Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Brown Lion
As described below. It had purple walls to your right on entering and the seating had Audrey Hepburn cushions.
On 25th February 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Brown Lion
On approach, this looks like a typical traditional Victorian boozer, but inside you find a modernised two bar venue with a central servery and two very different rooms to either side. The left hand room seems to be marginally larger and has bare floorboards, an unusual terracotta tile topped bar counter, bland bar back and walls painted in unlovable neutral shades, studded with dull, generic bits of breweriana. Grim looking plastic chairs serve a formal row of tables arranged along the left hand wall and IKEA-style light fittings round out the utterly uninspiring décor. A large pull-down screen to the rear was showing live football from an obscure foreign sports broadcaster. Thankfully, the right hand side was considerably better. This room is also bare boarded and has a noisy fußball table to the front with a single table served by some standard chairs to one side and a lone sofa along one wall. A TV showing the same football fixture was hung above the sofa, backed by some unusual wood-stack image wallpaper, and there was a dartboard further back, but with no oche and no sense that it was ever used. Some shelving near the servery held a few coffee table books of limited interest and a slot machine stood in the front corner. An arch leads through to the nicest part of the pub, a lounge area with some proper furniture including a nice curved padded banquette which runs beneath a pleasant stained glass window. Beyond is a covered rear smoking area which can't really be described as a 'garden'. Music played quietly throughout my stay and for some reason the pub had a sign outside advising that they would be closing at 19:00 that evening, which I can only assume is not standard Saturday night practise. Staff Christmas party maybe?
I think I had this pub on my to-do list due to its connection with the Two Towers brewery, who operated the venue for a while but had, unbeknownst to me, since sold up. I was therefore a little disappointed to find just two ales on arrival - Purity Ubu and LWC Frozen Assets. I couldn't face another dubious Christmas beer, so opted for the reliable Ubu, which was fairly well kept.
This was a big let-down and a poor finish to a day drinking in and around the second city. I'm not sure if it was the disappointment at the reduced beer selection, the bland interior design or the fact that they were closing early and thus the place was practically empty by the time I arrived, that put me off this place - probably a combination of the three. Either way, I certainly didn't feel the same way as some of those who've reviewed the place previously and I'll definitely be dropping this one from future visits to the area.
On 19th January 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Brown Lion
Central island bar has 4 real ale taps( 3 on).
On 1st August 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
General Staal left this review about The Brown Lion
The Brown Lion has changed hands again and is apparently doing well. Not been here for a while.
On 15th October 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 142 recommendations about 125 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Brown Lion
Double fronted Victorian building with a central island servery, there's a plainish bar to the left and more of a lounge with leather armchairs and sofas to the right with another similar lounge to the back. In spite of the Two Towers Brewery name on the sign only national brands from Greene King and Marstons were on the bar , boring but my Hobgoblin was in fair condition. The front lounge is decorated with a slightly odd mix of photos of stars of the 1950s and 60s. There's also a nice tiled fireplace and the cellar flaps in there with doors in the front wall to let barrels through.
On 16th September 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3230 recommendations about 2939 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about The Brown Lion
UPDATE: I returned to this pub to find Two Towers gone. The pub is decored as it was, with a patio area, a dart board and several TVs dotted around showing footy. The beer choice has changed; GK IPA and Abbott, as well as Pedigree and Hobgoblin give an unispiring 'national' choice - the Abbott was fine though. Sadly, now a generic pub for the real ale drinker.
****************************************************************************************************************
A neat and fresh looking terraced Georgian styled pub in white render. A part of the newly emerging Two Towers Brewery.
The interior is served by a central island bar with what was two rooms either side now effectively knocked through to create an open plan-ish kind of pub. The walls are in a half red and half cream decor, with a laminate wood flooring and a white ceiling with a moulded ceiling cornice. There was some coloured glass in the rear windows. There were some old photographs on the walls and a pot plant in one corner. There was no TV that i saw and no background music. The service was friendly and the clientele a mixed mature crowd and it was quite busy.
Beer; tap stuff with Two Towers Baskerville Bitter, Livery St MILD, Jewellery Porter, MILD and Brazen (had just gone), as well as what was described as Gem on a hand-written card (A guest? Bath Ales Gem?) - the Bitter was fine, but yes, pretty flat looking. It tasted OK but looked uninviting. The two issues i have with this are; we are in the Midlands, where we tend to like a head on beer and secondly, their website shows their beer range - with a head!
A really nice pub serving a nice range of beer (I have had their Porter before). Despite it looking a little flat, i will visit everytime i am in Hockley
On 14th May 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
GARETH DAVIES left this review about The Brown Lion
Pub has reopened and is under new management (Kevin and Paul)looks good with the beer and ales at a very competitive prices...........take a look been inside a couple of times
Live music as well
Gareth
On 8th April 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
General Staal left this review about The Brown Lion
I am a massive fan of the Brown Lion and Two Towers beers, as my previous reviews will demonstrate. I have always found it friendly and the beers superb.
However, the past couple of times I have been in, the beer has been fine - no need to return it - but nowhere near as good as it was. The Jewellery Porter, a majestic beer, has been missing on my last visits. And they have taken to playing very loud music on my last two visits.
I will always come in to the Brown Lion, and I hope what I found on my recent visits is an aberration!
On 1st August 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 142 recommendations about 125 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gary Reading left this review about The Brown Lion
pleasant but is very clicky with the locals it seems. we felt alienated a bit.
On 21st April 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 7 recommendations about 7 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Brown Lion
This Two Towers Taphouse is well worth a visit. It's only a few minutes walk up from St Pauls Sq, so after a walk in from the centre of town you will be rewarded with some fabulous well kept ales. This is a very comfortable and friendly pub and serve great food. Also like to add that the place is spotlessly clean. Six ales on handpump plus one cider Old Rosies. I went for the Baskerville, Brum Special Ale BSA, Hockley Gold, Sherbourne, Complete Muppetry and the guest Downton Brewery Dials Pumpkin Ale. Will be back to try their Jewellery Porter.
On 2nd November 2011
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]