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Detail Pages
The Boot, St Albans Central, St. Albans
St. Albans
AL3 5DG
Pub Type
Punch TavernsReviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Boot
Visited this pub while on a CAMRA coach trip in the area. Had difficulty finding it due to the take down of the Saturday market and locals sending us first way up the street, then back down it to find the pub, so not a lot of time to explore round it. We chose Mad Squirrel Berkhopsted and the beer was fine.
On 17th October 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Boot
Busy old pub in central St Albans. Very traditional.
On 2nd August 2017
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Boot
Another well known pub to me that I can say has improved.
The beer range is now excellent.... and in a night of great pints at 5 locations, the XT 1 taken here was the pick of the bunch.
Never thought I'd say that about the Boot.
Even more reason to love the place.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2tMDBNJ
On 6th July 2017
- rating: 10
[User has posted 277 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Boot
Right in the heart of St Albans, opposite the Clock Tower, the Boot is a typical simple city centre boozer with a single U-shaped room layout. The pub has scuffed floorboards throughout with fixed padded bench seating around the perimeter supplemented by plenty of standard chairs. The walls have been decorated with various portraits of iconic musicians (Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen etc...), some old brewery mirrors and a selection of black and white local photos. A prominent sign advertises a full roster of live music and right on cue I was turfed off my table so that they could make a bit of space for a band to set up in the front left corner of the room. The tables to the front right were covered with balloons and party poppers, suggesting that they had been reserved for a private party, although they remained vacated for the duration of my stay. The servery stands in the middle of the rear wall and has a nice angular dark wood counter and low canopy. This was one of a number of St Albans pubs I visited that was visibly protesting the new 73% business rate increases and they had set up an i-pad on the end of the bar counter for people to complete an online petition, which seemed pretty enterprising. The accompanying spiel seemed to suggest that the pub would become unviable within a year or so of the new rates taking effect. A TV screen was turned off to one side of the room but ample Six Nations bunting throughout the pub suggested that live sports coverage gets a good airing in here. The Rolling Stones dominated the pre-gig playlist, albeit at a sensible volume and I noted the day’s papers available on a shelf to the rear left. A trip to the gents was worthwhile to have a good chuckle at the framed Private Eye front pages that covered much of the wall space.
For a city centre pub of this nature, the beer range was considerably better than I had expected. Options on this visit were Oakham Citra, Tring Scrum Down and Colley’s Dog, St Austell Proper Job, Adnams Ghost Ship, Wells Bombardier, Wild Beer Millionaire and Vocation Chop and Change (£4.10) - a good mix of established nationals, local brewers and obscurer micros. The Chop and Change was an interesting Black IPA – not entirely to my taste but in good shape nonetheless.
This is obviously a pretty old pub, but it’s opened out interior means it has lost much of its traditional appeal, pitching itself now as more of a Jack-of-all-trades type venue. I found it lacking a bit of atmosphere and not all that easy to settle down, but it certainly has some interesting and well conditioned beer to compensate and with its central location it is an easy option to check out whenever in town.
On 25th April 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Boot
Cleaned up since 2009 and subsequently makes more of the exposed-beam, horseshoe shaped interior. Oddly there’s astroturf flooring on the left hand side, not seen that inside a pub before. Three dull ales and a cider to left of the bar but a far more interesting selection at the front with a creature theme on my visit; 2x Red Squirrel, Mad Bunny APA, Tring Kokatu and Animal ‘Bastard Bunny’. My APA was in pretty good form but steeply priced at 2 quid a half. Good set of bottles noted in the fridge. Much better than 2009.
July 2009
Absolutely heaving (maybe this is where all the Goat's customers went?) in preparation for a live music session. When I saw the seven ales at the horseshoe-shaped bar I thought I was onto a winner...however the beer was a mixed bag; amongst the usual suspects I plumped for the Titanic which was grotty, whilst the York brewery beer was merely OK - I would have taken the Titanic back but I didn‘t fancy wading through the crush at the bar once I‘d managed to find a table. My negative feeling was compounded by a grubby interior and toilets that were a feculent pit. I'd maybe give it another go and see if the beer consistency is better but I didn't really take to the place on first viewing and wouldn't call it a first-choice pub in St Albans until it gets a good scrub-up. Rated 5
On 1st August 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Boot
A nice authentic old pub in the heart of St Albans, low ceiling and beams, 8 hand pulls with a good selection of interesting beers, my Tring Kotuku was rather good as is this pub.
On 22nd July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Boot
A decent pub this one, with a homely and relaxed feel to it. Quite quiet on our Friday early lunchtime visit, but was starting to fill on our exit. The oak bar was nicely finished, with some embellishment along the front. Also there were some brass coat hangers along the front bar, which I think is an important fixture, when out and about in winter.
Eight ales and two ciders on this visit. I went for the Red Squirrel Brewery Redtail Citra, which was very good. The low and cracked ceiling near the front bar, looked to be hanging in there quite precariously.
On 22nd July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Boot
Nice low ceilinged pub.Rammed on my visit but fast service.Same range of beers as BF found but also local 3 friends brewery -special ale which was very good.Warm and noisy but with people chatting rather than music.
On 28th February 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Boot
Around since the 1400's,this is a very authentic old pub with a low ceiling,a slightly distorted wooden floor and a bar in the centre of the pub at the rear with two wings either side.Bench seating running underneath the windows and around the perimeter with traditional tables and chairs apart from a single high table on the route to the lavs.The Private Eye covers in the gents brought a chuckle to my proceedings.
An eclectic music track enhanced the experience,and the flatscreen to one side was sensibly swithched off during my Friday lunchtime trip.Food is a theme here during the day with £5 soup and sandwich offerings complimented by a small specials listing per day,being Friday this meant three fish dishes from £9-£11.
There are eight handpumps drawing Adnams Southwold Bitter,Bass,Youngs Bitter,Tring Sidepocket,St Austell Tribute,Doom Bar,Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Oakham Bishops Farewell,an eye watering £3.75 and not in A1 condition,which lead me to question whether throughput was sufficient to support eight handpumps.However the pub has been awarded the Oakadamy award,so maybe I was just unlucky.Several keg fonts for cider and lager also adorn the bar but there were two real cider boxes behind the bar.There is a strict no drinks outside policy,so enjoy the traditional interior.
This should be included on any real ale crawl around the city and I suspect the lunchtime food is very good to boot !
On 17th May 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Boot
Ancient pub in the Market Square serving a good range of real ale with the Oakham Scarlett Macaw being in great form.One L shaped bar which on my visit was fairly quiet.They must have changed the barmaid as this one was very friendly and immediately offered a taster.
On 22nd July 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]