www.hmpubguide.com - Hereford's Premier Pub Guide

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2010-04-26T17:17:00.001+01:00

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Site Maintenance - Back soon!

2010-04-25T09:32:00.002+01:00

Just a quick note to say we'll be re-jigging the way our blog works this week. Hopefully our readers won't even notice and we'll be back up and running as normal very soon!

Pub football in 3D

2010-04-20T13:06:00.005+01:00

As has been much publicised selected Premier League matches are now available to watch in 3D at pubs across the country.

In Hereford, The Monument has been kitted out with all the gear needed to view the games in 3D. Punter's opinions on the experiment seem to be mixed. Many point out that stadium shots and on-screen graphics look great but the 3D doesn't add much to the actual football shots.
Have any of our readers checked out a 3D match yet? If so let us know your thoughts.

My own personal opinion is that the whole 3D phase we are going through at the moment will be something of a passing fad. I may be proved wrong as the technology improves but until they find a reliable way to pull off the 3D effect to a mass audience without the dodgy glasses I can't see it taking off in the long run.

Anyway, if punters want to take their football experience to the next level surely a trip to their local football stadium is the best way - and of course you can always nip to the pub or adjoining bar (hint: Radfords!) after the match for some post match analysis over a couple of pints.

Amazing House of Beer Mats

2010-04-12T18:49:00.004+01:00

Once upon a time the HM Pub Guide asked that most important of questions: Where have all the beer mats gone?

This story over featured on the BBC website explains where 300,000 of them went. The video shows a Guinness World Record beating 'House of Beer Mats'. And what's more, record breaker Sven Goebel had to knock it all down afterwards to prove he hadn't used any glue!

The Wurzels- I am a Cider Drinker

2010-04-09T20:35:00.002+01:00

Who'd have thought that a 10% tax on cider could cause such an uproar! Due to popular demand I've scoured youtube and found the 1976 classic (I use the word classic in it's broadest sense here) "I am a Cider Drinker" by The Wurzels, enjoy.

10% Tax on Cider Scrapped

2010-04-09T20:06:00.006+01:00

CIDER drinkers were celebrating last night after humiliated ministers had to dump a tax grab on the drink.

The start of the election campaign has badly affected the government's remaining legislative programme. The Tories forced them to back down on plans to ramp up duty by ten percent. The opposition warned they would only pass the Budget in the Commons today if the move was ditched.

Alistair Darling's tax-grab in last month's Budget sparked a web and Twitter campaign to save the British tipple from being priced beyond drinkers' pockets. The Wurzels- who sang "I Am A Cider Drinker"- joined the backlash. But a deal was thrashed out yesterday in talks between the Treasury and shadow chief secretary Philip Hammond.

Tory leader David Cameron said: "The attack on cider drinking was misinformed and wrong. They should have copied our policy properly, which is only targeting the high-strength drinks."

He added: "This is victory for the Conservatives on day one of the election campaign. More importantly, it's a victory for cider lovers and the producers facing disaster. But the threat remains. Gordon Brown had made clear the tax will go up if he wins."

Last night Wurzels star Tommy Banner said: "It's brilliant news. Me and the band will definitely be celebrating with a few pints of cider."

To read more on this story, and other election news, click here.

The happiest job in the world? Probably!

2010-04-09T14:47:00.001+01:00

Workers at Danish brewer Carlsberg have gone on strike for a second day prompting fears of a World Cup lager shortage. UK supplies should be OK as most of our Carlsburg is brewed in Northampton and Leeds but what is really interesting is the reason for the strike...

Warehouse workers and drivers are striking as the company are now limiting the drinking of alcohol to worker's lunch breaks. Previously free beer was available to all on the factory floor and even drivers were encouraged to get beered up during working hours. Alcohol locks were in place on vans though to ensure no drivers were over the legal limit.

It seems that health and safety laws have finally caught up with the Danish firm. Maybe it could be argued that their policy of free beer for all was the ultimate in quality control though. What better way to ensure an excellent product than to allow the workers to help themselves to the finished article as they worked!

Link-up with Hereford United forum site

2010-04-05T16:44:00.002+01:00

Beer and football go together too well; therefore we are pleased to announce that we are in the final negotiation to link up with an unofficial Hereford United fans forum and chat website. Shortly we will have a link box on the left of this screen (next to the facebook one). Until this link is finalised, click here to go to the HUFC forum website.
This cross-pollination between the two sites will give more exposure and easy access to more data, enabling both websites to increase their readership thereby increasing the 'reader experience' for everyone.

The North/South divide in Hereford

2010-04-03T14:42:00.013+01:00

The south of Hereford is lacking in amenities compared to the north bank of the Wye, this includes the number of pubs. Although several have closed (e.g. The Ship), some (like The Treacle Mine) have re-opened, but what we don't know is which is the best. Just click on your favourite below, and feel free to leave any comments; and if I've left off your favourite pub then vote for "other" but write the pub name in the comments section below the poll.

Pub Review from Latvia!

2010-04-02T18:39:00.001+01:00

A big thanks to Erik Hoff who has sent us a review of the Victory Pub in Riga, Latvia. Erik was very impressed with the 20 varieties of beer on offer, the good quality food and the wide range of activities. Check out his full review here.

A quick web search reveals The Victorys own website which features some impressive karaoke exploits!

Don't forget to put your clocks forward this weekend!

2010-03-26T10:21:00.007Z

This weekend sees the end of winter and the official start of spring, as British Summer Time begins. Don't forget to move your clocks forward 1 hour at 1am on Sunday 28th March, the change will mean darker mornings but lighter evenings.
On a personal note I'm well annoyed because I have to start work at 6am on Sunday, so after loosing an hours sleep it will feel like me getting up at 4am instead of the usual 5. Can't wait till the end of October when the clocks go back an hour so we get more sleep, although knowing my luck I'll be working nights then so will have to work the extra hour- can't we just stick to Greenwich Mean Time and leave the clocks as they are!

Tax up on Cider from Midnight on Sunday

2010-03-25T13:16:00.002Z

Drinkers across the county have been appalled by Alistair Darling's decision to increase the tax on cider by 10% above the rate of inflation. Already the protests are starting with a Downing Street petition launched and even a Facebook campaign to get the Worzel's classic 'I am a Cider Drinker' to number one in protest.

While minsters argue that the tax increase will discourage underage drinking, many cite the hike as unfair. Cider has traditionally be subject to a lower level of taxation than other drinks due to the high set-up costs compared to beer brewing and the time taken to turnover the product.

Its seems that once again the nation's pubs will feel the pinch more than anyone with the price of a pint down your local increasing by an estimated 20p. Going back 20 to 30 years a pint in a pub would cost you around twice as much as the equivalent from a supermarket. Its now estimated that the difference could be typically 4 or 5 times that amount.

Surely a fairer way would be to distinguish the taxation between those drinks served on tap at pubs and those bottled or canned drinks available from Supermarkets and off-licences. If the tax rises are being justified as ways of combating underage drinking such a distinction between off-licence and pub taxation would lead to more people drinking in the sociable environment of their local pub than getting boozed up at home or on the streets.

Rave Reader Reviews for Treacle Mine

2010-03-22T17:01:00.002Z

We've received a couple of glowing reader reviews for the recently re-opened Treacle Mine.

Keith Marshall is a regular there and highly recommends the Gammon and Egg roll. Click here for Keith's full review.

Julie and Sue Paton made a lunch time visit and praise the welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Click here to read their full review.

What are fathers meant to do? -sexism in pubs

2010-03-19T10:00:00.004Z

Whilst visiting a pub last week I noticed the above toilet signs, this got me to thinking what does a bloke do if the baby he's with needs a nappy change. I have a 10 week old son, and quite often we have a wander round town; if he's due a feed then I'd happily pop into a pub, and it's milk for him and a pint for me. But what happens after that? He invariably dirties his nappy halfway through a bottle, so where do I change him? I can hardly go in the "ladies", and it's not really fair to change him on the table, especially if there are people close by having a meal.
So I call upon all pubs not to be sexist (if there were baby changing facilities in the gents and none in the ladies- imagine the uproar), either have a separate changing facility or put one in both toilets. Don't make things even harder for blokes to spend time with their kids!

Change of ownership at The Black Lion

2010-03-18T13:36:00.002Z

Last weekend saw the closure of another Hereford pub- The Black Lion. However, upon closer inspection, there is a sign in the doorway saying that it will re-open on Friday 19th March at noon under new management. As usual we will endeavour to bring you an updated review as soon as possible, but if you get there first then let us know what you think.

Hereford Pubs on Google Street View

2010-03-15T13:45:00.004Z

To celebrate the recent addition of Hereford to Google's excellent Street View feature we've done a bit of a collage of some of the City's pubs.

Pictured above are the Rose and Crown on Ledbury Road, a view of Widemarsh Street showing The Imperial and Saxtys, and Commercial Road featuring the Litten Tree, The Hop Pole and The Kings Fee. Click the picture for a more detailed view.

As well as being great fun to play around with, Street View is sure to become a great tool to use when planning pub crawls - especially when visiting new places.

Another week, another update

2010-03-09T16:16:00.002Z

Last week saw another HMPG reviewing session around the streets of Hereford. Just click on the pub names below to read the review:

The Treacle Mine (pictured below)- after being closed for a short time , we are pleased to say that The Treacle Mine is open and definitely worth a visit. On our visit the place was vibrant and friendly, and therefore it rightly reclaims it's old position as the best pub south of the river.
The Stagecoach (pictured below)- this town pub has an olde worlde charm, with nice oak beams on display. However, it also embraces the modern era with some well placed tv's that are ideal for watching the sporting events of your choice.
Queen's Arms (pictured below)- another friendly town pub. Ever since I can remember there has been a Man United shrine in the back corner; however, this has gone and now "Waster's Corner" is a shadow of its former self and now has no unique features.
The Bowling Green (pictured below)- this lively town pub now has a pool table but no tv's (televisions not transvestites- however, the locals can look pretty scary but they seem nice enough!)

Ye Olde Black Bear, Tewkesbury

2010-03-08T18:09:00.003Z

Will S has sent us a great review of the Olde Black Bear, Tewkesbury along with the above photo.

The pub is decribed as the oldest working pub in Gloucestershire and dates back to 1308.

To check out Will's full review together with some more details on the Olde Bear's history click here.

The Whitehouse Closes.

2010-03-03T13:37:00.003Z

The Whitehouse in Whittern Way is the latest Hereford pub to call last orders.This has been on the cards for many months and means that the good drinkers of Tupsley will have to walk that bit further to either The Cock of Tupsley or The Rose and Crown. This may not be such a bad thing as these pubs are far superior to The Whitehouse. Just look at the Official HMPG rankings: The Rose and Crown scores 74% (and is currently the highest ranked pub in Hereford); The Cock of Tupsley scores 62%; and the Whitehouse scored a meagre 36% and was languishing near the bottom of the table. However, that being said, nobody wants a pub to close and I'm sure the place will be missed by it's locals. We'll keep you posted if we see any signs of life there and if we hear any rumours of a re-opening.

The Treacle Mine Re-opens!

2010-02-27T15:02:00.004Z

As you can see from this drive-by photo, rumours of the demise of The Treacle Mine have been greatly exaggerated.

We will be reviewing the all-new Treacle Mine in the week, but if anyone else goes there then let us know what you think, and why not fill in an assessment form yourself, or even email us some photos (our address is: email@hmpubguide.com). To download an assessment form click here, and to fill in an interactive form click here.

More Hereford Re-Reviews Added

2010-02-22T22:48:00.002Z

Last week saw the HM Pub Guide Team re-review 5 Hereford pubs, just click on the pub names below to read the all-new reviews:

The Litten Tree (pictured below)- seeing as this was voted the "2009 Pub of the Year" it seemed only fair to re-evaluate the establishment. What we found was a nice, bright, welcoming pub that's great for watching sporting events in, it also serves red Guinness- which different!
The Barrels (pictured below)- what can we say about this place- opinion is definitely divided, you either love it or hate it. However, it must be said that there is a wide variety of good beers available.
The Victory (pictured below)- this place never changes, it still looks like a boat- see picture below.
The Volunteer (pictured below)- a nice, little pub in the back streets of Hereford. The toilets are outside though, and it was -4 degrees C on this visit, grrrr!

Zane Wine Bar and Bistro (pictured below)- this was formerly called Charlotte's, not a lot has changed since then, it's primarily geared towards dining but is very welcoming.
We have also had a review of The Cock of Tupsley sent in anonymously. They had nothing bad to say about the place and describe their visit as: "In short a very impressive night out and would not hesitate to use it again on a regular basis..."

Treacle Mine Closes!

2010-02-18T14:58:00.003Z

The credit crunch has claimed another Hereford pub. After a prolonged spell of limited opening hours The Treacle Mine has finally closed it's doors. We only hope that sometime in the future, as the economy recovers, this friendly, welcoming pub re-opens. We have heard rumours that several other drinking establishments are facing similar difficulties; so if anyone has any information let us know and we'll post it here.
Last week saw the HM Pub Guide Team, re-assess some of the pubs in town, so check back soon to read these new reviews; also included will be all the reader reviews sent in.

The Grafton - Reader Review

2010-02-08T12:13:00.004Z

Chris French has sent in a very favourable reader review of The Grafton. Chris describes the food as being excellent and says its well worth the short trip out of town along the Ross Road. Check out the full review here.

Myself and Ms. W visited the Grafton just last week and also had a very nice meal. Its also worth noting that there is a promotion on at the moment giving a £5 discount on a meal for two, a £10 discount on a meal for four or two free glasses of wine. Vouchers were available on the bar and are valid up to the end of February.

Mr Pink Reviews The Old Market Inn

2010-02-01T20:48:00.002Z

Mr Pink has kindly sent in a reader review of The Old Market Inn in which he highlights the excellent value offered by their current meal deal.

Check out the full review here.

HM and Son Pub Guide

2010-01-21T09:05:00.002Z

The future of the HM PUB GUIDE is secure.

I am pleased to report that two weeks ago Mrs. M gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. Mother and baby (and father) are doing well and the future of the HMPG is now assured. For the next few weeks (and possibly months) you might notice a decline in the amount of updates and reviews added to the site. I hope you will be understanding throughout this period and stick with us; as once we get into some sort of routine, and get more sleep at night I will be able to donate some more of my free time to everyone's favourite pub guide. I look forward to handing over the whole operation to Master M in 18 years time- I can only hope that Mr. H sires a son in that time so we don't have to change the name and logo!

What's the best pub south of the river?
	The Broadleys
	The Game Cock
	The Grafton Inn
	The Saracens Head
	The Three Counties
	The Treacle Mine
	The Vaga Tavern
	The Wye Inn
	Other (please specify below)

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