I mean, I wasn't a fan of Yates Wine Lodges but apart from that, I never met a turn of the century pub chain I disliked. Happy memories of the All Bar One on Cannon Street, evening after evening. And the Wetherspoons in Poultry. And the City Page, which I went to A LOT but can't really remember where it was (these facts may be connected).
Obviously Sam Smith's is the work of the devil but I think still existing cancels out their turn of the century-ness? Although I spent a surprising amount of time in those too.
Weirdly enough on the LPC in the mid/late 90s I shared a house with someone from the family who founded Yates. I've never set foot in one. Doubt she had either tbh.
Didn’t hate any of them. They all served a purpose and while I would not choose a couple of them out of choice I spent plenty of happy hours in all of them.
Basically what Pumpkin said. Don't think I ever went into an its a scream pub and Yates were obviously horrid but the rest all had their place. Fond (albeit blurry) memories of very late nights in various O'Neils.
Couple of pints in the Flyhalf and Firkin in Cardiff before the Rugby was always good.
Good memories of drinking cheap(ish) champagne in an All Bar One in the City with some lovely rofettes of this very parish on numerous occasions as baby lawyers trying to justify our life choices.
They've opened a 'spoons on the Otley run. In the rest zone between Hyde Park and Headingley. It's not right. The Feast and Firkin is now called the Library.
Wetherspoon’s isn’t really the. of the millennium, but I’m ok with it, it sort of brings the motorway services ethos to pubs, and that sort of works. The Sevenoaks one is good, and always quiet, full of retired couples sipping and not talking to one another.
Firkin pubs were great. Shout out for the one at Denmark Hill station that is now the Phoenix. What was the chain that had a pub that is now a Leon on Ludgate Circus? Hogshead I think. They were properly shit.
I really never liked All Bar One or Pitcher & Piano.
O'Neills in Covent Garden was quite good. I used to drink there a lot in the early 90s. Not sure if it was always part of the chain but it was defo around before they suddenly started appearing everywhere. (Time Gentleman Please lampooned this... "suddenly there'll be a bicycle in the window")
I loved the Slug & Lettuce in Canary Wharf but alas it is now gone... It was a great place to meet HR ladies from around the wharf, most of whom were complete lunatics and great craic.
As much as Yates' looks hideous, given that they've been around since the 1880s, not really a turn of the century chain although I suppose to the extent that they spread south of their oop North homelands that was comparatively recent.
there are some chains that have been around before and since but are the quintessence of late 90s early 00s - Yates, for the proles, and All Bar One, for the City drones, fall into that category I think.
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I mean, I wasn't a fan of Yates Wine Lodges but apart from that, I never met a turn of the century pub chain I disliked. Happy memories of the All Bar One on Cannon Street, evening after evening. And the Wetherspoons in Poultry. And the City Page, which I went to A LOT but can't really remember where it was (these facts may be connected).
Obviously Sam Smith's is the work of the devil but I think still existing cancels out their turn of the century-ness? Although I spent a surprising amount of time in those too.
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O'Neills were dreadful fake Irish monstrosities. I think there are still a few about, but they used to be on every high st.
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Walkabout
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I think I was there for Pumpkin's All Bar One sessions from time to time.
Also happy memories from law school of both All Bar One and It's a Scream in Nottingham.
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It’s a Scream and Walkabout pubs were fkin brilliant. Quiz machines, football on the tv, pool tables.
Yates Wine Lodge.
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Weirdly enough on the LPC in the mid/late 90s I shared a house with someone from the family who founded Yates. I've never set foot in one. Doubt she had either tbh.
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Who the f**k hates pubs?
As far as Wetherspoons go The Knights Templar is sorely missed.
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Firkin pubs were real ale microbrewery trailblazers and not to be besmirched whereas Yates and ONeills, what horrors what horrors.
Allbarones had their place for a while
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Didn’t hate any of them. They all served a purpose and while I would not choose a couple of them out of choice I spent plenty of happy hours in all of them.
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Basically what Pumpkin said. Don't think I ever went into an its a scream pub and Yates were obviously horrid but the rest all had their place. Fond (albeit blurry) memories of very late nights in various O'Neils.
Couple of pints in the Flyhalf and Firkin in Cardiff before the Rugby was always good.
Good memories of drinking cheap(ish) champagne in an All Bar One in the City with some lovely rofettes of this very parish on numerous occasions as baby lawyers trying to justify our life choices.
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Knights Templar is no longer there? What is it now?
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They've opened a 'spoons on the Otley run. In the rest zone between Hyde Park and Headingley. It's not right. The Feast and Firkin is now called the Library.
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absolutely great thread
Heel tap and Bumper
Purple Turtle and It’s a Scream
I didn’t hate Firkins but they weee mostly not very nice.
I’d have to say O’Neill’s was probably the only chain I vaguely liked. Oh and were the Tup pubs a chain? Used to positively love the Camden Tup.
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Wetherspoon’s isn’t really the. of the millennium, but I’m ok with it, it sort of brings the motorway services ethos to pubs, and that sort of works. The Sevenoaks one is good, and always quiet, full of retired couples sipping and not talking to one another.
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Mitchells and Butlers PLC has a first rate portfolio in this sector. Harvester, All Bar One, Toby Carvery, O'Neill's, Ember Inns.
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Firkin pubs were great. Shout out for the one at Denmark Hill station that is now the Phoenix. What was the chain that had a pub that is now a Leon on Ludgate Circus? Hogshead I think. They were properly shit.
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Bruce’s Brewery
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"a few of us are going down to Yates'"
Tim gets asked out by Rachel in The Office 2002
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What is Wine Lodge?
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Is All Bar One still going?
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it was the name based "humour" in the firkin pubs I could not stand. I had forgotten Yates, agree it was the worst of the lot
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Calling Yate’s a wine lodge was brilliant piss take
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I really never liked All Bar One or Pitcher & Piano.
O'Neills in Covent Garden was quite good. I used to drink there a lot in the early 90s. Not sure if it was always part of the chain but it was defo around before they suddenly started appearing everywhere. (Time Gentleman Please lampooned this... "suddenly there'll be a bicycle in the window")
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Pitcher & Piano now seems to be entirely aimed at women under 30, which is probably quite smart as not many pub chains are.
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Slug and Lettuce similarly
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I loved the Slug & Lettuce in Canary Wharf but alas it is now gone... It was a great place to meet HR ladies from around the wharf, most of whom were complete lunatics and great craic.
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Exactly! I may check out the pitcher and piano after work tonight….
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Do people still go up to strangers in pubs without being introduced online first? Radical.
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All Bar One is definitely still alive and often meet people in the Leicester Square one before heading to the cinema there.
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Haven't been to an Allbaroné for many years.
As much as Yates' looks hideous, given that they've been around since the 1880s, not really a turn of the century chain although I suppose to the extent that they spread south of their oop North homelands that was comparatively recent.
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Yates was fine if you fancied cheap drinks and a bit of rough.
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Hello sailor
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there are some chains that have been around before and since but are the quintessence of late 90s early 00s - Yates, for the proles, and All Bar One, for the City drones, fall into that category I think.
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My ex used to call it that... totally forgot that one.
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