Brewer's Fayre Pubs

I wouldn’t bother if I were you

Never recall being in one because I grew up in Islington and I reckon Wetherspoon are the only pub of this type that ever made inroads into inner cities.

Vintage Inn are a chain of ‘upmarket’ gastropubs I suppose. Meh, expensive, bog standard food, average priced beer and expensive wine. My parents local is a vintage Inn

Yeah, they’re very much a suburban phenomenon aren’t they. In housing estates or along A roads.

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Mrs ccb and I used to go to a Vintage Inns place when we were going out. The Travellers Rest on the way to Caerphilly… It was nice for what it was but this was 15 years ago. Brewer’s Fayre was dated in the 90s.

They definitely serve a purpose, especially if you’re working on the road. Did a couple of years of it, going to a different town or city every day. Sometimes the drives were lengthy and miserable and we’d arrive late in the evening. Having an overpriced burger and a couple of pints of lager to look forward to on arrival was the only thing that made it worthwhile.

Expected Brent, tbh, Teho.

Nah, never got into The Office but a fair call.

On expenses, I take it?

Hungry Horse took over the pub near my parents house the other year. Not really any better or worse than a Wetherspoons in terms of food. My uncle absolutely loves the place though. He was going nearly three times a week for his dinner at one point last year

Dunno if Hungry Horse has gone downhill or whatever but when I was 16-18 and one opened near where I was growing up I’d have probably said it was my favourite restaurant. Loved it.

only ever eaten there if on the road, as Bugduv says. Often they’re attached to a Premier Inn so it’s unavoidable if you’re in the arse end of nowhere. They’re pretty shite but do the job.

I’ve only eaten in one once. Probably worse value than a Spoons but more competent than a Brewers’s Fayre.

Can someone confirm whether Harvester still does a salad bar?

tbf I’m talking the late 90s and stuff here where American BBQ food wasn’t in easy supply if you lived in a village. Hungry Horse up the main road ticked this box.

I guess this is my problem with Brewer’s Fayre: it was bland but competent in the 90s, but now that everyone else has raised their game it seems a bit pointless.

Yeah I can’t remember the last time I went to one. We’re talking a decade here perhaps.

I don’t think I’ve ever even been to a Harvester. Went to a couple of Beefeaters as a kid. And a Henry’s Table although I think they went bust didn’t they?

I remember there was a Beefeater pub near me at university that had a haunted pirate ship thing in it. Every half-an-hour or so you’d have a ships mast swaying and loads of pirate noises. Was really annoying after a while

A Hungry Horse near me (going back 2-3 years now) had a burger where the bun was two doughnuts. They also doubled up their massive burgers for about a quid. As far as value goes, it was good. I miss the old school pub grub where they piled on the calories for around the £6 mark. Now you get a burger on a plank of wood for £11, a tin pot of chips and have to pay an extra quid for cheese, then another for bacon.

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I can confirm it does. I went to my first ever Harvester last week.

It was alright. Top tier chain pub, I suppose?