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The William Walker, Winchester

34 The Square
Winchester
SO23 9EX
Phone: 01962627341

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Komakino . left this review about The William Walker

Already well-described by previous reviewers, with Quinno's 2017 review still pertinent. Located between the High Street and the Cathedral which it overlooks; its current name linked to the grand old pile as also mentioned below. A nice ambience inside this Fuller's boozer, and four handpulls offering London Pride x 2, HSB and Seafarer's Ale – a pint of the latter weighing in at a fiver.

On 13th February 2024 - rating: 5
[User has posted 1075 recommendations about 1075 pubs]


Real Ale Ray left this review about The William Walker

This Fullers pub is named after a diver who helped restore the Cathedral's foundations. The pub hosts an elegant first floor dining room, which we were lucky to see and overlooks the Cathedral.
Lots of wide timber floorboards and a copper top bar counter downstairs in the main bar. The food looked extremely good in here, however I settled for a pint of Pride

On 13th December 2023 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about The William Walker

A big change here since my last visit, this is now a Fuller's pub and it also seems to have been remodelled. A sideways U-shaped interior with wood floor, blue tiled bar front, copper bar top, low back banquettes, bare brick chimney breast etc. It is obviously quite an aged building but the refurb doesn’t do it full justice, too gastro. One point of interest was the lamps that were fashioned via old style divers helmet. Four pumps with Fullers three on: Pride, Seafarers (so-so) and HSB (fine). It's OK, worth a look-in.

[Reviewed as Old Market Inn incarnation – July 2006]
Foody place that nonetheless had a couple of ales on the go that were in good nick. Clientèle were a mixed crowd but tended towards the younger, artier side on my visit. Not bad. Rated 6

On 1st February 2017 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Moby Duck left this review about The William Walker

A Fullers corner pub nicely placed with cathedral views,quite open and airy inside but undoubtedly a pub of some age with some old wooden beams in evidence and a rather uneven wooden floor.It did seem a rather foody kind of set up despite five handpumps on the bar,dissapointingly only a solitary London Pride was on offer.
Its a reasonable looking pub but It doesn't seem that beer is the driving force here so I'm not likely to revisit anywhen soon.

On 14th April 2016 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve of N21 left this review about William Walker

Now the third Fullers pub in Winchester and this one struck me as a town centre pub with gastro pub inclinations. Certainly from the internal décor point of view they have gone for that clean but bland sterile gastro pub interior.
As a pub, for the Fullers offerings in Winchester, this comes in way behind the Wykeham Arms as far as I am concerned but is still probably better than the Bishop on the Bridge, I guess primarily due to its corner position in The Square, which gives good views of the Cathedral and is a stone’s throw from the High street. From a beer point of view it was no different to the others owned by Fullers in town with the usual brewery offerings of Seafarers, HSB and Pride available, but at least the HSB was a well-kept pint for my visit.
We didn’t eat here but the food menu is certainly a cut above the usual fried pub food , well on paper anyway.

On 9th May 2013 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Danny O'Revey left this review about William Walker

Had to stop here as its the same name as my Grandad! Just off the High Street and near the cathedral. Its a lovely corner building from the outside thats rather ruined by the modern-ish light interior. Oak floors, pine table & chairs, there is around the walls & a bar in the centre of the L-shaped room, there are features but there are better more traditional interiors in the City centre.

2 real ales (Fullers) of average quality, can't help but think this pub could be better, though it is still ok.

On 25th June 2012 - rating: 6
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


dave stray left this review about William Walker

Good pub situated just near to the Eclipse. The usual beers such as Doom Bar and Ringwood Bitter.

On 17th December 2011 - rating: 7
[User has posted 265 recommendations about 183 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Soup Dragon left this review about William Walker

A rather low looking, yet three story building (with the dormer windows) - a corner pub andrestaurant, though as OB points out below, it is hard to tell where the main focus is. The pub is in white render with black paintwork

The interior is in a general U shape around the central bar. The decor is in brown, cream and and wood panel with beams and a brick fireplace, with wood floor - light and modernish. High stools and high backed chairs, with flowers on the tables gave a cleaner impression than the slightly scruffy toilet. Cathedral photos and pictures dominate. The service was fine, the clientele non-existant at our visit and the music general, but at a decent level.

Beer; tap stuff with Peroni. On handpull there was an OK Doombar and the untried Deuchars IPA

Not really enough here to make me want to return for the beer and the decor isnt to my taste - more of a case that its not me rather than the place being awful

On 7th May 2010 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Old Boots left this review about William Walker

Stylish place close to the cathedral, more a restaurant with beer than a boozer although as a casual drinker I didn't feel uncomfortable or very out of place, although the staff were a little aloof. The beer choice was limited to Doom Bar or Deuchars ales or the Peroni – Amstel end of the lager market. I plumped for Doom Bar and it was competently kept, not bad for a beer that seems to be harder to look after than many others. Price was pretty reasonable too given the location. The menu was very Italian when I was there but the date at the top hinted that it changes regularly however I don't know if the style changes or just the content. Décor is fairly conventional modern, you know the form; light wood tables with high back chairs, plain walls with the occasional piece of no doubt carefully chosen art work, faux lanterns interspersed with halogen ceiling spots. A middle aged, middle class clientèle if you hadn't guessed already. Oh the name is in honour of a diver who reinforced the foundations of the cathedral wearing an old fashioned diving suit with a big brass helmet, a diver was needed as the foundations are water logged.

On 23rd November 2009 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]