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Detail Pages
Tontine Hotel, Telford
Ironbridge
Postal town: Telford
TF8 7AL
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Tontine Hotel
You are met with a splendid looking Victorian tiled floor, as you enter the central reception area. On the left hand side there was a dining room set out with white table cloths along with sparkling wine glasses. The bar area was towards the rear down the right hand side, all the walls were painted white and the flooring was a patterned carpet throughout. Four handpumps with only one in use serving Wye Valley HPA.
On 20th December 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Tontine Hotel
A nice Georgian hotel in plain brick with hipped roof and neo-classical portico entrance. There is a large public bar which is L-shaped around the serving bar and took in a few rooms originally. It is in green and white and has a couple of tiled fireplaces - it certainly having been redecorated since the last reviews. Lots of old local photos, a few paintings and a history of the pub (see Roger's review) are on the walls - along with a few ornamental jugs etc. They do food and Mrs Soup had a light bite, which she enjoyed. There was no TV, the music was at a decent level and the service friendly. Just a few locals it seemed were in. Usual tap stuff with Butty Bach and a good 3 Tuns XXX on pull. I enjoyed it here, certainly the most traditional place I visited on the river front above the bridge.
On 31st July 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Oggwyn Great left this review about Tontine Hotel
Well described in the previous reviews , the Tontine is now starting to look a bit run down and faded , in fact it feels a bit desperate in here if it was not for its great location i feel this place would be long closed .
Very quiet at 10pm on my Saturday night visit with just a couple of locals and a few tourists , service was OK if not over friendly .
Usual keg taps plus three ales , Ruddles , Butty Bach and Stonehouse Station Bitter which as the previous review points out is from Oswestry 35 miles from Ironbridge not 15 ! The Butty Bach was to be honest a bit ropey as was my friends Ruddles .
This place could be so much better but needs a lot of TLC and a fair bit of money spending on it , untill then its living on past glories .
On 12th May 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 797 recommendations about 683 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
mike windem left this review about Tontine Hotel
After living in the Telford area for many years now this was my first visit to the Tontine. On entering, the reception has a lovely tiled floor. Think it may have been from the famous Maw and co. My visit was on a Sunday and they were doing Carvery lunches. I have to say this is probably gthe best Carvery i have ever had the pleasure of eating. Absolutely fabulous. The chef (who was slightly hungover) informs me it is all in the Gravy. There were only 2 real ales on at the time (Station Bitter and Butty Bach). I was told that in the Summer months there are 3 real ales and they will soon be making room for a fourth. I stuck with the Station Bitter as it wasnt as strong and was apparentley the most popular with the locals and is always on. It comes from a brewer in Oswestry only approx 15 miles away. It was a very good pint, dark and malty. The pub was very busy with other diners and a few locals at the bar. The atmosphere was relaxed and i felt very comfortable in my surroundings. I have never been in the Tontine during the week however I would highly reccommend visiting on a Sunday lunchtime for a good pint and a meal or maybe just to sample the Gravy.
On 9th March 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Tontine Hotel
The Tontine Hotel (originally the New Inn) stands adjacent to the famous Iron Bridge and was opened in 1784 to effectively harness the growing traffic using the bridge that had opened 5 years earlier. The Hotel was financed by many of the same investors responsible for building the bridge and the capital for the Hotel was raised using a tontine scheme, an unusual and now virtually extinct form of annuity and from where the current Hotel name is taken.
Internally it initially seems a bit tatty and dated but it can at least be said that it hasn’t been tarted up to pander to the tourist elements. The island bar is eclipsed in one corner by the Hotel reception throughn which entry to the pub is gained but the rest is a walk around bar. There is plenty to note as you wander through, in particular the large musral of the bridge on the rear wall. A mounted placque commemorates the bi-centenial of the bridge and there is also a history of the pub and a record of licencees stretching back to 1820. There was also some interesting local artwork for sale.
The pub did once brew its own beers and whilst no longer the case, it does support the local breweries although just 2 of the 6 pumps were operational on my visit - Wye Valley Butty Bach & Salopian Shropshire Gold. Quality and pricing was very good for such a tourist area. The food was also simple, reasonably priced and promptly delivered.
My visit was a Saturday lunchtime when it was reasonably quiet and aside from the low piped music, it did have a bit of a muted atmospehere. It was the only pub we tried in town so local comparisons wouldn’t be fair but given its historic relevance to the bridge, I would certainly suggest popping in for a pint or two if visiting the town.
On 1st September 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Tontine Hotel
Large georgian hotel at the end of the iron bridge, rather plain decoration although a few pieces of georgian elegance remain, Rob has described the furnishings which are the same as on his last visit. The ground floor has a dining room, a small hotel reception and a largish U shaped bar, catering for tourists and locals. Three handpumps on each side of the U shaped counter with reasonable beers from local small breweries, two from Shropshire, and Wye Valley's lovely Butty Bach. Usual kegs apply. There is a nice and popular outside seating area looking onto the bridge. It has a reputation for boisterousness at weekends but I didn't see any evidence of this although the atmosphere suggested it could get quite noisy.
On 25th June 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3230 recommendations about 2939 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paul harrington left this review about Tontine Hotel
Having not visited Ironbridge for some 15 years despite not living too far away I thought I would go and visit this old haunt of mine. They only had 3 real ales on which were all local and of course I had to sample all 3. I have to admit they were all superbly kept but the Shropshire Gold stood out the most. Friendly atmosphere. Will definately be back with friends.
On 19th June 2009
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Tontine Hotel
Decent hotel bar directly facing the iron bridge that feels more like a pub. Loads of interesting paintings etc on the walls along with other memorabilia. Lots of different styles of seating as well. Some comfortable sofas, some leather sofas and a couple of chairs with the backrests made from wagon wheels. Two banks of three handpumps doubling up with Salopian Shropshire Gold, Corvedale Norman's Pride and Wye Valley Butty Bach. The Corvedale was a decent pint. It's a hotel from a bygone era apart from the prices, my pint was £2.80 which is pretty expensive even for a tourist trap like Ironbridge.
On 2nd June 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3222 recommendations about 3133 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Horton left this review about Tontine Hotel
I have the misfortune of living not far from this appalling place. Quite frankly if the duty/tax on beer was reduced to zero for this pub only I'd still avoid the place. If it wasn't for its proximity to the Iron Bridge (over the road) it would have closed years ago. For tourists who either don't care, or know, about what they are drinking. If you have had your taste buds surgically removed & find a cemetary exciting this is the place for you, otherwise forget it. Parking on far side of the river, nice cafe nearby.
On 26th July 2008
- rating: 2
[User has posted 148 recommendations about 148 pubs]