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Maiden Over, Earley

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user reviews of the Maiden Over, Earley

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Being sold to Tesco
delpus - 25 Jun 2014 12:49
I didn't used to go this pub although around the corner from where I live. The current couple are putting a lot of effort into it and it is much nicer. The lunch time and evening food is generally very good. Sometime you have to wait but then it is being cooked for you.

My wife and I have started to eat lunch there if I am working at home and the toasties are always nice, especially with the coffee that they serve.

They are trying all different things like quiz nights etc. and they are really trying to make bring back community feel which should be supported.
Tiv1965 - 18 May 2013 18:04
A large multi-roomed rather non-descript estate pub. The only other customer there when I visited was hardly challenging the bloke serving. Butts Jester, London Pride and a beer from Windsor on offer. The Jester was undrinkable so was returned and swapped for a Pride which can only be descrided as OK. I wouldn't race back
cheshirecat - 13 Mar 2013 08:43
This pub has improved immensely in recent times (sorry but I didn't eat there so cannot comment on the food as others havedone)but there were 4 real ales available (2 x Loddon/1 x West Berks and LondonPride)plusan ever increasing range of bottled beers mostly from local brewers (Bingham's ales often feature on draught as well as bottle). Two bars - one with an extension which has a pool table. Outside drinking and a hut for smokers. Friendly barmaid and although the locals gave me that "I spy strangers" look they were OK in the end. This bar is worth the bus trip out of Reading (20a from the station)stops outside at Silverdale Road shops and deserves our support.
mcroyal - 27 Feb 2013 12:56
went last week, waited an over an hour for food. when it did finally arrive parts were missing and served on cold plates so left barely eating it, wine was nice but a bit expensive, not what i had hoped for.
Miranda - 5 Sep 2012 00:24
Called in again during Maiden Erlegh's 50th anniversary celebrations. Definitvie improvement - but some discrepency between the food service times as advertized on notices and those printed on the menues. Nice pint of Pride, but was hoping for food.
Firedrake - 11 Jul 2012 14:34
Visited 6 months ago and popped back. 3 local real ales alongside the ubiquitous Pride; very generously portioned, hearty food, and a welcoming atmos. Obvious the current owners are making a really good fist of making a success out of this place. A hidden secret that won't stay hidden for long!
theeternalwheel - 24 Jun 2012 00:37
Definitely improved since my last visit. Good range of ales and comfortable-looking furntiture. Didn't have time to look at the menu but hope to explore further. Breakfast is a nioce idea!
Firedrake - 16 May 2012 14:51
I occasionally used this place 6-8 years ago, because I had business in Earley and it seemed the least dire of the local pubs, but it wasn't really up to much. On a recent revisit it is definitely improved and had a reasonable range of beers, including Loddon Hullabaloo in acceptable condition. It suffers from being in a very uninspiring building and location. From the posters etc. on display, it seems the landlord makes an effort to serve and entertain the local community. It's basically a typical mid-late 20th century estate pub. Ok if you are in the area but not worth visiting otherwise.
newbury_drinker - 18 Mar 2012 14:01
Hi I am the new landlord on the Maiden Over. We have now completed our refurbishment of the front bar which now has a more welcoming feel to it with new furniture and decoration. In addition during the day we will be operating a coffee shop from the front bar selling a range of coffees and teas aswell as pastries, sandwiches and panninis. We will be opening from 8.30am. We have also opened the fire so you can enjoy your coffee round an open fire. Free wi-fi is also available and will have daily newspapers to read.

Our new restaurant will be opening soon. The restaurant will seat 30 covers and will be a steak house.

Hopefully you will enjoy the improvements we have made.

Hope to see you soon

Warwick and Rachel
warwickheskins - 3 Jan 2011 12:52
I've lived in the UK for 2 years now. I had some business in the area and being 60 years old had to stop at the pub for the facilities. I didn't have time to ask the proprietor if I could use the facilities. That was a mistake as he came running after me to tell me his pub wasn't a public toilet. I apologised profusely and even after that his wife or girlfriend as the case may be came out the back door and started berating me. If I had wanted to have a beer I certainly wouldn't go back. The atmosphere wasn't friendly and welcoming in the least. It actually felt like an English Deliverance movie. I frequent the pubs regularly in Twyford and Winnersh and have never encountered this behavior. This was a bad East Enders Show.
yoshel - 6 Mar 2010 18:45
Visited on a very quiet Sunday evening, hardly anyone in at that point. Friendly welcome, decently-kept beer, but a distinctly odd feel to the place - the rear lounge area is, despite refurbishment, still something straight from a 1960s RAOB social club or the like, complete with 6-inch high stage in one corner - you feel like they could stage a re-enactment of the Wheeltappers & Shunters without any effort at all. Having said that, one nice feature is the original barback with the pub name picked out over glass in the original lettering.
Gristy - 18 Mar 2009 17:15
Popped in after hearing news about the refurb - was pleased with the results.

Front bar is cleaned up, painted and now feels like a place to drink, rather than stool cement mixers. Was greeted by the landlady who introduced herself - good service.

Toilets are painted, lit and clean.

Two ales on (it was Pride and Abbot on my visit though I'm told they've switched to GK IPA - shame!). get the tight sparklers off though, you're not in the North now!!

Worth a look.
Quinno - 21 Jan 2009 21:02
I went to Maiden Erlegh school getting on for 20 years ago and I remember this pub being pretty bad.

However, now that I'm back in the area again I went in with my wife to see what it's like now, and I was pleasantly surprised.

I gather it has changed hands recently, and it is much improved. The beer was really nice (London Pride and Abbot) and the atmosphere was much nicer than it used to be.

I'm looking forward to having a nice pub in Earley again (now that the Roebuck seems to be going downhill very quickly) and the Maiden Over looks like it could be it.

sheltond - 12 Jan 2009 23:56
This pub was built just a year or two before I started attending Maiden Erlegh School next door. There was some controversy at the time, because it was thought by some that older pupils would nip in at lunctime. Given that we all had to wear uniform - even in the sixth form - this never really going to happen ... at least I didn't. (One of our teachers, however, used to stink of beer in the afternoon so we were pretty certain we knew where he'd been!)

I did visit a few times after I left school, and remember it as being absolutely classic 1960s (even in the '70s) - red leatherette benches, copper-topped tables, dimpled and reeded glass and pine-plank pannelling. Ugh!!! However - nearly forty years on it might seem rather quaint, so I hope the new people have preserved some of it!
Firedrake - 9 Jan 2009 14:11
MYSELF(ADRIAN) AND MY WIFE (JOANNE) ARE NOW THE NEW LEASE HOLDERS AS OF 23/11/08. WE CLOSED THE PUB FOR 2 WEEKS TO DO SOME IN NEED OF REFURB/ DECORATING!I THINK ANYONE WHO VISITED BEFORE WE TOOK OVER WILL BE AMAZED HOW DIFFERENT THE PUB LOOK'S NOW!(TIOLET'S INCLUDED!!) WE HAVE 5 CHILDREN OURSELVES SO THE MAIDEN OVER WELCOME'S FAMILIES!!
WE RE-OPENED ON FRI 5TH DEC 2008 AND HELD A GRAND RE-OPENING ON SAT 6TH DEC WITH A DISCO AND BUFFET, WE SINCE HAVE HAD A KARAOKE NIGHT WITH FREE BUFFET, A RACE NIGHT-WHICH WAS FUN!,SUNDAY MEAT RAFFLE & PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT, WE ALSO HAD A NEW YEARS EVE PARTY WITH DISCO AND BUFFET,
IN 2009 WE WILL BE HAVING OUR REGULAR SUNDAY MEAT RAFFLE & PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT -WHERE YOU COULD WIN �25 BY GOING ALL THE WAY! STARTING AT 3PM, TUCK INTO SAUSAGES & ROASTIE'S WHILE THE FUN'S ON!
WEDS 11TH JAN 2009- THE START OF OUR 1ST BINGO NIGHT-EYE'S DOWN AT 8PM! WITH A FREE RAFFLE!(MINIMUM 10 PEOPLE)
SUN 14TH JAN 2009- THE MAIDEN OVER QUIZ NIGHT RETURN'S -STARTING AT 9PM WITH PETE BEING YOUR QUIZ MASTER!-TEAM'S OF 6 , �1 PER HEAD.
SAT 31ST WE HAVE A LIVE BAND NIGHT WITH SINGERS RACHELL & GARRETH STARTING AT 9PM
WE HAVE A POOL TEAM WHICH ARE DOING WELL! WELL DONE GUY'S!!
WE HAVE A DART'S BOARD,POOL TABLE, QUIZ MACHINE AND 2 FRUIT MACHINE'S
WE HAVE A FUNCTION ROOM FOR HIRE AT �50 -JUST FOR THE ROOM. FOR ALL OCCASION'S!
WE WILL BE OPENING THE RESTURANT AT THE END OF JAN 2009 WITH TRADITIONAL PUB FOOD!
THERE'S A LARGE CAR PARK AND BEER GARDEN WITH A SMOKER'S SHELTER, IN THE SUMMER WE WILL BE HAVING REGULAR BBQ'S
WE ALSO DO THE BONUS BALL FOR THE MAIN LOTTO ON A SAT

COME AND VISIT US SOON!!

TEL:01189 666791

adrianjoanne - 4 Jan 2009 23:07
A definite pub of two halves.

The Bad half: Public bar (which is the one you walk into first) is a mess and needs real work done to it - especially the toilets, which are pitiful. My glass appeared to have paint on it.

The Good half: there's 3 ales, which were decent; the back lounge room is quite nice (in a dated sort of way) and the service was friendly.

Has potential, but I wouldn't be in a hurry to go back at present.
Quinno - 12 Sep 2008 17:39
REAL ALES NOW IN, VERY GOOD FEEDBACK ON THEM SO FAR
no1cupcake - 28 Aug 2008 15:12
THE PUB IS NOW OPENED, IS DUE FOR A REFURB VERY SOON AND HAS A COMPLETE DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE.

It is a lovely place to go and has very friendly feel.

try coming down and seeing for yourselves
no1cupcake - 28 Aug 2008 15:11
This pub is in all honesty in need of a refurb but that doesnt stop it from being a great place to catch live music on a Saturday night. It has all the usual facilities, pool table, big car park and a decen garden.

Fridays are good for a laugh
Saturday nights - live music
Sunday - a quiz which has been featured on radio 1 many times
no1cupcake - 28 Aug 2008 15:09
We hear this pub is now closed as the Landlord has gone abroad. Update will follow when/if it reopens.
featherways - 18 Jan 2008 17:05
Very pricey for the service and lairy interior. All dtaff are students and the public bar is not the kind of place you would take a minor.
Paul Nolan - [email protected] - 7 Jul 2004 17:00
Next to a large school and is popular with teachers and students (well some of the sixth form anyway!) for afternoon drinking.

Does have a slight feel of drinking in a school hall come to think of it, isn't what you could call a 'cosy' pub, or even indeed a 'nice' pub.
Django - 18 Nov 2003 21:40

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