The Jolly Sailor Inn, Southampton

A Hall and Woodhouse pub popular with the yachting fraternity. It currently has 6 ales on draft plus the complete range of Badger bottled beers. Home cooked food is available, but the kitchen closes early in the evenings. Wooden floors and oak beams abound, and there are open fireplaces: traditional features in a relatively new building which give it some atmosphere. The welcome was very friendly, and they even offer free fruit from the bar when it's in season. I had pints of Tawny, Tanglefoot and Badger Best, all in excellent condition. It's a bit of a trek from most of the boatyards, but the walk is worth it, and being close to the railway station as well, it's well worth breaking a journey to have a meal or a pint.

Official site of The Jolly Sailor Inn - jollysailoroldbursledon.co.uk

Just up-dating my review as I see Michael Wright has agreed with me on the state-of-play at the 'Jolly'. After I wrote to the brewery about the slow service and was told they didn't take into consideration the views expressed on web sites, they seem to have done nothing! In fact my friend the 'Cosham Connoisseur' walked out of the pub last Sunday as it was three deep at the bar and only had two person's serving. He ended up at the 'Navigator' over the marina which has plenty of parking but not the atmosphere of the 'Sailor' and that's the thing, as Michael's pictures testify nothing can take away the view. The Firsty Ferret is on and in great condition. Roll on Winter, when we can sit around the fire and moan about things in general in peace and quite.