy addition to the North End pub scene.
 On entry to the pub, the visitor is confronted with an impressive sight. The former nave is now a large seating area for drinkers and diners, with further seating around the perimeter of the room. The bar counter is located to the right, with three large, ornately-framed mirrors hung on the back wall between two decoratively carved wood fittings.
The eyes are instinctively drawn upward toward the impressive timer ceiling and to the balcony that surrounds three sides of the building. This area is accessed via stairs toward the rear of house and provides sweeping views across the whole floor below. Tables on the balcony area are set out in line formation, so drinkers are generally facing the balustrade. Be  warned, there are a number of steps to negotiate around the balcony area, which are bound to catch out those who have over-indulged during their visit! The upstairs area around the balcony is actually reminiscent of a court house or lecture theatre.
Back downstairs, the bar serves three real ales, these being Courage Directors and Ringwood Best and Fortyniner at the time of the Webmaster's first visit. Three pints of the latter were sampled and were found to be in good condition. At £2.05 per pint, this was good value for a premium strength pint [though this had increased to £2.30 by July '05].
A full wine list is available, though only one malt whisky is stocked - this being Glenfiddich Special Reserve. A good variety of lagers is served, though the bottled beer range is rather unadventurous, with only the standard over-priced lagers being available (Becks being the only bottled beer that any discerning drinker would purchase).
 An extensive menu is available, offering competitively priced meals. A number of plasma television screens are located around the ground floor area, showing Sky Sports at the time of the Webmaster's visit. Piped music is played via a network of loudspeakers located throughout the pub.
Visitors are warned that the music is cranked up to higher volumes during the evenings and management informs me that there are plans afoot to obtain an entertainment license to allow DJs to work at weekends. Live music is also a future possibility - jazz or folk acts may be  booked to play weekend lunchtime sessions or at other times, though this depends on management's willingness to foot the additional cost (live acts being more costly than DJs). It is unknown as to whether any of these plans have since come to fruition.
All in all, the Lanyard is a fine example of what can be done to save an otherwise derelict premises and transform it into a centrepiece for the local community. Hats off to Baracuda for this excellent conversion. The pub is likely to fare well in this location. |
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The Wonkey Donkey |
The Wonkey Donkey opened its doors on Thursday 23rd September 2004. This long, narrow bar is located on Victoria Road South, at its junction with Albert Road, and occupies the former Rikshaw's restaurant - the name of which still adorns a wall inside the bar. The pub advertises itself as a Free House and stocks a standard range of beers, with Fullers London Pride being the only cask ale on offer. Despite the Webmaster visiting on the opening night, the ale was not in best condition. A variety of discounted bottled cocktails are also sold, presumably to cater for the younger customers.
The interior walls are bare plaster, with very few right-angles to be seen, giving the bar a rather cave-like feel. At the end of the long, narrow drinking area is a pool table. Around eight television screens toward the front of the house display music videos and Sky News. Bar service was welcoming and efficient and the clientele was a mixture of students and business types. A welcome addition to the Albert Road scene.
NOTE: This bar has now (November 2007) closed for business. (see review for the Fat Fox above) |
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The Victory |
After a long spell of closure the Victory, located on The Hard, opposite the bus terminus, reopened in June 2008. A visit on a sunday afternoon found only a few drinkers inside, though the barmaid informed the Webmaster that custom had been okay since reopening.
The pub comprises a single bar room which is comfortably furnished with carpeted floors and a mixture of upholstered bar stools, chairs and sofas. A pool table is located close to the entrance door and there is a jukebox and gaming machines available.
Drinks choice was, it has to be said, rather limited at the time of the Webmaster's visit. No real ale was available, though it is hoped that this shall change in time. Indeed, local brewers Irving & Co have been in touch with the licencee with regard to stocking ales from Portsmouth's only brewery. Therefore, at present, there is only a standard range of keg beers and lagers. No food is served.
On the whole, the pub is 'one to watch' in coming months. Hopefully, if custom increases throughout the summer and real ale becomes viable, the pub has a bright future once more. |
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The Leopold Tavern |
This strikingly ornate, street corner tavern on Southsea's premier drinking street underwent somewhat of a transformation during the summer of 2007. Already a respected pub, serving a trio of good ales, the Leopold was given a comprehensive, though sympathetic refurbishment in July and reinvented as one of the city's best real ale houses.
Now boasting six real ales, a traditional cider and a good choice of malt whiskies, the pub gives customers a warm welcome and a pleasant environment in which to relax. Furnished with a mixture of traditional tables and chairs, high stools and low sofas, the single bar room is divided into three distinct areas.
On entering the pub, the right-hand area toward the front of house sports a polished floor and features a prominent dartboard. A television is used to show selected Sky Sports events. At the rear of the pub customers can find the comfortable sofas and other seating. A door leads from here to a sheltered, walled beer garden which has seating for twenty five people.
Back inside, real ales include offerings from a number of Southern, independent breweries such as Bowman, Hop Back and Oakleaf, plus other popular brands such as Greene King Abbot Ale. The choice rotates regularly, so drinkers can be sure to find something of interest whenever they visit. As well as a good wine list, single malt whiskies from Macallan, Laphroaig, Glenfiddich and Jura are offered, plus vatted malts from Johnny Walker and Bushmills. For those feeling a little peckish, a variety of filled rolls are on offer at £1.30 each.
All in all, this Good Beer Guide listed, Cask Marque accredited pub is well worth a visit. Highly recommended. |
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The Still & West Country House |
Following a short period of closure throughout the spring for refurbishment, Old Portsmouth's famous old harbourside inn, the Still & West Country House, reopened its doors to the public in May 2007. Soon after, the Webmaster paid a visit to the pub to view the changes for himself.
On entering the building, the most obvious difference was, in fact, the lack of much change at all! I was pleasantly surprised that both the layout and much of the decoration remained intact, in particular the maritime murals that can be found on the ceiling of the downstairs bar. Mostly boarded, the floor also now includes a synthetic flagstoned area around the entrance from the patio area. A large leather sofa now sits centre-stage in the main bar area, with the remainder of the tables and chairs being of the more traditional style. Piped music is played through a new network of loudspeakers dotted around the room. The range of drinks is fairly standard as before, with the real ales being Discovery, London Pride (£2.70), HSB (£2.80) and ESB. Meanwhile, upstairs can be found a second bar area, divided into three or four distinct areas, where both diners and non-diners are welcome. A small bar counter stocking a variety of wines, plus three ales is found to the left as you enter. A fireplace, already stocked with coal, stands opposite on the north wall. However, it is the conservatory that is the best feature, providing unrivalled views across the harbour mouth to Gosport, out into the Solent and northward towards Portsdown Hill.
In summing up, this is a sympathetic and subtle refit by Fuller's which thankfully leaves the pub with much the same character as before. It was unfortunate however, that on the evening of my visit, both ales that I sampled required changing. The beer engines also appear to be poorly calibrated, needing multiple pulls to dispense even half a pint! |
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The Invincible |
Tucked away behind The Hard and a stone's thrown from the Historic Dockyard, the Invincible is thankfully still going strong many years after many local pubs ceased trading in the area. Recently appearing a little jaded inside, the pub underwent an internal refit in early 2007 and is now both comfortable and welcoming to locals and visitors alike. The long, single bar room is divided into three distinct areas, with the front of house serving as the public bar. Here you can find a dart board and pool table, with seating comprised of church pews and traditional tables and chairs. A gaming machine stands opposite the bar counter. The centre section of the bar, opposite the main bar counter, sports polished wood flooring, with carpeting around the seating areas. The walls are a mixture of exposed brick and wood panelling, on which a good collection of naval prints are hung. The ceiling is partially covered with mock timbers. The rear seating area serves as the 'saloon bar' and is divided from the 'public bar' by an ornate and colourful glazed panel. Here you can find a large plasma television screen afixed to the rear wall, where sporting fixtures are shown.
The pub serves a good range of standard beers, wines and spirits, with three real ales on offer. On the Webmaster's visit these were InBev Flowers Original, Greene King Ruddles County and Fuller's Gales HSB (the latter being £2.50 per pint). Bar food is available at certain times.
The refurbishment has gone a long way to improving the pub's appeal and is worth a visit when in the Portsea area. |
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The India Arms |
On Friday 23rd February 2007 the India Arms reopened its doors after a major refurbishment which has thankfully seen its old image consigned to history. What the customer now has is a smart, comfortable pub which has been designed with the pub's name in mind. The colonial theme is subtle however and works well. The bare-boarded main area at the front of house is furnished with simple tables and chairs, with a dart board on the right-hand wall. There is plenty of standing room around the bar counter, meaning that customers will not find themselves falling over each other at busy times. At the rear of the pub is a seperate 'snug' area, furnished with comfortable leather armchairs and low tables. There are books available for customers to peruse as they relax with their drink. A seperate restaurant area can be found in the former fishmongers area, to the left as you enter. This offers authentic southern Indian cuisine. As far as drinks are concerned, there is a choice of three real ales, all of which were IPAs on opening night, though this may change in time. Those on offer were Greene King IPA (£2.40), Caledonian Deuchars IPA (£2.50) and Sharps IPA (£2.50). The Webmaster tried the Deuchars and Sharps and found both to be in good condition - the Sharps being especially good. Glenfiddich and Talisker are the two malt whiskies on offer. There is an ample selection of other spirits, as well as wines and a choice of lagers. Addlestones real cider is also on offer (£2.80).
There is also an upstairs room which is available for the use of artists and photographers to use as an exhibition area (free of charge).
All in all this is a most welcome refurbishment of a previously neglected pub. The India Arms deserves to do very well. |
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The Contented Pig |
Following a spate of temporary closures over the last couple of years, the Webmaster was pleased to learn of the reopening of the Contented Pig on Fratton Road in the Spring of 2006. On a damp May evening a visit was paid to the pub in order to check out any changes that had been made since the premises was last trading. On entering the bar I was somewhat surprised to find that the dark interior had been completely stripped out and the whole, large, single drinking area had been totally refurbished.
Unfortunately, it has not changed for the better. One of the appeals of the Contented Pig was its basic, unfussy furnishings and down-to-earth character. It provided a good atmosphere in which to watch the multitude of bands who took to the stage over the years.
Sadly, all the intimacy has now disappeared and what we have been given instead as a bright, modern style interior with a light-coloured wooden bar counter and gantry. The floor is mostly bare-boarded, with carpeting toward the southern end of the room.
A dart board hangs on the left-hand wall as you enter and a pool table can be found toward the rear of the main bar area. Furnishings consist of a variety of seating including sofas, with tables of differing heights and styles. At least one of the fabric bench seats had already been subjected to a two foot long rip. One interesting feature is the retention of an original fireplace and mantlepiece on the left-hand wall as you enter.
Two televisions can be found within the bar, one of these being a large screen showing music videos and located on the small stage. Somewhat iritatingly, different music is piped through the small speakers throughout the bar. Live music can still be found here, though probably to a lesser extent to when the pub was in its heyday. A quiz night is held on Tuesdays.
The most disappointing thing about the pub, however is the appalling lack of variety as far as drinks are concerned. No cask-conditioned ale is on offer. This is regrettable, as the pub once stocked a good variety of real ales, and as the Frog & Frigate in the 1980s even brewed its own beer. What we now have is a basic range of overpriced beers and Guinness Extra Cold (more accurately described as Extra Tasteless due to the effect that excessive chilling has on the flavour of a beer). The usual bottled cocktails can be found in the chill cabinets, along with Becks and Newcastle Brown Ale (possibly the only two brews that a discerning drinker would consider). The range of spirits is minimal, showing little imagination by the owners. Suffice to say that no single malt whisky is sold.
So all in all a rather bland pub, with an interior that has been designed to appeal to the younger drinker (and maybe young professionals) but which is wrongly located. A bar such as this would fair better in the city centre, but to reinvent a good beer-drinkers pub as a pseudo wine bar premises is typical of pub companies today being unable or unwilling to give the local population what they want.
NOTE: From January 2008 this pub has closed. |
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The Mischief |
The former Clarence Gardens on London Road, North End reopened its doors in June 2005 following a full refurbishment and now goes by the ludicrous name of the Mischief. The Webmaster entered the premises on a Saturday afternoon with a little trepidation, not quite knowing what to expect! It's a pity that the owners decided to rename the house with such a daft moniker, as on entry to the bar I found a varied clientele - certainly not the 18-21 set that I had expected to be confronted with.
The bar itself serves a standard range of beers, lagers and the usual bottled cocktails. A good range of wines are available, though spirits are again rather limited, with no malt whisky in evidence during my visit. A disppointing omission is that of any cask ale. There is a cocktails menu for those feeling a little more adventurous. Good value traditional fayre is available throughout the day.
The very large, single bar is divided into distinct areas, with a few small alcoves along the right-hand wall for those who prefer a little privacy. The rear of house has been given over to games, with four poor tables present. A multitude of television screens are sited throughout the bar.
All in all a perfectly good pub, but let down by the lack of real ale and the childish, off-putting name. |
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The Coach & Horses |
The Coach & Horses on London Road, Hilsea reopened on 23rd September 2004 following a major refurbishment. The result is a comfortably-furnished , smartly-decorated pub with a number of open-ended rooms radiating out from the bar counter area. A mixture of sofas and armchairs are provided as well as more traditional tables and chairs.
Real ales on offer during the Webmaster's visit were Wadworth 6X and Carlsberg Tetley Bitter. The 6X was in excellent condition. Both straight glasses or heavyweight tankards are provided. The remaining choice of beers and spirits is standard fayre, with disappointingly only one single malt whisky (Glenfiddich Special Reserve) being available, though a variety of wines are sold.
The pub has a pleasant, relaxed feel to it and is well worth a visit. Just one gripe - there was a noticeable lack of smoke extraction equipment throughout the drinking areas (however, as of 1st July 2007, this is no longer of any consequence).. |
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