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Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
Woodins Shades, Bishopsgate, EC2
EC2
EC2M 4PT
Pub Type
Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Woodins Shades
A street corner located Nicholsons with their usual decor of wooden floor,carved bar back and traditional style seating.There is a bit of flock wallpapering to one side,and around the dumb waiter is some pleasing white tiling. Upstairs is a seperate dining room with table service,while in the bar room seven handpumps were serving regulars Doom Bar,London Pride and Nicholsons Pale Ale with the rotating guests Broughton Dark Dunter,Thwaites Nutty Black,Scottish Borders Wild Harvest and a decent Elbow's Charge (brewed by Marstons in collaberation with the band)at £3.80.
A pleasant spot on my Saturday lunchtime visit when only a few punters were in,I suspect it would feel very different immediately after work.The decent beer range would tempt me to revisit if I had a bit of time to kill before onward travel from Liverpool Street station.
On 9th February 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Woodins Shades
Another nice Nicolson pub with the usual good range of beers. Great Heck -American classic was in fine condition. Handy for Liverpool st station as well
On 29th November 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Woodins Shades
Interior as described below. 7 real ales and food served.
On 18th November 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Woodins Shades
Although William Woodin, for whom this pub is named, bought the premises back in 1863, it was rebuilt thirty years later, leaving it in the form that we now find it. The layout is extremely simple, with a narrow, single room set-up accessed by a front corner door on Bishopsgate or a second door from Middlesex Street. Like other Nicholson’s pubs with this type of compact layout, attempts have been made to retain a traditional feel, with dark wood fixtures and bare floorboards and some stained glass panes with a bell image combining to this effect. A more modern touch is the dark floral wallpaper which can be found on certain sections of wall, but this doesn’t detract from the overall look and much has been covered with old black and white photos. The servery runs down the left side of the room, with enough space for a few high tables and stools opposite, but the space widens beyond the end of the bar allowing for more high tables and a few standard table and chair arrangements. A decent soundtrack played throughout my stay whilst a couple of TV screens showed muted 24 hour news coverage. Signs pointed upstairs to the Trader’s Bar, named after the local traders from Petticoat Lane and Spitalfields markets who would’ve frequented this pub in the past.
On the bar, the usual Nicholson’s ales such as Nicholson’s Pale Ale and Fullers London Pride were available alongside Roosters Astro, Dent Golden Fleece, Adnams Kristal White, Castle Rock Sherrif’s Tipple and something from the Broughton Brewery. I sampled the Astro, which was excellent and the bar staff were efficient if not particularly engaging.
Although the pub is nothing you haven’t seen before, especially if you’re familiar with Nicholson’s pubs across the capital, the combination of the cosy interior and good ale range make this as good an option as you’re likely to find in the immediate area.
On 3rd May 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BobOs . left this review about Woodins Shades
Visited again for the first time this year and it seemed much tidier and smarter than last year. Service was good, ales excellent and food really good - gone up in my estimation.
On 5th October 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BobOs . left this review about Woodins Shades
Very good pub for ales (as others have said) and worth a short trip out of Liverpool Street station if you're waiting for a train. In fact, plan on taking a later train!
On 13th July 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Woodins Shades
This Nicholsons pub had seven ales on alongside a premium and standard draught selection during my early Tuesday evening visit. The thin dimly lit bar wasn’t very busy at all, but I still had to wait a couple of minutes to be served. Thankfully I did end up receiving a decent pint of Guinness which I enjoyed standing under one of the awnings out the front. Located upstairs is the Traders Bar and dining room and food is available all day.
I spotted a flat screen TV on the wall, but this was off and some random background music was being piped through the speakers. I didn’t spot any signs for Sky Sports, but I did see a sign in the window stating that the pub has extended opening hours until midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
This place is ok, but there are better pubs in this area.
On 23rd July 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Woodins Shades
This pub serves up to 8 real ales on a regular changing rota. Is a single bar with an upstairs dining room.Part of the Nicholson chain which seems to be making great progress with the choice of real ales.2 mins from Liverpool St. Station.
On 11th February 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Woodins Shades
Have utilised the Woodins on several previous evenings , but glad to find the Shades open on a late Sunday afternoon as I fancied something other than GK, Youngs and Fullers and you can usually find something different in this Nicholsons House.
Ironically the house ales of Pride and TT Landlord were off, but there were four seasonal guests on. Tried the Thwaites Nutty Black, Elgoods Thin Ice and Lancaster Blonde, all of which were OK.
No problem with the service either, but wasn't particularly busy as we'd probably missed most of the Petticoat Lane market lunchtime crowd.
On 1st February 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Woodins Shades
I certainly didn't find this pub to be too bad although it was early on a Saturday and relatively quiet. I imagine it is heaving with suits post work. It is a chain pub too, its a fairly typical Nicholsons, with wooden floors, high ceilings supported on columns.
The Sicilian landlord was very friendly and genuinely interested to know what I thought of his latest guest beer, Springhead Sweetlips ( a nice hoppy golden ale). His service was fine but the other staff did need prompting for top ups. The place was doing a roaring trade in full English breakfasts which did look rather good at 4.50.
Pride, youngs Bitter, TT Landlord on in addition to the Sweetlips, one pump reverse clipped. I didn't visit the upstairs bar/dining rooms.
On 8th March 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]