The Osborne View, Stubbington, Fareham

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There is no doubt about the veracity of the name - this Hall and Woodhouse pub has a spectacular panoramic view across The Solent to the Osborne Estate, and with a pair of binoculars you might even be able to see the House in daylight. The pub is spread over two floors of the building, the ground level floor having a large modern bar and the basement a restaurant area. I say "basement", though it is only below ground level on the road side, the other side being on the cliff edge. The full range of H&W beers is on offer, both bottled and draft. I had both Fursty Ferret and Tanglefoot, and both were in excellent condition. What lets the pub down is its attitude. Most of the staff are sullen and unfriendly; their language and black uniforms suggest this is because they are "only obeying orders". There are one or two of the lower paid staff, however, who were polite and friendly (as indeed were most of the locals) once they realised I was human. Sitting at a reserved table for 5 minutes, even though the party isn't expected for another hour, carries a mandatory death sentence. This is a pity, since when I went in every empty table was reserved. The decor consists of various nautical clutter and trivia, and is rather too twee for its own good. My advice: visit this pub as its beers makes the trip worthwhile, but book a table, enjoy the ale and don't bother with the dull, cliched food which takes forever to arrive.

On 29^th October 2012 - rating: 7
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