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£2.50 is this the cheapest pint of ale in central cambridge?

Cambridge Union society bar 1815 open to public and £2.50 a pint of Marstons 61 deep!

Published by KINGGINGE at 2:21pm on Sun 14th May 2017. Viewed 4,164 times.

Nope. £1.99 a pint for a couple of different ales in Wetherspoon's - despite which, they don't have to resort to "advertising" by posting on local forums.

Published by John Techno at 6:47pm on Sun 14th May 2017.

The bar at the NCI Club on Holland Street is also cheap. And a million times nicer than either the Union or Wetherspoon's.

Published by sam i at 2:01pm on Mon 15th May 2017.

I wonder how many people go to a bar just because it is cheapest? Extremely cheap bars often (not necessarily always) mean shit beer.

Published by Silent Rob at 3:35pm on Mon 15th May 2017.

I do, but I've always had soft spot for really shit pubs.

Published by John Techno at 10:30pm on Mon 15th May 2017.

Shit pubs are becoming hard to find in Cambridge, most of them have long gone. I rather miss the days of the Jubilee and the Greyhound.

Maybe the Union Bar should change their advertising direction: "the last shit pub in Cambridge: like pubs used to be".

Published by Silent Rob at 5:53am on Tue 16th May 2017.

The Earl of Beaconsfield has been reliably shit every time I've been, but that's not for a couple of years now.

Published by sam i at 11:00am on Tue 16th May 2017.

The Golden Behind springs to mind too.

Published by Wrongfellow at 11:42am on Tue 16th May 2017.

Chariots of Fire was the last good shit pub in Cambridge. The King Street Run doesn't count because it's a shit pub pretending to be a good pub pretending to be a shit pub, and I only like good honest shit pubs that don't pretend to be anything other than shit.

Published by John Techno at 10:30pm on Tue 16th May 2017.

The Tivoli was quite shit. I liked that it became an old man's boozer where you could normally see some old codger having a doze. While a good variety, the beer was rather shit though. I appreciated the decor.

I too am fond of shit pubs, or anything that isn't fucking contrived. None that i can think of though in Cam these days. Oh the Grapes, that's pretty shit.

Published by B-bam at 1:26am on Wed 17th May 2017.

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The Tivoli had the feel of a pub near a station, where people are waiting for something else to happen.
I think the winner of the shittest ever pub in Cambridge was one one that's now demolished by the railway crossing in Cherry Hinton, it has slashed vinyl seats, a Sunday meat raffle and unkempt customers.
They smoked L&B 100s and talked about their distorted political perceptions, based on the gutter press, and what their mate thought.
The best beer was Carling (when it was on)
Think the place was called the Five bells, not to be confused with the other Five Bells, that was the most dulll gay pub Cambridge ever had on Newmarket Road.

Published by Priority 23 at 11:49am on Wed 17th May 2017.
This reply has been edited, last edit at 11:50am on Wed 17th May 2017.

Interesting. I haven't been to the Grapes; I shall pay it a visit.

Things pubs should have:

Clientele who halt their conversation and stare at you when you walk in
Furniture should be limited to broken chairs (extra points for bloodstains), formica-topped tables, non-functioning "tavern style" wall lighting with red lampshades (ideally, with tassels solidified in cigarette tar)
Special Brew on tap
A really stinky old dog
A really stinky old landlord, ideally called "Stabber"
Toilets that don't flush
Piss at least 3cm deep on the toilet floor, and leaking into bar area
A faded poster of Samantha Fox displayed behind the bar
A pervading smell of cigarette smoke which hasn't dissipated at all since the smoking ban
A threatening ambiance

Published by John Techno at 12:02pm on Wed 17th May 2017.

Please don't forget the 'filled rolls when available' under a cracked plastic dome, next to the jar of grey pickled eggs.
Oh yer innumerable wires coming out of the old tv that's locked to a horse racing channel.

Published by Priority 23 at 12:18pm on Wed 17th May 2017.

I don't think you'll be disappointed with the grapes JT.

Published by B-bam at 12:34pm on Wed 17th May 2017.

"Family friendly pub with welcoming atmosphere we also have a beer garden for those warm summer days.. You can choose your own music on our juke box, play the slot machines or maybe even a game of darts. Prehaps a few games of pool is more your thing."

This certainly gets it off to a good start.

Published by John Techno at 2:24pm on Wed 17th May 2017.

:)

Oh I drove past the rathmore today on CH road. That's quite shit too. I liked it a lot.

Published by B-bam at 9:17pm on Wed 17th May 2017.

I especially like "maybe even a game of darts" - what a radically novel thing to have on offer in a pub! I reckon within a couple of years or so, dartboards might even become quite a common sight in pubs across the land.

Published by John Techno at 10:29pm on Wed 17th May 2017.

We should, like, totally all chip in to buy a failing pub somewhere in town and make it as shit as possible. WAN Arms, anyone?

Published by John Techno at 10:32pm on Wed 17th May 2017.

Our next WAN meet has to be in a shit pub. The six bells is quite shit, unless they've done it up recently.

Published by B-bam at 10:49pm on Wed 17th May 2017.

We could always venture up into the Far North - Ely has some VERY shit pubs.

Published by John Techno at 12:06am on Thu 18th May 2017.

What a shame the Jenny Wren is no more.

Published by sam i at 9:49am on Thu 18th May 2017.

Is it Sam i? What happened to it?

Ha, a WAN day out @ JT? Now there's a [slightly horrific) thought :)

Published by B-bam at 3:48pm on Thu 18th May 2017.

Oh maybe it is still going, am I getting confused with the Snowcat?

Published by sam i at 4:25pm on Thu 18th May 2017.

Someone posted on FB a photo of the Jenny Wren closed the other day. Not been able to verify myself.

Snowcat is now a religious building or something.

Published by Silent Rob at 5:02pm on Thu 18th May 2017.

no, just checked and the Wren closed down in Jan!

Published by B-bam at 5:36pm on Thu 18th May 2017.

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