Victoria Hotel, Woolston, Southampton

A lively backstreet local as described by Moby, below. The external walls have now been painted in a corporate grey/blue colour. There is a small, dirty patio at the front inside the iron fence, while the entrance is via a small door at the side which has seen better days. The single small room was very crowded when we visited, making it doubly-disappointing to find that there was no real ale or cider available, the handpump now vanished. There was a range of lagers available, and while there was a tap clipped for Theakstone Pale Ale on keg, they told us they don’t do it any more. We were offered bottled Doombar, but that was scant compensation. I’m not sure I’d rush back.

Old school locals pub, the exterior painted in the colours of the flag of England. The inside is a single L shaped room with standard tables and chairs, a pool table and to the rear access by stairs to a sunken beer garden. Just one hand pump on the bar serving up Bombardier, accompanied by a selection of usual suspect keg offenders. Nothing wrong with the pub as proven by its attendance figures on my brief visit, nothing to hang around for beer wise though.