Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Poll for date of Halifax crawl. with ROBCamra
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
William Bray, Guildford
Shere
Postal town: Guildford
GU5 9HS
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about William Bray
Sat in a rather imperious elevated position with a rooftop view of Shere from the decked front garden. This is a gastro-poncified place - the two room interior has dark grey walls and almost all tables set for dining. At the steel bar top I was pretty surprised to see three ales on over the four pumps; Brakspear Bitter, Ringwood Boon Doggle and Surrey Hills Shere Drop. All the ales had a Northern sparkler but despite that my Surrey Hills was in good form, though a proper wallet-botherer at £2.20 a half. Otherwise it was posh totty and wailing middle class twilds refusing to eat their greens, midway through Sunday afternoon. Not for me but I’m sure the local yuppies love it.
On 7th October 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
dave stray left this review about William Bray
Pub in surrey which actually sells Surrey Hills now that what I call cool. Don't worry about the Stig, some say he's an alcoholic and that he drives a bicycle one handed, all we know is that his barmaids serve fast.
On 5th July 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 265 recommendations about 183 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Blue left this review about William Bray
Some say this pub is owned by Richard Hammond of Top Gear fame, others that it’s Julian Bailey, erstwhile racing driver also known as The Stig. Formerly the Prince of Wales, signage around the place informs us that it’s now named after a famous 18th century man of letters, whose writings prove that baseball was actually invented in England before the USA existed, and was played by women as well as men.
It consists of two main rooms, the set ‘Bray Restaurant’ on the left, and the smaller ‘Shere Bar’ on the right, and feels well run and friendly. Four hand pumps as of yesterday offered Shere Drop (twice), Ranmore Ale (on pretty good form) and Doombar The menu was priced towards the higher end of gastropub catering (cheapest mains at £11.95); however, we ate here and thought the food was extremely good.
Outside there is both a seating area with modern, black outdoor furniture, and behind it a traditional pub garden, perhaps indicative of the way the pub tries to have a broad appeal. Yes, it’s primarily a gastropub, but on the other hand not everyone in the bar was eating, and I for one would feel comfortable coming here just for a drink. Yes, it’s expensive, but it does its thing very well, and if your wallet is feeling heavy this would be an agreeable place to come and lighten it.
On 27th November 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 271 recommendations about 270 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Paul Brett left this review about William Bray
Now called the William Bray and is owned by Richard Hammond from BBC's Top Gear
[admin note: Updated name 26/01/10]
On 26th January 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 67 recommendations about 66 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about William Bray
Looks like pub from the outside, but the main door takes you directly into a restaurant. However, a quick right turn (or the side door) leads to a smaller room featuring the separate bar. All done up in a light modern style, with the bar having a slightly more rustic feel than the restaurant. Three real ales on when I visted, including two (Shere Drop and a decent pint of Ranmore Ale) from the very local Surrey Hills brewery. If you like this sort of place (which I don't really) then at least it is well done.
On 21st November 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]