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Detail Pages
The Dog and Whistle, Hertford
Hertford
SG14 1AB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Ram Inn
ORIGINAL REVIEW May 2010
A small McMullens tied house which has a bar vibe following a refurb .Directly infront of the front door the counter has three handpumps but normally only two operate serving County ,reversed on my trip,and AK so it was hobsons choice and deservedly cheap at £2.50. Some of my colleagues played it safe ordering Guiness.Vast flat screen will be showing World Cup soccer in this modest sized area while in the back room there are regular DJ nights on Thursday's ,titled Damage,as well as on Friday's.The hip hop certainly damaged my karma but failed spectacularly to draw in punters from the vibrant night time economy in town.There are already too many trendy bars in Hertford and I'm afraid there is no USP in The Ram.B&B £40 per night.
UPDATE
After a period of closure following the forced departure of a tenant and some unsavoury incidents,this McMullens tied house has had a name change,refurb and repositioning in the night time economy of Hertford from the team who operate the Dog and Whistle Coffee Shop elsewhere in town.A lot of plasterwork has been removed to expose some old brickwork,dark green tiling covers the far wall in the tap room and the lighting fixtures are modern yet classy.Fitted leather bound benches run underneath the windows,the floor boards have been sanded down,there are loose cimema seats and high stools dotted about and in the rear room the dark wall coverings create a suitable atmosphere for the live music played there.The flat screen now just has a video feed of any band performing,gone are the days of televised sport.It's trendy,a little chic and has attracted a crowd generally under 35 with many of the women displaying body art.
Along the window cills are an array of decanters leading one wag to note that if you get glassed here ,at least it will be Waterford Crystal !The atmosphere was lively on my Thursday evening visit ,well behaved,with polite service at the bar.However inexperience and the lack of real ale demand from most of the customer base lead to some very short measures being served.The three handpump have AK and IPA as regulars and a seasonal Sparker 5% ,drinkable but pricey at £3.90.
Music is a key draw and the live music was played at a decent level.However when they took a break ,the powerful speakers were dialled up to 11 and you couldn't hear yourself think.In deference to us mature drinkers ,there was a constant playlist of punk such as Ramones,Sham 69,UK Subs etc so we could wallow in nostalgia while nursing our throbbing ears.
The cheap B&B offering seems to have ceased and for now this is a destination pub for the yoof.However once the novelty wears off ,and the twitterati have moved on ,there is a concern that the financial outcome may mirror the experience of previous tenants.
On 29th November 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Ram Inn
Decent looking building on the main Fore Street in Hertford Town centre. It was closed again at the end of 2010 for yet another makeover / referb, but remains largely unchanged from the reviews below.
It still a MacMullens house with their usual, but in the case of the Ram, limited range of beers and still leads with various music themed nights.
But even after the latest refurb its still missing any USP to differentiate it positively from the other venues available in Hertford. Pub also has 6 B&B rooms that they let out , but probably not wise to book one of these on an open mic night.
On 26th April 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Ram Inn
Looks traditional enough from the street, but inside it has been done up a bit with pastel coloured walls (with the predominant green colour giving the place a rather strange air) and the two large TV screens seemed rather incongruous. Three handpumps, but one off leaving AK and McMullens Original IPA (which certainly tasted like a McMullens beer but nothing like any other IPA I have ever tried) at £2.80. From the posters I could see that it offers regular live music and also B&B accommodation.
On 10th April 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Ram Inn
This place has obviously just been refurbished as there is a strong smell of paint and although the décor is fairly basic it is a nice enough pub. There is a large plasma screen in the bar area at the front of the pub, but this was off during my week night visit and a Beatles CD was playing over the speakers. There is some more seating in a small area at the back of the pub which is next to a courtyard with a few tables and chairs.
The governor was nice enough and three ales from McMullens were available alongside a standard draught selection.
This place is a little quirky, but I wouldn't have a problem returning if passing again.
On 9th October 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5254 recommendations about 5222 pubs]