The Queens Park, Charminster, Bournemouth

Well described by PSM below, I would add that the pub is dog-friendly and the predominant topic of conversation is association football, while the large TV screen was showing re-runs of 1980s sitcoms. There was no evidence during this visit of voluptuous bar staff, though. The reception was amicable the (male) bar staff chatty and the atmosphere calm. Only one pump was dispensing, and that was London Pride, which was in reasonable condition. Worth dropping in for a pint when ranging past, but a sign outside makes it clear that this option is not open to away-fans on match days.

Sat between the eponymous Queen’s Park and the neighbouring King’s Park (home to AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Court ground), this is a sizeable two room pub, popular with home supporters on match days. The large lounge bar has been carpeted except for a small raised wooden floored area in the front corner, and has white and purple walls, one of which has a large, empty window arch which provides a bit of partitioning midway into the room. The place was refurbished a few years back which has unfortunately manifested itself in a lack of real warmth or character, although I suppose football pubs are not usually noted for these traits. There are lots of disco lights and sound system bits, which suggests that things get a bit livelier as the evening approaches. Unsurprisingly, TV screens were on showing a lower league football fixture. A public bar can be found on the other side of the servery and it has been decorated in red and black with various pictures of Cherries players past and present on the walls. It goes without saying that the ubiquitous pool table and dartboard are present and correct as well. There are a few benches in the car park which are handy for match day overspill if the weather holds. Sadly, after a couple of unfortunate incidents, the pub has decided to accept home fans only, a policy also adopted by the nearby Portman, which means away fans are forced to drink in the Wetherspoons in Boscombe, rather than anywhere closer to the ground. I visited after the Cherries clinched promotion to the Championship in dramatic fashion last month and given all the excitement it was perhaps no great surprise to find two hand pulls with turned clips (one of which was Doom Bar). I ended up with a forgettable pint of lager, the disappointment of which was offset somewhat by the most voluptuous team of bar staff I’ve ever seen. It seems whoever does recruitment here certainly knows a thing or two about their target market. Busty barmaids aside, this was a bit of a let down on this visit and I wasn’t going to hang around with no decent beer, so my stay was fairly short. I wouldn’t rule this out for the future, but I think on the whole I prefer the Portman just down the road.