please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Had a pint here yesterday. Service was hardly friendly and the whole place seemed outdated and mundane. At least it has reasonable ale.
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Very disappointed that this was so full last Sunday lunchtime that there was nowhere to sit and eat lunch - so I abandoned this pub and went elsewhere (the George Abbot). On a warmer day, sitting outside would have been an option.
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The Britannia was fairly busy this Friday lunchtime and we decided to eat here. The beer is Shepherd Neame and I, having to avoid all of the foul golden summer ales on offer, went for the Bishop's Finger, which was fine. A good range of beer was available.
As for food I plumped for the Classic Burger. What there was of it was very good - there just wasn't very much actual food on the plate.
Staff were fine and the place itself was more than acceptable. I'd be happy to drink here again - not sure about the eating.
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Could do with smartening up, however the pint of Spitfire was very good.
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Yes its ok not just bishops finger for ale either.
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Bishops finger, decent food and good service.
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Reasonably acceptable pub to have a drink although pub appears more aimed at the eating out types.
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A decent Shepherd Neame pub and one of the better pubs in Guildford overall. Has been kept clean and tidy since the refurb and is well worth a visit. Food is good quality and reasonably priced. Staff normally friendly and the clientele tend to be grown ups! Recommended.
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A good pub with outside seating at the front and back. Had a decent sunday roast in here recently which for Guildford was reasonably priced (think it was �8.95).
BTW - it says it has Sky TV and a pool table but it hasn't had these since the refurb.
Still, nice enough and will be back.
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Lovely riverside pub from the outside spoilt by the antisceptic cafe bar style interior, why do Shepherd Neame do this to their pubs?
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Attractive pub down by the riverside opposite the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. It�s picturesque location is slightly spoilt by the public car park between the beer garden and the river.
The pub seems to be quite food led, but four SN ale were on last Thursday afternoon, with the Kent�s Best being in good nick. This was served by a friendly and efficient barmaid, but, before she came in from the smaller rear garden, the bloke behind the bar was almost catatonic in his slowness to serve.
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Not a bad boozer.....get a bit of a younger crowd, but the ales are good...as stated, Shepherd & neame...
Near the town centre but far enough away to avoid the bedlam that often descends around bridge street...
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Shepherd neame ale on offer, well kept and a reasonable price for Guildford of �2.90 for a pint of masterbrew.
Nice outside drinking area overlooking the river (and a car park!)
Staff could be a bit more attentive but they get there in the end.
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Things have changed. The manager (northerner I think) wanders around in a fur hat, treats his staff like the preverbial and has about as much people skills as a nazi camp guard. That's if he's even working. I don't know if shep/neame have there heads in the sand but this guy is a nightmare, his staff just seem to mop up behind him. Support this pub by all means but a change of manager is needed.
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Had a really good time here with a group of friends last week. OK food, great ale, good value! Will be back.
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I'm a man of little words, lets just say shepperd neame beer very good, FOOD BAD, when I pointed out my food was not good the staff just shrug. me no eat in britannia ever again.
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All change here since my last visit (and review) in March 2009. What was an unbranded Pubco pub is now a Shepherd Neame pub. SN have also bought the Star in Guildford, so that makes a slightly worrying trend: the Kent pub scene is (in my view) the poorer for the dominance of SN; let's hope Surrey doesn't go that way too. What has improved here is the look of the pub: I visited after the refurb and it's looking a lot smarter than it used to. I suspect SN are trying to move this to being more of a foodie's pub, as most of the pub looked liked it was aimed at a dining crowd. This should be a decent pub given the location, and I wish SN well with it.
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Good to see this pub open again,its had a mixed few years (up and down) I do hope your right Trev and its on the way up again, as this used to be one of the better pubs in Guildford. Will be in to sup its finest shortly.
I wish the new guys all the best.
ps coolbreeze go take a dip in the Wey.
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Yes it's reopened. They've kept the best features: cheaply priced home cooked food available all day, good range of ales, friendly staff. And they've improved things that needed improving, like it's brighter and smarter without being modern or less pub-like. Evidently the reason for all this was a change of ownership; well I'd say the new owners have got off to a good start.
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It's open now and has been since the eighth. In all seriousness, fair's fair, they didn't advertise that they were shutting,and for how long, but my affinity with this pubs stems from a real desire to see it do well. The good days of yester year need to be brought back and I went in for the first time since the re-open and it looks like they are trying to make an effort, Late Red, Spitfire and Bishop's Finger were on and were all top-notch.
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fair enough wolfdog, enjoy 'spoons.
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The Pilgrim is correct about 'Britain's oldest brewer.'
Closing a pub for December's peak trading is one thing - but not to put up a notice (to say how long the closure might be for) is idiotic.
We shall not be walking down there again to see if its open; there are many better/busy pubs nearer the centre - and in it.
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ThePilgrim should try running a bussness instead of being an arm-chair general....no, wait, you're right; Britain's oldest brewer doesn't have a "scooby". Yeah, that makes sense.
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Der shut a pub in December for a refurb,what clown made that decision who ever it was hasn`t got a scooby.
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I understand that this pub is being refurbed and will re-open before Christmas, but we couldn't get in yesterday.
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Another pub bites the dust? Are there any plans to re-open? If you ask me this is the perfect location for a pub but this pub has been terrible for ages. I hope it does open again as a much better pub as it would be ashame to lose another character in the area.
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Closed - as in shut.....
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Bit of a rough boozer - 4/10
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Range of Sheps including the seasonal Late Red. Has the look of a foodie pub but it seemed ok.
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It is alright but not that great overall it feels a little bit of a rough boozer which is rare for Guildford, i certainly did not fancy the outdoor seating area at the back but a couple of good real ales on.
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This is quite a nice pub with a riverside location ideal for those lazy summer afternoons. The interior is quite smart and modern with large screen TVs dotted around. Had 4 ales on tap (all Shepherd & Neame) plus a few continental lagers too. I opted for the Master Brew which at �2.60 a pint was reasonably good value.
Personally, I prefer the White House 200 yards away but this is still quite a nice boozer and worth a look in.
7/10.
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Pretty good pub located by the river - better than it used to be with Spitfire ale on the go but this isnt as good as the weyside across the pond.
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Decent quality selection of ales and lagers alike.
Staropramen and Spitfire caught the eye the most.
Not a bad spot for a drink.
Situated by the River Wey.
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Agree with slugbreff. Bit of a kids venue does not suit anyone over the age of 20... go elsewhere for a better atmosphere.... did not see much of drinks range but it seemed a little mediocre on first impressions.
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No kids in evidence on the Saturday afternoon I visited. I remember this as being a Scruffy Murphy's years ago - it's now an unbranded but (at first glance) fairly identikit pubco pub. On second glance though, I noted a good range of real ales - four or five available with most of them being something interesting including a couple of Hog's Back ales. I had a softie but I'd definitely come back here to see what the ale is like.
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Glad I'm not the only one who is finding the Kiddie Friendly concept of pubs utterly irritating and confusing. And no, I don't find ANY kids cute.
Is there no comment from the management on this?
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Kids ? Not the worst thing in the world, but i dont want them to drown in the river no that would be bad i dont think thats good at all they shouldnt be anywhere near the brittania.
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Slugbreff (great name)i totally agree with your comment on kids.I was in one of my fav pubs the other day and these bloody rug rats were running all over the place yelling spilling drink on new carpets as well as food,and what were the so called parents doing sweet FA,thank goodness the bar guy came up and told the them that other people were in the pub not only them and the children had to be quiet and seated,as he walked off all they did was bitch about the pub not being child friendly.Child friendly be boll`xed adults go into a pub to get away from all the noise and relax not put up with some elses screaming brats.
Rant over.
I have always found the beer good here and staff on the ball and thank goodness it`s back to being called The Bitannia.
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Had a very nice pint of London Pride here this afternoon, but unfortunately accompanied by many children . . . . some of whom were a bit loud.
The barman was priming the Hobgoblin and Theakstons pumps when we arrived.
Its a nicely done place, the barman was friendly and the bar snacks were good. I expect the ambience is completely different at night when I guess there are no under 5's present!
Not sure where grown-ups are supposed to go now and not expect to be inundated by other people's kids . . . . .
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average pub by the river.
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i've been going here for years and the new manger has made some great changes, the live music is excellent and the quality of the food has improved drastically, theres a reall good feel about the place now and i know he looks a bit moody but hes always nice to me and my friends.
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I like the pub, been going there for years. But watch out for the current manager (thin guy with glasses). He can be a bit too rude to you at times! Until he is gone, I give Britania a 4.
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nice relaxed place with a non town feel about it with reasonably priced food, watch out for the GSA though, theres loads of em in here at times ;-)
anonymous - 9 Mar 2008 11:43 |
This is a fantastic pub on the edge of town. It was refurbished just over a year ago, they ditched the pool tables and brought in soft furnishings like leather sofas and carpeting. A vast improvement! The staff are always friendly and helpful, not bad food either. However, they have just taken the Erdinger pump away, and replaced it with Hoegarden! Other than that its a good place!
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Best place to chill out as the place is usually empty. I think this is the common room for GSA! The place is looking tired and not very clean
anonymous - 22 Oct 2007 17:57 |
The Britannia is the best place to go and chill out. There is a music in background, bands occasionally and quiz night every Wednesday.
The Britannia has a good choice of drinks, including Strawberry Frulli and many other beers.
Fantastic menu with plenty to choose from.
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Payed a first visit to this pub in about three years.
The differences are the place is more geared up towards food than it used to be, but its a lot smarter also. Not a bad place to be T-Total, the beer range does not appear to have changed much though, who knows if the beer is still crap?!
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come down on wednesdays, they have just started doing a weekly quiz and would love more support
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Still like the 'mosh pit' Brit of the early 90s best, but the current incarnation is better than Scuffys.
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Really nice chilled out pub. Best time to go is sunday evenings, as there is a simply incredible acoustic night which leads to the perfect end to the week. Pretty standard beer choices though.
blode - 15 Nov 2006 16:21 |
Just discovered this pub with excellent riverside location between the North Downs Way and Guildford City Centre - ideal for walkers. Front patio overlooks river, rear patio is covered, and it's coolly air-conditioned inside with pleasant ambience and background music. Staff very friendly. Wide selection of dishes reasonably priced. 4 real ales. The loos are the only area of the pub that still warrant the name "Scruffy Murphys"!
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Much smarter now, beware of the dangerous rugs - I nearly fell over stepping on to one on the slippery wood floor! Food ok, service good. TVs were showing football but didn't seem too obtrusive - we could sit and chat without being disturbed.
pinga - 31 May 2006 21:57 |
No pool table now. The place doesn't have a whole lot of character.
Calum - 30 May 2006 22:23 |
Excellent atmosphere, especially since the recent refit. Good service, friendly staff, food, music, tv etc. One of the few pubs in Guildford you can still go to for a relatively quiet drink in the evening. Be warned, occasionally they have truly talentless people making noises into microphones...
anonymous - 18 Apr 2006 14:21 |
Due to recent makeover place has benifited so muich; finally shaken off the 'moshpit' atmosphere that the had held since the mid nineties. Great beer, friendly service(including table), and top food. Will definitely come back.
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Plenty of fitties on show, footy, pool tables and 'Delirium.' Food nothing special though and overpriced even by Guildford standards. Car park provides great showcase for pikey Nova's and XR3's. Laissez faire reputation towards herbal entertainment richly undeserved as I found to my detriment.
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Quite a good pub although bit expensive for beer. Food is ok and fairly cheap. Has plenty of seating and access to the bar is good. Quite nice to sit out the front in summer.
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Food is average, nice garden area out the back and view over the river at the front.
anonymous - 17 Apr 2005 18:49 |
has the Brit ever had a good reputation? i love it
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Inexpensive food ...see previous comments ...can be Pikey at times ?
anonymous - 1 Feb 2005 10:39 |
Food is just reasonable. The potato wedges I had were not done inside.
David Pen - 20 Oct 2004 12:11 |
Better than when it was Scruffy's, however it's a bit soulless. Ales are on gravity without a chiller and hence are unpleasantly warm. Drink is quite expensive here too.
anonymous - 8 Sep 2004 16:07 |
Atmosphere is not bad. Good place to go if you are on a pub crawl and want to get hammered. Not so good if you like the taste of beer or want to watch live football
Will - 3 Aug 2004 13:03 |
This is a great place to go for drinks. Well that is if you cant taste what you are drinking properly. Most people generally cant. A cheap Duval is indeed available. only 3 pound 60 a bottle is quality value. Every reason to rate this pub 0 out of 10
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not bad not very friendly atmosphere
Doug - 9 May 2004 21:37 |
On a rare excursion back into Guildford recently I discovered the Full English at the Britannia has been further improved. Fantastic. Mind you, you have to get in early on a Saturday if you want to sit on the huge sofas - especially if there's a match on.
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Imagine my excitement when I saw a sign declaring "241 Belgian beers"! Armed with that knowledge and combined with the fact that they serve good food, have integral cash ATM and comfy sofas, I was contemplating taking up permanent residense and never having to leave a pub again.
Imagine my disappointment when it was explained that the sign met "2 for 1" and only on Tuesday nights!
Oh well, it still has the most impressive range of Belgium Bombs available and thoroughly recommended for thos of you who wish to experience the higher state of consciousness that can only be achieved by drinking a la Belgic!
Mortonian - 31 Mar 2004 11:25 |
Big sofas and a massive Full English breakfast. Not the cheapest of pubs, and service is sometimes a little dodgy (my mate had to take his hat off because they said it was 'intimidating'), but food is excellent usually and it's far enough off the beaten track not to be packed with middle class locals.
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the britannia is an ace pub. except for the old mingers, and big daz sniffing after them all the time.
And now selling bar snacks again, along with a range of belgian speciality beers (2 for 1 belgian beer on tuesdays)
Loreena Bobbit - 28 Oct 2003 11:46 |
Was better in the old days of the Brit,when there was that real ruff old land 'lady'there and some decent entertainment,lot of places are too lazy to even have DJs or bands,it has gone all gastro man!No character anymore since being Scruffy's same as 3 Tuns,3 Tuns used to be good till they ripped the heart out of few years back,what was originally called?
Duane Farr - 27 Aug 2003 23:29 |
Scruffys is no more...went along last week and it was all boarded up...looks like it is re-opening as the "Britania"
Jen - 2 Jun 2003 12:50 |
cr*p. Surly staff and sh1te beer.
anon - 12 May 2003 17:02 |
Scruffy Murphys in Guildford has lighters for �1
anonymous - 26 Nov 2002 12:29 |
Nice pub as of a hot summers lunchtime. Popular with your more basic punter in the evening.
David Miller - 11 Nov 2002 22:41 |
ur wrong, it has two pool tables, sky tv (usually music channels but othertimes sporting events) a great atmosphere and I'm usually there drunk in a courner!!
iRjoe - 24 Oct 2002 10:30 |
