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The LARGE Guide to match day bars at Vicarage Rd

Cheers!
By Large
October 4 2006
Going to Vicarage Road? Fancy a pint or three to celebrate or even try and forget that horrendous performance? Then use the LARGE guide to match day watering holes, now updated for 2008-09. Some bars have gone up in the pecking order, some have gone down, others have gone completely. Enjoy!

Recommended:

Druids - 17 Estcourt Road, just off the Watford Ring Road, parallel to Clarendon Road
For - At last! A pukka Rugby pub in Watford. Lots of rugby and Fezboys stuff on the walls, rugby takes precidence on the Sky system!
Against - a fair hike from the ground, it's small, food quality varies.

Sum-up - Just the thing we egg chasers have been waiting for; shame it's not quite close enough to the ground or big enough to cope with match day crowds, but it fully deserves support from Sarries and visiting fans alike.
LARGE Rating ****

Oddfellows (formerly Mac's Bar) 14 Fearnley Street, just round the corner from Vicarage Road
For - They do good Guinness, closest pub to the ground
Against - not a lot of room in there if the garden is off limits due to the weather
Sum-up - perfectly adequate, but gets very crowded

LARGE Rating ***1/2


Middle of the Road:

Moon Under Water - 44 High Street
For - Cheap (it's one of those JD Wetherspoon's places)
Against - Cheerless, full of JDW-type regular cheapskate punters
Sum-up - You know what you get with JDW's places and this is just like all the rest you've ever visited

LARGE Rating ***

Walkabout - 76 The Parade, High Street
For - More tv screens than Currys, more square footage than Queensland
Against - More noise than Concorde, they might charge you to get in some Sunday evenings (allegedly)
Sum-up - OK, it's a chain, but it's huge and has a huge choice of drinks
LARGE Rating ***

The Flag - (right outside Watford Junction station)
For - Convenient if your train home is delayed
Against - A fair hike from the ground for a pre-game pint, though the beer's ok
Sum-up - Good pub, bad location (for the rugby, at least)
LARGE Rating - ***

Members' Bar- (Lower Rous Stand, Vicarage Road Stadium)
For - it's in the Rous stand, recent refurbish has improved its look
Against - You can't get into it before the game as it's where the corporates take lunch and you can't get into it after the game without a membership card if there are stewards on the door. As such there is little or no change mingling with visiting supporters. Pity.

Sum-up - Not worth the hassle if you're not a member
LARGE Rating - **1/2

V Bar- (South (Rookery) Stand, Vicarage Road Stadium)
For - it's fairly new, in the ground, big and well-staffed
Against - Access might be tricky if you have a ticket for anywhere other than the South stand. Choice of drinks isn't great, and there's no seating
Sum-up – Get in early if you can’t be bothered to hike to the Oddfellows or beyond, and take your beer to your seat in the stand if you want to sit to drink it.

LARGE Rating - ***

AVOID

Red Lion (Vicarage Road)
For - It's closed
Against - Nothing any more

Sum-up - Good riddance


Yates's -107-115 North Parade(at the very top of the high street)
For - Er.....
Against - The most inept, ignorant, stupid, rude and slow staff I have seen in any Watford pub. Expensive, crap food.
Sum-up - The rating says it all
LARGE Rating: DO ME A FAVOUR!

Chicago Rock Cafe -135 The Parade, High St
For - Huge
Against - Huge list, so I won't bother other than it's expensive and a lot like Yates's. Though the food's a bit better
Sum-up Keep walking.....
LARGE Rating *1/2

Do you have a bar review? If you have, email your comments to unofish@hotmail.co.uk in order to keep the unquenchables up to date!

 

 

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