The Peirson, St Helier

The Peirson is a busy pub, a bit tatty, with just Liberation Ale on the sole pump. A variety of keg delights can also be had. AOR hits from the 70s to the 90s were playing loud enough on a Sunday afternoon to permit a conversation while also drowning out the background noise. It's alright, but I found no desire to make a return visit during my trip.

This is a small, single room pub set in a nice, peaceful square just off St Helier’s main shopping street. The pub’s unusual name celebrates British Army officer Major Francis Peirson who commanded the island’s garrison during the Battle of Jersey in 1781. The Battle with the French army cost Peirson his life but his troops were nevertheless victorious and in a strange twist, the opposing French General, Philippe de Rullecourt, was also fatally wounded in the battle and died in the very building that the pub now occupies. The pub we find today is a very basic and compact affair with dark floorboards, white tongue and groove wall panelling and some fake beams criss-crossing the ceiling. The servery is on the back wall and has a nice dark wood counter with a couple of chunky support pillars along its length, a mirrored bar back with a portrait of Major Pierson in the centre and some bright flowers on display at the end of the bar. Seating is limited to standard chairs surrounding a number of small round tables plus a few high stools along the bar, which made it tricky getting served on a busy Friday early evening. Overspill seating is available out in the adjoining square, where a good selection of garden furniture is available in a spot that catches the sun quite nicely. Two handpulls were dispensing Draught Bass and Liberation Ale alongside a keg font stocked with big name lager brands. I took a pint of the Liberation Ale and thought it was in reasonable shape and the barman here was quite a friendly, welcoming bloke. The cramped interior of this place really reminded me of any number of Central London boozers and if someone told me that the pub has a precipitous staircase leading down to the toilets, I would be in no way surprised. It has a degree of charm to it and I enjoyed sitting out in the square watching the world go by, but the limited ale choice and crowded interior would perhaps put me off future visits.

The Peirson is an L shaped pub with traditional décor located on a tourist square. Like the other venues here there is seating out the front for tourists. During my recent Wednesday visit there were a handful of people in the pub whilst some background music played. I saw food signs, but no menus so imagine only served during lunch and dinner. The bar stocks a standard keg range and the two hand pumps were drawing Bass and Liberation Ale. Polite service, but nothing here to win me back.

Good Beer Guide-listed town centre pub, with a traditional bar rather crammed with furniture but more of a continental-style café seating area outside on Royal Square. Just Liberation Ale (£3.95) and Bass from the brace of handpumps, but the former was in great shape.

Official site of The Peirson - www.liberationgroup.com

Official site of The Peirson - www.liberationgroup.com