The Ball Inn used to be a great local pub; clean, friendly, very few incidents (except the naked man running through the bar) or dodgy customers.

Over the last few months it seems to have changed.

The stench from the male toilets makes it difficult to use the ladies.

There is no soap or working hand dryer in the ladies.

The floor is dirty, wooden panels missing from the wall, the corridors are filthy with dirty paint work.

Bright lights have been added into the two front seating areas, making it too bright and uncomfortable, with the spot lights being completely out of character with the rest of the environment.

The poor quality speakers we had before have been replaced with smaller speakers with an incredibly poor sound quality (more tinny than a 1974 portable transistor radio at a football match).

The manager, who was everywhere for the first month is never to be seen on a Friday night, when he is most needed.

The customer base in the back room is very, very different. If you have to stand here, it is uncomfortable, with a number of undesirable people here. Each Friday night there appears to be a couple of people walking around with an empty glass looking out for an opportuntity to lift bags/phones etc. These undesirables used to be ejected; now they hang around all night like a bad smell, with nobody dealing with it.

What has happened. WIll it improve or is the idea to make this one great pub an extension of the West Street bar scene.

Or maybe I am seing things through a cider tinted glasses.

You're right, it's nearly as bad as The Punchbowl, I've lived in Crookes nearly two years and even in that time it's gone from being okay to being really not very nice, agree with ALL of the above, only compensation is fairly well stocked bar, it might be anathema to some but I was rather hoping it might be taken over by Ember Inns or someone like that who have deep enough pockets to really transform it, smarten it up. I don't want a faceless place but something smarter and more welcoming could only be an improvement.

Maybe someone should open a rival bar in Crookes?

Mmm. Maybe the choices building, which was emptied on Friday would make a wonderful bistro.

Better choices than the bar are the Noah's and the Cobden.

Haven't been to the new Mason's.

Even the Punch Bowl seems better than the Ball these days.

The beer has deteriorated (in both range and quality) over the past couple of years too. There used to be a pretty good choice but now all they have are Green King beers, which all taste exactly the same but with different ABVs, so if you don't like them you're screwed. They occaisonally have a decent guest ale but they're few and far between.
I tend to go in the Cobden these days, especially now they've got sky so you can watch the football.

(except the naked man running through the bar)

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Naked :o

Not even wearing a pair of nick nocks ? :o

I tend to go in the Cobden these days, especially now they've got sky so you can watch the football.

Cobden's ace. my local of choice.

Anyone know how long the Ball Inn has been there? Because my grandad used to play accordian there and I'm not sure when. I always imagined it would have been in the 40s/50s, but I don't know if the pub was around then. I never got to ask him about it because he died before I was born.

Haven't visited the Ball for quite some time myself. It's owned by Green King who have a habit of rape and pillage of breweries and public houses so perhaps they are responsible for the decline??

Haven't visited the Ball for quite some time myself. It's owned by Green King who have a habit of rape and pillage of breweries and public houses so perhaps they are responsible for the decline??


More than likely, I don't mind Greene King's beers, they're drinkable but they just don't seem to spend a penny on the premises. I don't want to end up in row about the rights and wrongs of it, I'm not expressing an opinion about it, it doesn't effect me in any way but it's a shame they can't find the amount of money they spent on the new shelter/outdoor seating area to spend on the interior as well.

Is the Punchbowl still as unpleasant as I remember it being?

...Well, if there is a ball up in Crookes, it sure would go a long way if someone pushed it down the hill..! LOL!:hihi:

Naked :o

Not even wearing a pair of nick nocks ? :o

Well, I do decieve you; he had a pair of socks on his feet. Can't remember why I noticed that; no shoes though.

What a night, still talked about three years later; brought a smile to many a face.

I haven't been in for some months now - got fed up with the complete lack of staff between 5 and 7 meaning one poor person had to do all serving and clearing up. and they usually seemed to put giving a man his first pint of the night at the bottom of their To Do list.
might be tempted to go back and see what it's like if the staffing has got any better! would be fun to see what else has changed - have they worked out yet how to set the correct aspect ratio on their plasma screens? or is it still the headache-inducing 'stretch'?

Would have to agree, it's definitely gone down hill, though judging by the crowd in there last saturday evening, that's not reflected in it's continued popularity, and unlike a lot of places it seems to be a fairly even student-local mix.
Choice of beer has really deteriorated - oh for the days of Black Sheep on Tap, as well as 3 or 4 other decent guest ales!
Can't blame them for the toilet smell though - guess that might have something to do with the smoking ban, and is endemic in most pubs at the moment. Personally I prefer it to other people's smoke, but I suppose others may disagree....

Its a shame to hear the Ball has gone further downhill - it used to be great a few years ago and has always remained a fairly acceptable boozer despite a slight deterioration in standards. Its been the start of many a mammoth pub crawl around Crookes and Walkley. :)

Must call in again to see what's what as haven't been up there in some months.

i think it has a new landland as of sunday as the landlord of my local (warncliff - firthpark) has left to run it i believe. (dont hold that as gospel though as it may be a different ball under green king)

let's hope new landlady sends some of the, shall I say, "less desireable" clientel (that appears to have crawelled from somewhere into the Ball of late) packing and get's it back to the good old days of a really nice friendly pub with good quality real ales!

Is there a new landlord/lady arriving. I thought a new landlord started in June; although he hasn't been seen for months.

Hope it shapes up soon; keep me posted as I don't fancy going back for a while.

I also have heard Landlord from Wharncliffe is going there.

Also apparently takes no crap and having been in Wharncliffe in Firth Park probably knows hows to handle idiots and the afore mentioned 'undesireables'. Since that pub when i went in was clean and seemed a fairly trouble free environment.