Bishops Blaize, Romsey

A rather rowdy and sweary blokes pub, It's not evident that real ale is available here, only after ordering half a Lager did I spot a couple of barrels on stillage through a half closed door behind the bar, I didn't find out what they were. Live football was on a TV screen at one end of the pub with a jukebox playing the other. Not much to entice me back here.

Named after either St Blazius, apparently the patron saint of woolcombers, or a 12th Century Bishop of Winchester, Henry de Blois who promoted the wool trade, the Blois being mistranslated into English as Blaize. The current building is a much extended 18th century one. In a recent redecoration the pub has gained an S and become the Bishops Blaize, I don't know if there's meant to be an apostrophe there or not. The new decoration has a cleaner, brighter look and is an improvement on the old Bishop with new modern furniture, the tatty woodwork round the counter swept away. Everything else has stayed the same although the beer quality has much improved and as a tribute to the hard work put in by the chaps who run it, the pub is listed in the 2011 Good Beer Guide. Beers are from the Marstons stable usually Ringwood Best plus a guest backed up by the usual keg stuff including Whitbread Best perhaps as a reminder of its former life under Strongs then Whitbread. The original 1708 building has a low tongue and groove ceiling and a brick inglenook fireplace, the victorian extensions to front and side are less interesting and house, the usual facilities, two dart boards and a screen. A popular and friendly pub with a loyal band of regulars.