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Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Bucking Fastard
Submitted on Thursday, 10th November 2022
With picture contributions to 1482 other pubs
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Detail Pages
Grand Junction Arms, Tring
Bulbourne
Postal town: Tring
HP23 5HF
Reviews of Grand Junction Arms (Average Rating: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Grand Junction Arms
ORIGINAL REVIEW March 2011
Recently refurbed but no change to the layout,the entrance is to the side from the car park and this opens out to a good sized seating area ,mainly for food consumption while the bar is tucked in a rear section with windows at either end with good views up and down the GU canal and a few more tables where drinkers can gather.There is a large garden ,popular with families in good weather.My Tring Sidepocket was in good condition but we only popped in briefly to reliquify before tackling the seven locks down to Marsworth.
January 2013.
Popped in for lunch and noticed that the pub has now moved firmly into gastro territory.It's a pleasant old canalside building although there are few references to that inside.The pub still divides into two sections with the smaller tap room the place to drink,there is a real wood burner and a couple of tables with bar stools for the regulars.Three handpumps were dispensing Tring Sidepocket,Doom Bar and a decent TT Landlord;a safe selection but hardly exciting.The larger lounge with it's raised section with a fake woodburner is the place to eat and the furniture is eclectic and not crammed in the available space.The suggestion to book at busy times on the sign outside may well be solid advice.Art for sale decorates many walls.
There is a paved terrace outside overlooking the canal with solid wood furniture,this would be an overflow eating area in good weather.
The lunchtime menu is not overlong but looked appealing.Few mains under £10 with most priced £12-£15 while starters waded in around £6 ,same with desserts.However quality cooking at work here,my steak burger,chips and relish was spot on and the chilli linguine with prawns went down a treat.I expect the evening menu is more expensive and a steak night(variety of prime cuts) at £30 for 2 might give you a clue to the price point.Sunday evening is curry night with a quiz.
I wouldn't choose this place for a long session but it's fine for a quick one,and I liked the very friendly welcome from the young serving team.If I wanted a special meal in gastro surroundings,this place would rank very highly.
UPDATE
After a period of closure ,this pub is now owned by the Oakman Inns chain who have invested a lot of money here.The bar is back in the centre of the building with an extended dining area to the left and a more drinking area to the right with a wood burner and views over the Grand Union.Food is a major draw,it's upmarket in nature with a price to match,the pub garden is large and there is a sizeable tent there for occasional live music.Events are help inside too but this still feels like a chain pub and not a local boozer.Three real ales on my trip in Fullers London Pride and ESB along with a well kept Tring Sidepocket (NBSS 3.5)
Still a decent stop when in the area.
On 10th November 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Grand Junction Arms
This canal side Gastro pub is well described by the previous reviewers.
A decent looking exterior building now houses your typical clean Gastro makeover interior but of little character, with the usual pastel painted walls wooden floor and large wooden tables and chairs with the larger section away from the smaller bar area reserved for dining.
I guess fine as a restaurant but all a bit sterile as pub experiences go, but probably not important as most people come here to eat. The area by the bar not reserved for eating is quite small and the small bar serving area means it doesn’t take many waiting to be served before it starts looking very busy and queuing out of the bar area.
But the key selling points for the Grand Junction that saves it for just a drinking experience and makes it worth a visit is the excellent outside patio and garden area which stretched back along the Grand union and gets the full benefit of the sun (when its out) for most of the day, and a decent choice of well-kept Cask Ales.
We utilised the Grand Junction twice whilst walking the Grand Union on a fine weather Sunday, once at lunchtime, when the place was extremely busy with people eating and then again late in the evening when the food service had stopped, when it was altogether a much more relaxed experience.
Three of the four ale pumps were in operation and XT3, Tring Sidepocket and Doombar were available and we tried them all and they were all were very well kept.
One thing that seems to have upset people on other sites such as trip advisor is that the current management do not allow greasy (as in covered in dirt) boaty types and dogs into the main pub. Understandable I say as you wouldn’t want to get those lovely wood floors dirty or find a dog hair in your Raspberry Jus now would you… :-)
On 15th April 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Grand Junction Arms
The Grand Junction Arms is a handsome Georgian/Victorian building situated alongside the canal on a narrow but busy back lane. It's a well looked after building with new signs and fresh paint.
Inside is open plan and welcoming with wooden floors and furniture and the bar situated at the canal end of the building opposite the entrance.
This was a flying visit ahead of working a boat down the nearby Marsworth locks and the friendly barman had no problems filling our own, unconventional and unmeasured, receptacles with pints (or thereabouts).
Ales: Tring Side Pocket and London Pride, both of which were fine.
There was a blackboard outside advertising Sunday roasts so I assume they do food but didn't see any times or menus.
I'd certainly return for a longer visit.
On 31st March 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
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- Official site of Grand Junction Arms - www.thegrandjunctionarmstring.co.uk
- Facebook page of Grand Junction Arms - www.facebook.com
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Grand Junction Arms - whatpub.com
Cheddington, 4.54 miles, 1 hr 27 min walk (show)
Berkhamsted, 5.65 miles, 1 hr 49 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Car Park : Yes last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Dog Friendly : No last updated 15 April 2014 by Quinno _
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Live Music : No last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Micropub : No last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Real Cider : No last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
- WiFi : Yes last updated 06 April 2021 by ROB Camra
