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Prince of Wales, Farnborough
Farnborough
GU14 8AL
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Graham Coombs left this review about Prince of Wales
A rather good and very traditional pub in the back roads near Farnborough North station. The three rooms have some nice period features, including brick inlays to wooden beaming which undoubtedly has a proper name that I don't know. I suspect people come in for the beer rather than the brickwork though, with a nice of bank of 5 handpumps in each side. Ales on included 3 from Fuller's, two Siren and singletons from Andwell, Bowman, Hop Back, Marston's, and Triple F. Well worth a visit.
On 19th December 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Prince of Wales
A long-overdue revisit found no changes inside and eight cask(!) on the go which made me a bit nervous on a warm day. Clearly chalked by the bar with prices, some of which were cheap and others (like the Landlord) rather steep. I went for Dark Star Hophead (NBSS 4), Bowman Swift One (3.5), TT Landlord (3.5) and West Berks Maggs Mild (3), served-up by a pair of friendly barmaids. Also pretty busy, which was nice to see. It’s an excellent pub this one, and well-worth a special visit.
September 2017
Popped in the other day. Everything pretty much as it always is, though it’s worth noting there are two ale pumps tucked away round the left side that hold two beers not available at the front of the bar. After visiting a few other pubs on the train line and finding poor quality and warm beer, it was good to have a fresh pint. An excellent local. Rated 9
April 2014
Overdue revisit and really the only point of visiting Farnborough! So good I did it twice, at the start of the crawl and at the finish. Five ales on the main bar (Pride, Summer Lightning, Youngs Bitter, Ringwood 49er, Hophead). On chalkboard to left, four guests (Siren Craft, Langhams, Wild Weather, Dark Star and a 'session ale' from Downton). My Hophead went down a treat. Fairly busy at 6pm, pleasant atmosphere, mainly old boys with local radio in the background (hmmm). Not sure if there's a pub dog but there was a canine whiff. Pie night advertised for Thursdays. Popped back in at 9, a gently buzzing convivial atmosphere. Tried the Dark Star Art of Darkness (excellent), Siren (decent). Also had a pork pie slice for 2 quid and a bag of garlic biltong from the flavour selection. Credit to the barman who was friendly and knew his job. An excellent place, well done. Why can't more locals be like this one? Rated 9
August 2010
A tidy community freehouse which looked faintly Brakspear-ish in its external décor. Previously a multi-roomed pub knocked into one (see the etched windows) though the ‘areas’ still exist to a certain extent, with bars either side of the entrance. Velveteen banquettes, third length intricate wood panelling, some exposed brick and timber. Up to ten ales available, five on each bar (regulars at the front; London Pride, Youngs, Ringwood 49er, Hop Back Summer Lightning and Dark Star Hophead with guests – mainly local - to the rear). One of these ales will always be a cheap ‘session ale’ a welcome bit of thinking from the licensee. Beers and prices are listed on a blackboard. Real cider also available. CAMRA awards above the bar. Rear covered smoking area. Notes otherwise a bit sketchy but I don’t remember any TVs! Well-worth seeking out if you’re an ale fan and it’s literally two minutes walk from Farnborough North BR. Rated 9
On 7th August 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
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Pub SignMan left this review about Prince of Wales
A short distance from Farnborough North station, this is a quality ale house with a three bar layout. You enter into the L-shaped main bar which is carpeted and has padded banquettes down the right hand wall and standard tables and chairs elsewhere including under the front windows which are decoratively etched with the pub's name. The servery is opposite the entrance and has a dark wood counter and bar back plus some blackboards to one side listing the comprehensive ale range. A nice brick fireplace stands on the right hand wall and has some interesting old adverts, beer bottles and jugs above. The room, much like the other two, sports some nice herringbone brickwork features whilst a high shelf was holding a display of plates and beer bottles. A door to the left leads into the side bar - a smaller room with similar seating and its own fireplace with a pipe display above and more pleasing herringbone work. Both rooms run through to a rear bar which has further banquette seating and many stylistic similarities to the two other areas, with the notable difference that it seemed a lot darker in here on an otherwise bright spring day. A passage leads out to a decent looking beer garden and I noticed a few picnic benches out on the front pavement as well. There was no music playing in the pub and I didn't spot any TV screens here either - just the buzz of conversation, first from a group of blokes on a pub crawl ticking Good Beer Guide pubs on the Hampshire/Surrey border, then from a vocal bunch of locals including one chap who regaled us with some very entertaining stories of his travels around the world.
The pub is the 'go-to' place for ale drinkers in Farnborough and the beer board made very clear why that was, offering a wide range of options from well known and more obscure brewers. Options on this visit were Hop Back GBF and Summer Lightning, Dark Star Hophead, Vibrant Forest Outlander and Kaleidoscope, Ringwood Fortyniner, Three Daggers Dagger's Edge, Wansum Black Prince, Andwell Gold Muddler and Fullers London Pride. Two ciders rounded out the options and some of the beers appeared to be served straight from the barrel including my pint of Outlander which was a bit hazy but still tasty and drinkable. The staff were very friendly and extremely patient with a miserable old sod who tried tasters of numerous beers which weren't to his taste before grudgingly settling on something - I would've told him where to go.
This is a quality local's boozer that deserves its reputation as something of a destination pub in this part of the world. I really enjoyed the lively feel of the main bar, the friendly welcome from the bar staff and the decent beer options. I probably didn't do the place justice by just stopping for the one pint, so I'll be sure to pop in again should I ever find myself back in Farnborough.
On 6th June 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
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Moby Duck left this review about Prince of Wales
A lunchtime visit found the same regular beers as mentioned by John Bonser in the previous post,the Darkstar Hophead one of my reasons for going was in fine form.The pub itself was rather quiet ,only to be expected given its location and being a Monday afternoon.However a pleasant drink, only time for a couple of pints so stuck to the Hophead but tried a taster of one of the guest ales ,Tring Woodland Bell which wasn't to my taste,also as about to leave was offered a taste of East London Brewery's Pale Ale which was very much to my taste and would quite happily have stayed for more if time had permitted.To echo mr Bonsers sentiments,a pub well worth seeking out.
On 25th June 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
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John Bonser left this review about The Prince of Wales
Situated in a residential side street in North Farnborough is The Prince of Wales, a smallish traditional pub with something of a villagey community feel.
Outside the pub, we learn, as if we didn’t already know, that the pub offers an “extensive range of real ales” – up to 10 in total, as it turns out.
Etched windows tell us that this was obviously a multi – room pub, but it’s now a single bar pub, albeit with a number of adjoining different areas.
It’s a comfortably furnished and pleasant, if rather unremarkable, interior with some black beams and unusual exposed brickwork featuring. Wall decorations include a large Fullers mirror.
On my recent Saturday lunchtime visit, place mats were laid out in anticipation of lunchtime food trade – but this is clearly first and foremost a drinkers pub. A potted history of the pub on the back of the menu – “The Victorian Prince of Wales” – tells us that its first earliest mention as a pub was in 1867.
There’s no intrusive televisions, but a small marquee at the back had evidently been set up to enable customers to watch the previous Fridays Six Nations match between Wales and England.
On the real ale front, the 5 pumps in the front bar area showcase the regular beers – London Pride, Youngs Bitter, Dark Star Hophead, Summer Lightning and Ringwood Fortyniner. A blackboard tells us the beers that are served from the small snug bar area at the side. These included Dark Star Over The Moon and a couple of previously unencountered micros – Bingham Brewery Coffeee Stout and Flack Manor Black Jack. One beer is offered as a cheap session beer – this was Triple FFF Altons Pride ( £ 2.70p ) . Both the Hophead ( 2.95p ) and the Black Jack were in fine form.
The pub has been a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular in recent years and a number of CAMRA award certificates are displayed above the bar. The pub is currently CAMRA Wessex Region Pub of the Year – one of the top 16 pubs in the UK.
This pub is well worth seeking out
On 11th February 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Prince of Wales
To call the Prince of Wales the best pub in Farnborough is certainly no understatement. My intended crawl of the town pre and post football was somewhat curtailed due to finding it almost impossible to tear myself away from the bar.
A pub since at least 1867, it is a fair trek from the Main station but just a couple of minutes from Farnborough North although it is worth the effort from whatever angle you approach it. The patterned windows still indicate the original Lounge and Public bars although the interior is now knocked through with the drinking areas wrapped around a central bar. The rear section to the left is sectioned off by part of the interior wall that contains a fireplace and there are some unusual styles of brickwork to be found.
Apart from the locals, it is clearly popular with CAMRA members and certificates line the walls as testament to their past endeavours. Despite the presence of Fullers memorabilia it is not a Fullers pub and the ales here are as good as you’ll find in these parts in respect of both selection and quality with 10 hand pumps (5 on each bar) - the front pumps containing the regular ales (London Pride, Youngs, Ringwood 49er, Hop Back Summer Lightning and Dark Star Hophead) with the rear 5 being a selection of excellent guest beers. One beer each month is selected as the session beer and is priced a little cheaper than the others. Regular beer festivals are also held. Foodwise there is a selected pub grub menu with some 2 for £10 offers although I didn’t waste time with food when the beers were priority.
The staff and regulars were very chatty and more than welcoming and my Saturday lunchtime visit turned an intended couple of pints into a couple of hefty sessions interrupted by a trip to the football ground for which they even offered a lift!).
If there is just 1 pub in Farnborough that you visit, you can’t go too far wrong here.
On 18th January 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
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andy soltysiak left this review about The Prince of Wales
Excellent real ale haven( about 2 mins walk from Farnborough north station and 10 mins from main line station) , 5 regular beers(front bar) and 5 ever changing gusts(back bar), all kept in top nick.
Beer festival is October 15th/16th/17th this year( 2010) with around 40 beers on offer and usually 3 or 4 ciders too.
On 21st August 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
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dave stray left this review about The Prince of Wales
The place to go for real ale in Farnborough. The list of beers and prices are put on a blackboard which is handy to save the trouble of paying too much! They often hold beer festivals here.
On 26th July 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 265 recommendations about 183 pubs]
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Old Boots left this review about The Prince of Wales
Village type pub in suburban area of North Farnborough. Two bars either side of the entrance, both quite comfortable and popular. The décor is traditional, a bit of brewers half timber, panelling, herringbone brickwork in small doses, anaglypta / lincrusta on the walls and ceilings. 5 hand pumps in the bar I used, with a good mix of well kept regional and micro breweries represented. Customers were mainly an older age group but not exclusively so and not just local suburbanite commuter types. I can see why it may not appeal to some, but this is in Farnborough where the choice of pubs ranges from the mostly bloody awful to the occasional good; this is one of two pubs in the place I would actually use more than once.
On 12th November 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3230 recommendations about 2939 pubs]