Garibaldi, Slough

A 2 roomed locals local in the middle of the sink estate that is Chalvey. I often stay at the Marriott hotel just down the road from here and we call Chalvey Beirut. There's a pool table and a dartboard, but no real ale on this visit, although there is a handpump. My Northern accent seemed to confuse the locals, they probably thought I'd got lost. They're certainly not used to, or over friendly to, strangers in here. I'll not be visiting again.

The location (opposite a line of shuttered-up retail units) does it little favours, nor does the lack of real ale and the general dilapidated feel to the place. Likely a two-roomed affair originally, it's now knocked-through and the central bar has areas to the left and right of it, which were occupied by a pool table (and a keenly-contested Pool League match during my visit) and a host of unused DJ equipment respectively; the small area in front of the bar houses a table and chairs and there's a handful of stools for punters to prop up. The establishment has recently changed hands and the opening hours are a little haphazard, however, unless you're a hardcore ticker, it's probably not worth the bother.

Fortunately there was no ale here, as it was a genuinely uncomfortable experience stepping in. Got glared at all the way out and they were still starting when we glided past in the motor making good our escape.