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The Deep End pub in Hillsborough - to reopen as The Rawson Spring (Wetherspoon).

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I went in as a paying customer for the first time yesterday. Bit disappointing really - no as advertised curry night, none of my first choice of beer, appallingly slow and haphazard service and those with me who were brave enough/had enough patience to order food were disappointed with the time taken, portion size, quality and temperature of their meals. Nice building mind. Not sure how much of the problems were due to 'newness'.... will give it a while before trying again and hope it improves.

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I went in there for the first time recently and as far as Hillsborough pubs go and as far as chain pubs go, it's not that bad as long as you go in the afternoon. I know that's not exactly glowing praise but there's nothing particularly impressive about the place in it's own right, it reminds me of a disused railway station that's been converted into a pub. The New Barrack Tavern is still the only boozer around there that I enjoy spending time in.

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This has possibly been said before but the Wetherspoons could have a positive impact on the surrounding pubs. I have drank in Hillsboro' for 25 years (good god) and the pubs there have had little if any investment in all that time. They seem to rely on a captive audiance who either cannot be bothered to catch the tram/bus into town or simply prefer to be closer to home.

 

In my opinion prior to the Rawson opening, Hillsboro' was just about ticking over, with the arrival of the new venue I have witnessed a lot of different faces who you wouldnt normally see.

 

If the other pubs were invested in and security upheld, i think that Hillsboro' would be a good place to spend an evening. Not everyone wants to sit in the same pub all night just to save ten bob a pint. :)

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I was in the other day seemd ok to me

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I went in with my missus for a bite to eat and it was ok. the food was really nice, the bar girls were a bit slow. The security seemed a bit over the top, they turned a guy away cos of the hood on his jacket (he wasn't a "hoodie") they kept walking past and looking down at us as if we were lucky for them to allow us to be there :loopy: I'll stick to the hilsborough hotel for my drinking hole but may venture to "the deep end" for a bite to eat.

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JDW only trade from large premises in order to get a turnover high enough to make a profit. They wont take premises with less than 4000sqft sales area

 

this not true look up down country there are many smaller ones

wye bridge house / bluecoat / swim inn to name a few .they can basicly do so cheap becuse of byeing power and storage i now this to be true as i used to be a catreing manager for them for 6 years for my sins

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i used to be a catreing manager for them for 6 years for my sins

 

You may go to hell for that!

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The problem with real ale is it is 'catch 22', a pub that can knock through a barrel in 2 days will always serve a decent pint unless they try and mess with it. Where as a pub that only sells 5 pints a day and tries to squeeze every last pint it can will have to keep it open much longer. Anymore than 6 days and you will notice a deterioration in the quality. That is why we only have 2 ales on when there is no football. I would far rather serve 2 good handpulls than try and do 3 and have them all on for 6 days +. But as soon as there is a match I know that for the Thursday till Sunday I can keep 3 on, and there will be no danger of one being tapped too long.

 

Dependant upon the alcoholic content of the beer it is not recommended to have a beer on for longer than 3 days once the cask is opened. Beer quality goes into fast decline after day 3 and in some lower alcohol beers may already have developed an appley or vinegar taste, indicating its 'on the turn'.

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Been in twice in the last week two very different experiences.

 

First time, just popped in on my way past to take advantage of the 'Beer and a Burger' offer. Got a table, went to the bar, ordered got my beer and went back to the table and food arrived relatively quickly and quite nice (as nice as can be expected in there) - Took a while to get served at the bar, but wasn't too bad. I thought it was a nice experience, so went back on Thursday armed with family and friends to treat.

 

I arrived fairly early afternoon with one of my family (the rest were coming for tea), so again decided to take advantage of the 'Beer and a Burger' as I hadn't eaten that day. Went to the bar and it took an AGE to get served - there were five-or-six barstaff, each with their own 'sections' of bar, but the service was extremely random - I got frustrated when I'd been stood there 15 minutes and someone walks up and gets served in two..

 

Ordered food, took drinks went and sat. Finished pint, got another one (10 minute wait at bar and they had run out of the lager I wanted). Finished that one, got another one (another 10 minute wait)...... Realised that my 'Beer and a Burger' had turned into '3 pints and still no burger an hour later', so I went and spoke to one of the guys walking the floor in there. He said he'd see where it had got to. He came back literally seconds later with a plate. I said "I hope that hasn't been sat for the last hour", he said "No, of course not" and went.. The food was warm, but it had obviously just been reheated in the microwave - the burger bun was rock hard (to the point I put my finger through it), the chips were dry and horrible and even the lettuce on the burger was limp and warm (the hottest part of the dish!).

 

I sent it back and complained to the manager who gave me a refund and arranged for a fresh burger to come. It came cold, but I couldn't be bothered to complain again at this point. The guy who originally brought out my burger came back and apologised and said "well, it had been sat there a while!" Despite me asking him this very question when he brought it.

 

When it came to us all eating in the evening, the advertised Curry Night - which was on a leaflet on every table - was cancelled. No warning, no attempt to bring back in all the leaflets (and thus everyone who went to the bar to order was very annoyed). Despite this, and a 20 minute wait at the bar which was now down to just two barstaff at it's busiest period, I ordered 'surf and turf' (Steak and Scampi) and the others ordered their food. Two of the dishes came out wrong and, lo and behold, my steak was freezing cold when I got it. Everything else was fine (scampi was nice) except my steak, I stopped eating it - so I asked one of the waitresses to take it away when she brought out one of the replacement dishes for the ones they got wrong. She then blamed me and said "Well, it's been out here a while", to which I replied "That's because I have been waiting for you to come back to take it away, I haven't touched it since I first tried the - cold - steak". I got a replacement (along with a tut as she took it away!).

 

So, that's my two very differing experiences of this new pub. One OK, one a disaster.

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Went in for the first time last night. It seems okay, although we didn't eat. I think they have made a good job of doing it up. The only drawback was the horrendous wait at the bar.

 

I think it will be good for Hills. It might make the other pubs put in a bit more effort to pull inthe punters.

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