The Brass Haus, Bournemouth

This former cinema is absolutely massive and one of the largest pubs I gave ever been in. In the far large room you can see where the screen once was. On the right on entry there is a few separate rooms for darts.There was 10 keg pumps and 3 cask pumps although only knew clipped.

Visited 12/08/26 Cask here was a single pump offering TT LL with two unclipped handpumps. Keg offering of Mahou, Peroni, Coors, Alpacalypse, Inch’s, Pravha, Guinness, Neck Oil, Madri, Asahi, Budvar, Jubel Peach lager, Pilsner Urquell. Really large venue that I previously visited a decade or so ago. Stretches back a long way from the road out the front. The bar counter is in the rear left-hand corner and has a large ceramic tile skirt around its two serving sides. There are a few tall, backed leather stools in the corner of the shorter side of the bar counter facing the entrance with some tall chunky benches in front thereof. There is a lot of seating to the right of the bar counter as there is a stage on the rear wall. Seating comprises tall tables immediately in front of the bar counter, then a lot of bench style seating in the large, boarded area in front of the stage to pack the punters in with then some chunky leather cushioned booth tables on the wall facing the stage and down the rear right-hand side. The right-hand side of the approach to the bar counter has a mixture of leather banquettes and the above-mentioned tall tables with tall leather padded benches. The venue is obviously entertainment led as there is a "Singpod" if you can't just do with listening to others sing on stage, with a photo booth positioned next to it to self-admire your performance after (or before) the event. Off to the right-hand side of these attractions is a large digital darts annexe provided by Arrowsmiths. The left-hand side approach to the bar counter more conventionally regular tables and chairs with a few banquettes thrown in to serve some of the tables. Lighting is ambient and the rear parts need to be lit even on the brightest days outside. TV's tuned silently into recorded footy action on my visit with a low-key poppy soundtrack playing. The front section of the venue to the left of the entrance is tiled and has regular table and chair arrangements, the very front opened to create a bit of a (low) balcony type of feel given the depth of the venue. Turns out the stage entertainment is of the cabaret variety and seems to operate later week / weekend.

Official site of The Brass Haus - www.brasshaus.co.uk

Official site of The Brass Haus - www.brasshaus.co.uk

A frontage which looks like an amusement arcade leads to a cavernous, low-ceilinged hall which has its origins in the Edwardian period and has since been used as a dance hall, cinema and restaurant. It is now a large single roomed pub with dining areas, an area containing amusement arcade games and a spacious carpeted vertical drinking area. There are various gaming machines and cash dispensers, two enormous screens and several TVs showing live sports and a table football table in its own space. The exact bounds of the original building have been obscured by a century’s developments and extensions, but the occasional original architectural feature can be seen if you look hard enough – for instance the chimney breast in the central pillar. The food, offered at a discounted price to members of HM Forces, is ‘Spoons-like but maybe not as good, while the beer was a bit more encouraging. There was a real cider alongside Doombar, Tribute and GK IPA on draft, all in good condition and enthusiastically served by the pleasant young staff and quite cheap for the area. This pub isn’t particularly special, but it gives the nearby JDW a good run for its money, and I’d be happy to drop in here and hide while the wife shops in the nearby high street.