The Angel, Poole

There has been a pub on this site since the 18th Century, but the current buildings dates to 1890. It is currently run by Ringwood Brewery. It consists of a single U-shaped bar and a small garden. There was a strong smell of disinfectant on entering. The bar has wood everywhere, on the floors, walls and bar-counter. The wood theme even continues into the toilets. There are a few areas of exposed brickwork on the walls, including around the fireplace. One side has a small carpeted area occupied by tables for diners, while the other has comfy chairs and sofas. The third wall has tables and chairs for drinkers. The staff are not very welcoming; their primary concern is to provide down-market meals, while those simply wanting a beer are made to wait longer than necessary. Families are catered for, and there is a cake counter and sweet vending machine adjacent to the dining area. Free wifi is available. There were 2 ales on – I had Banks's Sunbeam which was in good condition. It's convenient for the shops and especially for the registry office opposite, and I would consider including on a crawl but wouldn't want to make a night of it.

Nice enough but essentially a blandly modernised pub. The grey external livery gives way to a generic light wood interior (with an island bar) that does at least contain a proper fire which was thankfully lit on a nippy day (unlike some other pubs nearby). Generic refit complemented by bland muzak though there was a dart board and some old b&w pics of old Poole. Five pumps with four ales; Ringwood Best, Porter, 49er and a guest - Banks Sunbeam - which was on the turn, should have taken it back in retrospect. Also Thatchers Traditional cider. Nothing here to pull me in again.

Painted externally in two shades of grey with a minimalist pub sign, you kind of know what to expect inside. There is an opened out large single room with a central island bar, a light and airy feel with white walls and ceilings, lower walls wainscoted in powder blue. Light wood tables and bar front, stripped wood fire surround, boarded flooring, ruched blinds and vases of flowers arranged on the window cills. There is a bit of décor in the form of the usual old B&W photos plus prints of ads for a wreck sale and a ship conscription. The area to the rear of the bar was exclusively set for dining although no one was at just after 12 when I entered, one bloke did come in soon after and ordered a steak baguette but he sat at a bar table. The rear tables are for the more upmarket stuff, I didn't see an a la carte menu but a chalkboard listed sea bass/lemon sole with Mediterranean veg and new potatoes, £21.95/18.95. There were two sets of matching handpumps, Ringwood BB and Fortyniner plus Bank's Sunbeam. The beer and service were fine, what I took to be the landlady was on the other side of the bar quaffing an early lager, she was friendly enough with a hello, a comment about the weather and later a goodbye. She may of course have been a customer and I missed a trick! The corridor leading to the toilets had a load of framed beermat collections which I thought might have added some more interest to the bar area rather than being secreted away but then again I'm no interior designer. Despite initial misgivings this wasn't too bad a spot, it may be different at peak food times. Some outdoor tables to the front and a garden to the rear.

I used to drink in this Ringwood Brewery pub back in the late 90's, but it was always the last pub we'd visit after a crawl along the Quay, so my recollections are a bit sketchy. Thus my recent return had me very puzzled as the place was very different to how I 'remembered' it. There is still a central servery, but with open access to the rear of the pub down the left hand side of the room. The place has clearly been refurbished at some point, but I'm fairly sure it's been opened out in some way that I can't quite put my finger on. The front bar is a simple space with bare boards and limited pew and standard seating along the front wall, with a fireplace at each end. As you move past the servery, a few more pews and small tables can be found before you reach the lounge/dining area at the rear. This is a larger space than at the front and is carpeted with standard table and chair arrangements throughout and a single sofa in the rear corner. An upright piano standing at one end of the room looks a bit out of place, whilst a TV screen on the opposite wall was switched off on my late afternoon visit in favour of some quiet background music. A few local black and white photos can be found on the walls and there are some reproduction seafaring themed posters throughout the pub. Behind the bar, the nautical theme continues with sailor hats topping all of the spirit bottles. I noticed a garden to the rear, but the cold weather meant I didn't venture out to explore properly. On the bar, three Ringwood ales - Best (£3.20), Old Thumper and Fortyniner - were available alongside Marston stablemate Wychwood Hobgoblin. I think I was served by the same taciturn barmaid as Blackthorn mentions in his review below, but thankfully the pint of Best she served me had enough character to compensate. Not quite the charming back street pub I remember, but I still think this is a pretty decent pub, especially when there is a lively crowd in. There are several pubs around Poole that I would pick ahead of this one, but it's definitely worth adding to an extended crawl around town.