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Picture of The Torch
Image posted by john mcgraw
Submitted on Tuesday, 13th April 2010
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The Torch, Wembley

Bridge Road
Wembley
HA9 9AB
Correct details

Pub Type

John Barras (Spirit Pubs)

Served areas

Reviews of The Torch (Average Rating: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Graham Coombs left this review about The Torch

Vast 1950s pub which has been tarted up with a somewhat muddled decor, presumably designed to appeal to the sort of people who watch sports. The long bar is the centrepiece, with areas off including a games part, a Flaming Grill restaurant area, various high tables, a function suite and an outside patio. Undoubtedly gets heaving when there is an event on at nearby Wembley Stadium but not too bad at quiet times. Ales restricted to GK IPA, which was off, and Abbot, which was in fair condition.

On 14th September 2021 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3322 recommendations about 3259 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Roger Button left this review about The Torch

Built in 1956 when the Wembley area had started to expand beyond its original rural setting, the Torch was originally called the Olympic Torch to reflect the earlier 1948 London Olympics for which the Stadium and the Empire Pool (now the Arena) were primary venues. It is a quite unremarkable pub these days but is probably one of the better options if attending events at Wembley if only because it is located away from the main footflow and has a fairly spacious interior that geared towards dealing with the mass crowds.

Internally, the pub consists of 3 large adjoining rooms and a separate function suite to the rear. The décor is typically pub by numbers throughout, quite bland and plastic but hardy and functional. The main bar is centrally positioned but can be 3 or 4 deep during event days although I have always found the service acceptable in the circumstances. To the left of the Main Bar is the games room containing a big screen, dart board and 2 pool tables (which are removed on event days to gain extra seating space). A large aerial photo of the old Wembley Stadium is situated at the rear. There are at least 6 further TVs dotted around the pub generally showing Sports. There are some old photos of the local area and also of the now defunct John Barras Brewery (the pub is part of the current John Barras pub chain) which will be of particular interest to beer enthusuasts.

The food and beer was typical unadventurous pub chain stuff with the 3 ales being Courage Best, Greene King IPA and Bombardier (labeled as a guest – not exactly imaginative). The prices were reasonable enough (Bombardier was a strange but acceptable £2.98) and, to its credit, the Torch has has always been one of the few wembley pubs that does not exploit its customers and hike up the prices on event days. The menu was a typical pub grub selection with main courses around £5/6, plus various 2 for £9 offers and the now commonplace ‘Spoons style £5.99 Tuesday Grill and Thursday Curry nights.

If the inside is too packed, there are plenty of benches outside on the front decking and also a rather untidy and in places, steep beer garden. There is also a small terrace to rear with fine views of the car park.

It is hard to see why anyone beyond the local community would go out of the way to pay the pub a visit but it is well suited for the area without having anything of intrinsic merit to warrant much more than killing an hour prior to an event.

On 14th September 2010 - rating: 5
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about The Torch

This is a large John Barras pub that I last visited when it was heaving before an England game at Wembley a couple of years ago. It was obviously nowhere near as busy on my recent Thursday night visit, but there was still a decent sized crowd in attendance whilst the darts premier league was showing on the projector and plasma screens via Sky Sports.

There are three hand pumps on the main bar, two of which were drawing Bombardier and the other Courage best and there is also a good selection of standard draught products. There are another three hand pumps on the left hand side of the bar, two of which were unused and Courage Best was on the third. A couple of pool tables and a dartboard are located in this section of the pub and around to the right hand side of this U-shaped pub there is a dining type area. I found the staff were generally friendly and I was served a decent pint of Guinness that came in at a good price. The food was also reasonably priced and seemed to be the usual pub fayre that one would expect to find in a JB establishment.

There is some seating on a decked area outside the front of the pub and there is some more seating on the grassy hill to the side of the pub. There are speakers outside so that the TV commentary can be heard; I just hope that they are turned off on Thursdays after 20:30 as this is when the pub hosts its karaoke nights.

This isn’t a pub that I would go out of my way to visit, but due to its location I will probably find myself in here again at some point as there is little competition in the area and its size means that it can cope with the football crowds.

On 18th May 2010 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


View more reviews of The Torch (4)
External web links for The Torch

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Pub location see interactive map of local area
Map location corrected by Steve C
Wembley Stadium, 0.88 miles, 17 min walk (show)
Wembley Central, 1.44 miles, 27 min walk (show)
North Wembley, 1.44 miles, 27 min walk (show)
Latest updates View all updates for The Torch, Wembley
4th Oct 2022, 17:46
Web Link submitted by Rex Rattus approved
 
4th Oct 2022, 17:46
Web Link submitted by Rex Rattus

Pub Details

Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.

  • Accommodation : No last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Beer Festivals : No last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Beer Garden : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • CAMRA Discount : Yes - 10% - last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Car Park : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Child Friendly : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Darts : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Function Room : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Hot Food : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Live Music : Yes - 2nd & 4th Saturday of the month - last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Micropub : No last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Pool Table : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • Real Ale : No last updated 04 October 2022 by Rex Rattus
  • Real Cider : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
  • WiFi : Yes last updated 27 November 2017 by ROB Camra
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