# Pubs in Exeter



## Andy the Don (Oct 24, 2006)

Around the station or St James Park..

Any good ones, looking for decent ale/food, pool table, juke box.. Going to be in town on Saturday.

Please give me recommendations..

Ta muchly..


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## secretsquirrel (Oct 26, 2006)

Not that near the station but still fairly central - the mighty HOURGLASS!!!! Tis our local and the best bar none. They do absolutely fantastic food, a fine range of booze and a really nice crowd. Comes into it's own this time of year as it's the perfect 'winter' pub - cosy, battered, lovely  

It's at 21 Melbourne St if you want to streetmap it. I've known friends turn up from London and want to move in there and never leave...


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## secretsquirrel (Oct 26, 2006)

However - no pool table or jukebox. And they do shut during the afternoon. Think opening is until 3pm then again at 5pm. Still worth the effort though.


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## tarannau (Oct 26, 2006)

I went to a pub not far from the station with a mighty hangover last time I was in Exeter  - pleasant enough, if a bit studenty. Pool Table and reasonable pizzas though - I think it was the Jolly Farmers or something, recently renovated by all accounts.

Quite enjoyed spending time at LQ's sister's local too - The Thatched House over the river at Exwick.


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## secretsquirrel (Oct 26, 2006)

I know the one you mean but have never been in. There's another pub around there that has the 'amusing' sign outside saying 'If you missed our free beer today, why not come back tomorrow?' Oh how we chortle every time we see it  

If you're down my end regular like you should let us know - I can finally return the favour after that fab green curry you cooked me _years _ago  Oh - and introduce you to the Hourglass of course!


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## tollbar (Oct 26, 2006)

tarannau said:
			
		

> I went to a pub not far from the station with a mighty hangover last time I was in Exeter  - pleasant enough, if a bit studenty. Pool Table and reasonable pizzas though - I think it was the Jolly Farmers or something, recently renovated by all accounts.
> 
> Quite enjoyed spending time at LQ's sister's local too - The Thatched House over the river at Exwick.



Twill be the Jolly Porter you are thinking of.

Brunels bar at the Great Western Hotel by St Davids Station is said to be alright and just up the hill towards town you have The Imperial a JD Weatherspoons emporium.  

nearer to St James Park, you have the Duke Of York on the corner of Sidwell St which does reasonable food and at the bottom end of St james park you have the Brook Green tavern (at least I think its still there).


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## Andy the Don (Oct 26, 2006)

Thanks guys, have been recommended the Brook Green Tavern by another source & also advised against the Duke of York & Vines (??)


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## tarannau (Oct 26, 2006)

tollbar said:
			
		

> Twill be the Jolly Porter you are thinking of.



That's the one. I was staying up at the uni for a wedding and stumbled down the day after looking for a newspaper. Bizarrely the paper shop by the Jolly Porter was the closest one open I could find to the campus. Seemed rude not to stop for a pint.

Not a bad pub really. Shit jukebox perhaps, and the highest concentration of be-dreaded trustafrians I've seen outside of Notting Hill, circa 1995. Quite a pleasant and amusing afternoon all things considered, even if I did have a overwhelming urge to tap on the shoulder of a hippy-teen-cliche (bindi on head, ginger, dreads, ethnic beads, an assortment of mismatched bright stripeywear and a novelty 'frog' bag) and snort loudly.


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## tollbar (Oct 27, 2006)

tarannau said:
			
		

> That's the one. I was staying up at the uni for a wedding and stumbled down the day after looking for a newspaper. Bizarrely the paper shop by the Jolly Porter was the closest one open I could find to the campus. Seemed rude not to stop for a pint.
> 
> Not a bad pub really. Shit jukebox perhaps, and the highest concentration of be-dreaded trustafrians I've seen outside of Notting Hill, circa 1995. Quite a pleasant and amusing afternoon all things considered, even if I did have a overwhelming urge to tap on the shoulder of a hippy-teen-cliche (bindi on head, ginger, dreads, ethnic beads, an assortment of mismatched bright stripeywear and a novelty 'frog' bag) and snort loudly.



Last I heard of it, there was a biker club using the room downstairs as a clubroom.


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## craigxcraig (Oct 27, 2006)

....is the Turks Head still open, was on the highstreet iirc.


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## Andy the Don (Oct 31, 2006)

Had a great day out only went to three pubs before being escorted back to catch the 18:00 train. Started at the Imperial, Weatherspoons pub in an old house which used to be owned by one of the civil engineers from GWR. The Weatherspoons beer & cider festival was on so had a few pints of excellent ale. Then went by taxi to the Blackhorse, not as good as the Imperial, bit of a student pub. Then walked to the Brook Green for a couple of quickies before heading to the match. Then back in the Black Horse for another quick one before the police (who were very nice & polite, even saying that we were a pleasure to police & allowing us to walk to the station with our pints & providing off licence stops to buy beers for the train) herded us off down the hill to the station.


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## High Voltage (Oct 31, 2006)

And one to mourn the passing of.

The Double Locks (RIP)

MANY an enjoyable (if wobbly) afternoon spent there. It's been bought by a "chain"

amended the menu

Committed the heresy of removing the Turkey Pie from the Menu along with a bowl of roasties

Twas a black day indeed

I miss the Double Locks


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## djbombscare (Nov 2, 2006)

craigxcraig said:
			
		

> ....is the Turks Head still open, was on the highstreet iirc.




DO NOT EVER EVER EVER GO IN THERE AGAIN !!!!  


at least dont admit to it


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## kerb (Nov 2, 2006)

High Voltage said:
			
		

> And one to mourn the passing of.
> 
> The Double Locks (RIP)
> 
> ...




NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Please dont say whetherspoons. Ppplease. 

im really upset now.


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## William of Walworth (Nov 2, 2006)

High Voltage said:
			
		

> And one to mourn the passing of.
> 
> The Double Locks (RIP)
> 
> ...



When I was last there in August, the DL had been taken over by Youngs Brewery. Youngs (of Wandsworth, SW18) is now merged with Charles Wells Brewery of Bedford, but Youngs, although the Wandsworth Brewery will imminently close, will retain their pub estate under the Youngs name and continue to run it separately. The Youngs bers will continue to be rewed, but in Bedford. At the DL, alongside the Youngs standards, they were still serving a very good choice of beers from independent/smaller sources, and the kitchen was still going strong. Youngs have a pretty good track recod of preserving the traditional pub ethos of their directly-owned properties.

So this is very much *not* a case of Wetherspoons/, and even better, nothing to do with All Bar One/Scream/Walkabout/Punch Taverns/Enterprise Inns/Beefeater/Harvester/Spirit Group or similar 'PubCo' monstrosities, not nearly as bad as that.

Would agree it's shame the place is no longer  a local/independent Free House though. Wish Otter Brewery of Honiton had bought it, but I don't think they have much of a pub estate.


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## Hollis (Nov 2, 2006)

Its all very well.. but before you know it Youngs could turn into the next Wetherspoons.

Youngs are good pubs.. but you should still fundamentally be against concentration imo.


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## William of Walworth (Nov 2, 2006)

Hollis said:
			
		

> Its all very well.. but before you know it Youngs could turn into the next Wetherspoons.
> 
> Youngs are good pubs.. but you should still fundamentally be against concentration imo.



I am, thoroughly, and it's a shame that acquisition happened. I don't pretend its ideal, just drawing the distinction between what Youngs have done so far (don't know when they bought the DL?) on the one hand, and on the other,  Wetherspoons (who would never buy such an out of town centre property -- not their policy) or other horrible, much worse chains. There are no local rumours of Youngs making any significant changes to that pub, I asked around. Might happen, but I doubt it -- Youngs general track record so far is far less bad than that of the sort of PubCo I mentioned above, those that are are PURELY property empires and have no direct link with any breweries.


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## craigxcraig (Nov 2, 2006)

djbombscare said:
			
		

> DO NOT EVER EVER EVER GO IN THERE AGAIN !!!!
> 
> 
> at least dont admit to it



Hi DJBombscare - not been there since 1987/88, twas a young RM and this was our local. Will keep my fond memories and heed your advice!


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## djbombscare (Nov 3, 2006)

craigxcraig said:
			
		

> Hi DJBombscare - not been there since 1987/88, twas a young RM and this was our local. Will keep my fond memories and heed your advice!




Ah thats the reason not to go in cos it full of young RM's fresh out of Lympstone on their first pass.  



Oh and grils who want to hook themselves a Young RM  




And local lads who dont like the idea that these local girls only fancy young RM's  




It more dangerous than the endurance course on woodbury


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## tollbar (Nov 4, 2006)

djbombscare said:
			
		

> Ah thats the reason not to go in cos it full of young RM's fresh out of Lympstone on their first pass.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Idaho (Nov 6, 2006)

The Turk's Head is now a Pizza Express type place - so no more brawling squaddies.


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