Excellent stuff! I've only just noticed this thread so it's good to see you gave t'Alma a second chance. That's my local that is.
The Royal Albert - nice enough place, have been in many times - but not so many since a massive pub brawl (started and sustained by a single right-wing twat on St. George's Day) that occurred while I was in there with my other half and mother-in-law ended with them getting shards of broken glass in their hair. The woman behind the bar, incidentally, did absolutely nothing (hence my lesser frequency in there now) despite other drinkers in the line of fire getting cut, pushed over and bruised.
The Puzzle - an All Bar One clone with a pretentious, touchy twat for a manager. Don't go.
The Black Sheep - very laid back and a bit trendy without being pretentious. Fab Sunday afternoon/evening boozer (I ended up spending the entirety of my last birthday in there).
The Cambridge/The Hollybush - similar old-school old mens' boozers, although the latter shades it for me. Not much in the way of excitement though.
The Postal Order - nuff said. A Wetherspoons.
O'Neill's - not at all bad for a chain pub, but not particularly awe-inspiring either.
The Bluebottle - quite nice, but not a lot of soul. Seems to be getting bigger on the security front, rammed with professional types on Saturday evenings, expensive and undeniably trendy, but in the Winter the open fires and cartoons on the screen in the back are a bit different.
What CP really needs is a few late licence venues (the Alma being the nearest there is) and a bit more attitude on the musical front. Otherwise, I like it.
Oops!
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