The Crimea, Aldershot

A fairly ordinary roadside pub, convenient for the football stadium but not much else. There is a wooden floor and a woodburner, TV showing sports, and a dartboard. Live music is advertised on Saturdays. Despite the sign outside, they don’t do food, and there is only one real ale on offer – Spitfire – which was not well kept and tasted quite bland. I found it a rather dull town pub with little to call me back, but it’s probably fine as a local if good beer isn’t a priority

Very close to Aldershot Town football ground and positively heaving pre-match, this J shaped pub has a part boarded, part carpeted floor, there is a pool table to the far end which returns around behind the bar. Unusually but perhaps sensibly to prevent unneeded interaction, the dartboard is at the opposite end of the pub. Wainscotted walls, a definitely unneeded on a warm day log fire, thankfully not lit, mixed seating, décor included a photo montage of I assume pub regulars. Outdoor seating at a few tables in a grassy front garden overlooking the main road and newly named ESS Stadium. The TV was on showing the early kick off football. Despite being rammed, the service was good and prompt, the landlady coming across as the warm and friendly type but who takes no nonsense. Just what is required in somewhere like this. Decent beer in the Dartmoor Jail Ale plus another in Bombardier. No food but it wouldn't be practical on a match day, whether they do at other times I don't know.

A couple of hundred yards from Aldershot Town FC's ground and set slightly back from the main road the pub is a remnant from the past as most of the surrounding buildings are of much more modern (and distasteful in appearance)times. A single roomed pub, likely once two rooms, wraps around the central bar that faces you upon entering the the building, more J shaped than L. Wooden floorboards are underfoot as you enter but the right half of the pub is carpeted and some more comfortable seating is available here. There is a dartboard ,pool table and jukebox along with a quiz machine,live sport is advertised from ITV and BT Sports, as is karaoke Friday nights. On the bar itself are three handpumps ,two were in use one with no clip attached,the two in use were dispensing Timothy Taylor's Landlord,and Dartmoor Brewery,my Landlord at £3.50 a pint was in good condition despite a slight haze that seems to be usual with this beer,some usual suspect Lagers along with Stowford Press Cider and Guinness made up the other offerings.There is a small car park at the front of the pub and a fenced off beer garden between that and the main road. It was very quiet on my brief visit, late afternoon on a Wednesday but I would imagine it can be quite lively weekend evenings and certainly pre and post football match. A pleasant and well kept pub with a friendly landlord and landlady ,but without being particularly remarkable in anyway. Certainly worth a pint should you find yourself nearby.