The Odd One Out, Colchester

This is a very pleasing, old-fashioned pub, just a short stroll South of Colchester Town station. The interior comprises of three dimly lit rooms, connected by arched doorways. The carpeted front room has a very cosy feel, with comfy seats, newspapers on the bar counter, some old paintings on the walls and a few interesting display cabinets. The other two rooms have bare floorboards and a somewhat shabbier feel to them. The middle room, where the ales can be found, has tattered and torn banquette seating, a trophy cabinet (mostly cricket trophies on display), a collection of foreign beer glasses in a cabinet and an unlit gas fire. A third room to the rear gives access to the beer garden and had a coal fire going when I popped in on a Friday lunchtime. There is also a cricket bat listing centurions from the pub's own team, a fairly impressive collection of beer trays and numerous certificates from local CAMRA groups. There was a good selection of beer available, with Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde (£2.56) and IPA (£2.54), Mauldon 1065 Christmas Reserve (£3.00), Cotleigh Honey Buzzard (£2.76) and Harwich Town Pilgrim (£2.60) on the hand pumps, plus Highwood Essex IPA in a polypin on the bar counter. There were also three ciders set up on the counter including something from Thatchers. Oranjeboom and Hurlimann made up the unusual lager selection on tap. Lists dominated the middle room, including lists of upcoming ales, spirits for sale (seemingly by the bottle), tobacco prices and sweets, crisps and medicines available in a small cabinet on the bar counter. The pub appears to be dog friendly as dog chews were also for sale, with proceeds going to a dog charity. I thought this was a very nice, warm pub with a good beer selection and a lot of character. It was the highlight of my time in Colchester and I only wish I could have seen it when they were a bit busier.

Also to the south of Colchester town centre, and only a shortish walk away from The British Grenadier, is the unusually named Odd One Out, a rather quirky old fashioned pub that offers a good selection of real ales and has won numerous CAMRA awards over the years. It's a narrowish L shaped bar with additional space in a lounge room on the right. It's traditionally furnished, part carpeted, part bare boards and decorated with a fine collection of old brewery mirrors. The landlord, John Parrick, completed 25 years here in February 2010 and a framed memento of this, presented by the regulars, has pride of place above the furniture in the lounge. The room on the left has a framed cricket scorecard recording the time in June 1992 when the pub cricket team - The Real Oddies - were all out for 19, on a pitch which the scorer has recorded as being "treacherous". 9 batsmen - including one John Parrick - failed to trouble the scorers. This is a fine welcoming traditional pub, but I have to say that, in parts, the pub looks somewhat worn and neglected. Note in particular, the badly torn and worn padded seats in the left hand room. Also, many of the seats in the rather scruffy garden look a bit rusty and have clearly seen better days. Do note the rules concerning mobile phones, dogs and "feet and legs". Infringe them at your peril. On my recent Saturday lunchtime visit, there were 5 real ales on, including Milestone Black Pearl and Humpty Dumpty EAPA at 4.3% and 4.5% respectively. Both these beers were priced at a very reasonable £ 2.74p - it's very pleasing to come to a pub like this and feel you're not being taken for a ride - and were in excellent condition. 3 ciders were offered from barrels on the bar counter. A good range of whiskies is also available. I think this pub is well worth seeking out - but do note the late opening times between Monday to Friday

Used to be my local and I still miss the place. Current East Anglian Cider Pub of the Year and a previous finalist for the National Cider Pub of the Year. The real ale is great and so are the punters! Very old fashioned indeed but that's part of the charm. It's a great pub for unwinding in front of the open fire on a winters night!

Dirty, shabby, smelly, no customers, warm bad tasting beer, worn out furniture, miserable staff and when we complained about the beer the barmaid drank some herself and told us it was fine and was not going to change it....so we left...my advise is steer well clear, go to the Fat Cat!