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Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Hadley Hotel
They had three real ales on when I visited on Wednesday lunchtime - the usual suspects of GK IPA and London Pride plus Daleside Yorkshire Rascal. I went for the latter of course, which wasn't in good condition but drinkable. They did food but I didn't see a menu - there wasn't one at the table at which we sat.
You enter through the large and imposing main doors into a smallish entranceway area facing the section of the bar counter where the handpumps are located, which makes life easy. There's a Tudor style wood-framed archway on the right leading to a smallish room which is interesting in that above the archway are the words "Battle of Barnet" and which seems to commemorate said battle as there are battle scenes on the walls - murals of course. A larger archway on the left of the entrance area leads to another room; then there's another drinking area at the back where there are a couple of fruit/games machines. It's carpeted throughout which would act to reduce noise levels in a high-ceilinged old pub like this, and it's furnished with normal tables and chairs. There are TVs strategically placed on the walls.
My guess is that the interior fitting (bar back and counter) are inter-war, with the bar counter at the front having a melamine top. There is some marble effect coving in the left hand rooms, with embossed brown wallpaper on the dado, with green arty paper above it. Not really my cup of tea as decor goes, but not really something to get excited about.
There was a sprinkling of other customers in there during our visit; it wasn't what I would call busy but I was pleased to see that a pub as off the beaten track as this one was still doing a healthy trade. I rather liked this traditional pub - if only the Yorkshire Rascal had been on better form the visit would have been much more enjoyable.
On 30th September 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Hadley Hotel
I had to wait at the bar for nearly five minutes when I visited here on Saturday evening and I was the only customer at the bar. I thought that the staff must be doing something out the back so I was a little shocked when the landlady/barmaid got off her stool and then served me as she was sitting in plain view of me and I walked past her twice. I have to say that the governor seemed very friendly though so I will gloss over the 'local pub for local people' moment.
The pride was good and Old Hooky, Greene King IPA and Bateman's Hooker were also available alongside some standard lagers. There were only about six other customers, half of whom were watching the cricket on the two screens at he front of the pub and the other half were around the back where the dartboard is located watching the Comic Relief dancing on the BBC. A couple came in and asked if he was showing the league cup final on Sky the next day and he confirmed that he was and that he was laying on some free sandwiches, which I thought was a nice touch.
There's not that much wrong with this pub and it is hard to judge when hardly any other customers are in, but I think that this place is just far enough off the beaten track for me not to bother making a trip to it again.
On 3rd March 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5228 recommendations about 5196 pubs]