ReviewThe Star has a prime town centre location and looks quite quaint and inviting from the outside but the interior is a different tale altogether. Long and narrow, it seems to go on forever and you feel that you will eventually drop into the harbour if you venture too far. At one time it would have no doubt been the small and cosy place that it initially appears to be but the subsequent expansion merely seems to be a convenient excuse to rope in the mass crowds at weekends and hordes to watch TV football. Despite all the low ceilings, flag stoned floors and different sections, it feels very impersonal and open. The front section is fairly small with an unnecessary 3 plasma screens. Down a few steps, the main bar (and yet more screens) is much expanded but lacks the intimacy or warmth that you would expect from a building of this age. To the rear is a games area with 2 pool tables, table football and darts area. Everything seems to focus around the multiple screens, some of which are situated next to each other and, rather amusingly, having slight picture delays to their neighbouring set. Despite the building's obvious age, much of the interior appears so fake and contrived that if you tap the walls you would probably get a plywood splinter. Geared towards a younger crowd, this isn't the place for a particularly peaceful pint and with just the 1 ale, the ubiquitous Doom Bar, not much in the way of selection. It was our intention to actually eat here (the menu looked pretty reasonable price wise) but the place just didn't feel right for a meal so we just caught the end of the footie (well, Arsenal were losing so we just had to see it out!) and moved on. A bit of a waste in what could be so much better had it not been turned into a drinking shed for the masses.
