The Pub List
Bar 62 62 Catherine St |
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Popular with well off thirtysomethings. No real ale when reviewed (22nd Feb 2007) but sixteen different champagnes! Expensive. Acoustics make pub noisy. Nice small garden |
5 / 10 |
Barneys 28-30 London Rd |
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Closed - 2011 New bar/restaurant due to open in July 2012
Previously: popular Irish Bar, busy at weekends. Age group mainly 20's to 30's.No real ale. Noisy |
Closed |
Baton Marshalswick |
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Large pub in the Marshalswick area. Good for watching sports - three plasma screens. Two pool tables and dartboard. Two real ales. |
4.5 / 10 |
Beehive London Rd |
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Traditional pub with disappointing selection of beers. Age group mainly early twenties. TV screen showing sport at rear of pub. Patio at back with table tennis table |
6 / 10 |
Bell 22 Chequer St |
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Closed - July 2007
2011 - Opens as a Jamie's Italian |
Closed |
Black Lion 196 Fishpool St |
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2011 - Application approved to turn building into flats. Still trading (Spring 2012). Hotel (16 rooms) with Savanna fine dining restaurant and smart bar. Still serves real ale. Sky tv. Car park. |
? / 10 |
Blackberry Jack Jersey Farm |
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Large pub serving the Jersey Farm estate. Conservatory with dining tables. Good value steaks. One real ale - London Pride |
5 / 10 |
Blacksmiths Arms 56 St Peters St |
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Large traditional pub with modern interior. Up to eight real ales and regular beer festivals. Sky Sports. Live music at weekends. Large patio/garden. Food served all day. |
7.5 / 10 |
Blue Anchor 145 Fishpool St |
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Traditional pub with a smart modern interior. Seperate drinking and dining rooms. Two real ales, both McMullans. |
5 / 10 |
Boot 4 Market Place |
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Great traditional character pub. Good mix of drinkers. Friendly bar staff and great atmosphere. Up to 7 unusual real ales that change regularly. Beware the low ceilings. |
7.5 / 10 |
Camp 149 Camp Rd |
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Large McMullans estate pub for locals. Standard McMullan ales. Pool table and dartboard. |
5 / 10 |
Cock 50 St Peters St |
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Small traditional pub with good unusual real ales. Restaurant at back. Drinking area at front can get crowded. Sport on plasma tv. Good bar staff. Drinkers mainly in their mid-twenties to early forties |
6.5 / 10 |
Crosskeys 7 Chequer St |
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Closed as a Wetherspoons on 1st June 2012. Opening in August as a Bar Baroque. Sounds as though it will be a smart bar and restaurant serving fine wines and cocktails with little chance of real ale. |
No Score |
Crown 144 Hatfield Rd |
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Large pub on Hatfield Road, close to station. Pool tables. Two real ales |
4 / 10 |
Duke of Marlborough 110 Holywell Hill |
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Two room pub that is a little better inside than might be expected. New decking area to side. Two real ales. Rugby Memorobilia. |
4.5 / 10 |
Farmers Boy 134 London Rd |
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Great traditional pub with friendly atmosphere. Good selection of beers including local Alehouse ales. Good mix of drinkers. |
7 / 10 |
Farriers Arms 32 Lower Dagnall St |
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Traditional back street locals pub. Fairly small inside. Outdoor toilets. McMullans pub serving AK, Cask Ale and Country. |
4 / 10 |
Fighting Cocks 16 Abbey Mill Lane |
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Spring 2012 - Lease sold, new pub owners to take over. Lovely old pub with great character, the current building dates back to 15th century. Fairly large pub with good size garden. Fair selection of real ales. 5-10 mins walk from city centre. |
7 / 10 |
Fleur de Lys 1 French Row |
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Old traditional pub taken over in 2007 by Snug Bar chain. Smart new interior. Patio at back. Up to three unusual real ales available. Food and drink a little expensive. |
6 / 10 |
Garibaldi 61 Albert St |
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Quiet pub frequented mainly by middle-aged men and a large dog! Full range of four well kept Fullers ales. |
5 / 10 |
Goat 37 Sopwell Lane |
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Popular back street pub with reasonable selection of real ale. Wide range of ages. Quiz nights on Sundays are popular |
7.5 / 10 |
Great Northern 172 London Rd |
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Old fashioned pub at bottom of London Road. In need of redecoration. Mainly middle-aged drinkers and mostly men. Aug 2015: New owners and completely refurbished. Score refers to old pub |
4 / 10 |
Hare and Hounds 104 Sopwell Lane |
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Popular traditional back street pub with character features and fair choice of real ale. Games room area at rear with table football, darts, juke box. |
6 / 10 |
Harry Smiths 1B Verulam Rd |
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Closed - Aug 2011 Due to re-open in July 2012 as a Brasserie Blanc
Previously: Small narrow pub/bar. No real ales and poor selection of wine. Noisy, unfriendly staff, unpleasant toilets. |
Closed |
Harvesters (Ancient Briton) 46 Harpenden Rd |
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AKA Ancient Briton now run as a Harvesters restaurant with a separate bar area. No real ale. Re-opened in Nov 2007 following refurb. |
4 / 10 |
Horn Victoria St |
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Closest pub to main train station. Single real ale Smarter inside than one would expect. Bands play on many evenings. |
4 / 10 |
Ice 6 Adelaide St |
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Closed - April 2009 Re-opened in 2011 as part of the Club Veeda nightclub. Open weekend evenings only. |
No Score |
Jolly Sailor 3 Stonecross |
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Charles Wells two bar pub five mins walk from city centre. Larger bar area good for watching sport. Service and bar meals good. Seperate quiet bar. |
6 / 10 |
King Harry 2 King Harry Lane |
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Large pub about a mile from city centre. Smarter inside than outside. Good food. Nice outside drinking area. Good selection of cider. |
6.5 / 10 |
King Offa Abbotts Avenue West |
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Large two bar pub serving the local estate. Pool table, dartboard, jukebox in public bar. Only one real ale but cheap. |
3 / 10 |
King William 185 Sandridge Rd |
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Large corner pub on Sandridge Road. Good mix of drinkers. Three or more real ales. Popular for food. |
7 / 10 |
Lower Red Lion 36 Fishpool St |
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Popular traditional pub with character features renowned for its selection of real ales, often around six available. Great atmosphere with good mix of drinkers. |
7 / 10 |
Mermaid 98 Hatfield Rd |
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Traditional locals pub on Hatfield Road. Great selection of up to eight guest ales including one dark ale. Live bands most weekends. |
6.5 / 10 |
Mokoko 26 Verulam Rd |
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Cocktail bar. No real ale. Smart and comfortable. Good place for quiet relaxing drink although busy at weekends. |
5 / 10 |
O'Neils 11-13 Victoria St |
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Large pub formally a Firkin and before that the main library. Popular with students. Two real ales, London Pride & Landlord. Large projector screens showing football |
6.5 / 10 |
Peacock 13 Hatfield Rd |
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Now returned to its original name of the Peacock (Oct 2009) following a brief spell as Ryans's Bar and a couple of years as O'Neils Bar. Smart interior with wooden floor. No real ale (June 2009). Four plasma screens |
4.5 / 10 |
Peahen 6 London Rd |
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McMullans pub with good selection of wine and lager but poor ales. Smart interior. Food served all day. Over 21's only. Drinkers are smartly dressed and mainly in their twenties and thirties. Large patio popular in summer |
7 / 10 |
Portland Arms 63 Portland St |
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Back street locals pub with good Fullers ales and a great atmosphere. Food served until 9:30pm. Drinkers of all ages. Friendy relaxing place. Occasional live jazz music |
7 / 10 |
Rats Castle 246 Hatfield Rd |
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Smart new modern interior following refurbishment in 2007. Two real ales, Gales HSB and Breakspear plus guest ale. |
6.5 / 10 |
Robin Hood 126 Victoria St |
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Pleasant traditional pub with reasonable selection of beers. Mainly middle-aged drinkers. Good pub for a chat if juke box not too loud |
6 / 10 |
Rose and Crown 10 St Michaels St |
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Traditional pub with beams, low ceilings and real fire. Up to four real ales and home cooked food. Two separate rooms. Regular live music |
6.5 / 10 |
Six Bells 16-18 St Michaels St |
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Lovely old fashioned pub with low ceiling, beams and real fire. Five real ales and good home cooked food. Seperate dining room. |
8 / 10 |
Slug and Lettuce 13-15 Victoria St |
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Large modern style bar with reasonable selection of lager but no real ale. Drinkers are mainly in their twenties to early thirties. Loud music on Fridays and Saturdays |
4.5 / 10 |
Speckled Hen Hatfield Rd |
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Smart new modern interior following major refurbishment in 2006. Formally Bunch of Cherries. Up to three Green King ales available. Large front garden/patio |
6.5 / 10 |
Spotted Bull 43-43 Verulum Rd |
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Fairly large traditional pub along Verulam Road. Two real ales, London Pride and GK IPA. Plenty of seats available as this pub doesn't seem to get busy - useful place for a quiet chat. |
5 / 10 |
Tudor Tavern 27 George St |
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Closed 2007
Jan 2008: Now a Thai restaurant called Thai Square. |
Closed |
Verulam Arms 41 Lower Dagnell St |
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Bistro style pub concentrating on serving meals rather than drinks. Around ten minutes walk from city centre. Score reflects pub in 2007 and needs to be reviewed. |
7 / 10 |
Victoria 82 Victoria St |
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Opened April 1st 2010. Formally The Glass House that closed in Sept 2009. Smart pub with up to three real ales. Nice terrace. Sky Sports |
6 / 10 |
Vintry 3 High St |
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Closed - Aug 2009. Nov 2009: Now open as a Cote Brasserie. |
Closed |
Waterend Barn St Peters St |
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Very large pub and restaurant converted to Lloyds bar in 2005. Patio area at front. Comfortable seating. Great old barn. Good selection of real ales, wines and foreign beers. Popular at weekends after 9pm - disco and open 'til 1am. |
7 / 10 |
White Hart Hotel Holywell Hill |
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Cosy pub with two rooms. Very old building with good character Availability of real ales could be improved Lease is for sale |
5 / 10 |
White Hart Tap 4 Keyfield |
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Popular back street pub with good selection of real ale. Mainly middle-aged drinkers and mostly men. Occasional live music on Saturday evenings. Four or five real ales |
7 / 10 |
White Lion 91 Sopwell Lane |
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Popular pub with a great selection of five or six real ales. Mainly middle-aged drinkers and mostly men. |
7 / 10 |
White Swan Upper Dagnell St |
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Back street old style pub. Better inside than expected from outside. Briefly an up-market bar called Oscars in 2010/11 |
6.5 / 10 |