I'd tried visiting this place a few times, but it always appeared closed. There's an off-putting air about the place from outside, and I'd imagined it was a bit of a rough pub (just looking on the internet, I see it has a violent history, and the police recently called for it to be closed), but when I did manage to visit one afternoon at the end of 2016 I was surprised at how laid back and homely it was. There were lots of old people, and there was almost a feeling of a day care centre about the place. I visited on carvery day - which I think was a Wednesday, and that seems to be excellent value, and is likely the reason there were so many older folks in. The meals are served in a large function room at the back, which is rather plain, and more canteen than pub, but food can be brought into the main bar area at the front. There was one beer available, which I recall as being Ringwood's Razorback.
Date: March 2017 Score: 4 1/2
Has been under new management since at least May 2018. Popped back while in Shirley Precinct. People outside smoking. Quite dreary and cold inside, and a little scruffy. No food, and no cask ales available. Clearly a bad day. I didn't stop.
Date: Nov 2019 Score: 2
Pub is closed. It did not survive the Covid lockdowns. It has been sold (I was told for £40,000, which seems very cheap - looking it up, it was £400,000, which is more appropriate), but nobody knows what is to happen with it.
Date: Nov 2021 Score: N/A
Reopened as Griffin Bar and Grill with karaoke nights. Facebook. Opened in Oct 2022, after a £500,000 refurbishment. The manager in the picture, Phillip Cornock, was dismissed after being arrested for sex offenses.
Date: Feb 2023 Score: NA
Date: March 2017 Score: 4 1/2
Has been under new management since at least May 2018. Popped back while in Shirley Precinct. People outside smoking. Quite dreary and cold inside, and a little scruffy. No food, and no cask ales available. Clearly a bad day. I didn't stop.
Date: Nov 2019 Score: 2
Pub is closed. It did not survive the Covid lockdowns. It has been sold (I was told for £40,000, which seems very cheap - looking it up, it was £400,000, which is more appropriate), but nobody knows what is to happen with it.
Date: Nov 2021 Score: N/A
Reopened as Griffin Bar and Grill with karaoke nights. Facebook. Opened in Oct 2022, after a £500,000 refurbishment. The manager in the picture, Phillip Cornock, was dismissed after being arrested for sex offenses.
Date: Feb 2023 Score: NA
I popped along to see what the place looks like after the refurbishment. No signs of it from the outside. And I couldn't see inside as it was closed. Looks like they are only open evenings. Perhaps from noon at weekends, but the sign is not clear.
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