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The Star, Staines Town, Staines Upon Thames
Staines Upon Thames
TW18 4NL
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Star
Handily placed for the station, the Star has suffered a rather excessive makeover at some point which has removed most of its character. What remains is a rather stripped-out L-shaped bar, with a few long wooden tables and benches and a dark modern feel. Perhaps when it has live music and a good crowd in it might feel better. Also rather disappointingly, the two handpumps gave a choice of Doom Bar or, err, Doom Bar. In fairness it was in good condition. Food not sampled but seemed to be based on home-made pies. There is also a pool table and sports TVs, with a courtyard garden to the rear, also a rather small and not very salubrious car park.
On 20th December 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tom Fairburn left this review about The Star
Wow - that's some pub review from Steve Broe below! I'm wondering if that's the same pub I went in..!?! The 'North Star' is now called 'The Star' i believe. And it is the nearest & handiest pub to Staines railway station. I have not been in since the pub name change last year sometime, so really I can't say too much. The pub looks OK from the front, as you look in, and maybe the staff/management have changed a lot since my last 'unfriendly' visit. Not too many reviews here since 2011 though, is that a bad sign...?! Let us know if u know different. (Commuters must use this hostelry & have an opinion).
On 21st January 2015
- rating: 4
[User has posted 78 recommendations about 59 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve Broe left this review about North Star
I popped in there recently at the end of a terible day, i was greeted with the warmest of welcomes and made to feel right at home. Shelley, i guess the manageress, was sitting with her staff doing a little polishing on the niceties of bar work with her friendly and enthusiastic staff. she knows her stuff and has empowered them to respect themselves and their customers. I know the pub trade having done my time in it. I was very impressed with her attention to detail and the respect every customer is shown.
I cannot speak highly enough of the care i was given and the joy of the staff being freely able to express themselves without fear. I ended up bringing out my instruments, tambourine bongos and a guitar and have a jam and being treated to some belly-dancing.. how good is that on a miserable wet thursday night.
the beer i had was clean and crisp. As an expert cellarman, i can tell you this is a gem of a pub. everything is correct and the atmosphere is lovely, so much so i will travel there from beckenham in kent to bring my music and have their lovely company.
watch out for new and very very interesting bands and cabaret acts, events and all sorts of loveliness.. this pub is about to get really magical !
On 27th August 2011
- 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 North Star
A traditional looking pub situated near Staines Railway Station although the interior was refurbished about 5 years ago that has resulted in much of its original character being ripped out and replaced with a modern mix of bright lights, white walls and new wood.
The smaller front section contains a pool table off to one side so as not to be too intrusive and there is a dart board in the rear section. I counted 3 flat-screen TV’s although they were not being used as there was a live covers band playing at the time. Beer wise it’s the usual run of household standarda with 3 unexciting ales set across 6 hand pumps (Pride Bombardier and Courage Best). Prices were however more than reasonable with the Bombardier just £2.30 and the quality was fine.
Despite (or maybe because of) the live music there were barely a dozen people here at 9pm on a Saturday night and it appears that the pub is struggling to pull in anything other than a hatful of hardy regulars. It would seem that for most people (like me) its main purpose is to kill 20 minutes after a missed train although you could do a lot worse.
On 20th January 2011
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about North Star
Decent pub by the station, with three reasonably-priced ales served far too cold but otherwise in decent condition. The range is fairly mainstream (Spitfire, 6X, Deuchars IPA). The interior is based around a central square bar – I get the feeling this used to be a multi-roomed pub a few years back. It’s had a recent makeover which is a little too IKEA for my liking though, but otherwise very good for Staines. It’s usually fairly busy, especially on football nights where there are a large number of screens and there’s a decent little beer garden for warmer days. Also contains a fabulous career barmaid who appears to do a lot of pub chores with a ciggie hanging out of her mouth. Down points are that the music is often (and unnecessarily) ear-splittingly loud and some of the punters can be a little on the, ahem, ‘gruff’ side. Worth checking out if you’re stuck at the station but it's not an essential experience.
On 6th March 2007
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]