August 29, 2008
Pub just by Reading train station. Loads of different beers on to try and obviously a solid location. Rather run-down also, no surprise there really. Its just the most simple place to go from the train station.

June 11, 2008 [ Updated September 10, 2008 ]
Being a station pub, this has a high turnover of clientele, and when combined with the large sports screens, passing trains and buses, and station announcments the place can be rather noisy and frenetic. However, there are several things that make this stand out from your average station pub. First of all, catch it at a quiet time (ie not rush hour, and when there’s no sport on) and you’ll find a very relaxing, tradtional pub inside. There is a large area of outdoor seating too, although this does always tend to be noisy from the buses. Secondly, the staff always seem very friendly and pretty knowledgeable about their ales - although at busy times you may have to wait a considerable time to get served. But the most astonishing thing is the array of ales, the like of which I’ve never seen in another station pub. seven on when I was there - 4 from Hampshire brewery, the rest from much further afield (one from as far north as Inveralmond!). Probably not somewhere you’re going to stay all night, but for real ale enthusiasts coming to Reading by train this pub should not be missed.

May 30, 2008
Large pub next to the entrance to the railway station. 6 interesting beers were on offer cask-conditioned and were served in good condition. Toilets could do with a refurb, but overall a pretty good pub.

October 21, 2007
A good meeting place being close to the Railway Station. Good range of Real Ales served by enthusiastic staff, there was certainly plenty of discussion about the beer. If it’s sunny the outside seating is the place to be. Probably needs a good clean out, but definitely a good place to go.

August 10, 2007
Interesting and ever changing range of beers, but rather expensive, even by Reading standards. Frequently very busy, particularly when there’s a football or rugby match in town. A good place to meet at the start of a Reading crawl - you can always watch the trains go by as you wait.

July 29, 2007
A strange place which has been okay for ages but now, under a new enthusiastic landlord, is getting in some right rare brews for the eight handpumps. Not a great atmosphere and sometimes full of drunken tossers, but it’s outside a very busy station! Worth a look if in town.