What was the dodgiest pub you have been to?

TopBombing

justshane wrote: »

There was/is a pub in the Quay area of Dundalk. Don't think it had opening hours just was open always. Very dirty/dodgey place. Once I was about 11/12 bucket collecting for a local soccer team, we had to be escourted out from all the abuse we where getting about it been an English sport. Was also full of Eastern European looking sailors that would stay for a while while their boats docked in the port. Think it was called Danny Boys.

Aye the Danny Boys. Usually full of people that have been out all night or sailors just off their boats. Was a bit of a dive but it's closed now.

weemcd wrote: »

That would be the spirit store?
Was in it once when they had live music on and it was grand, but it used to be/still is a dive

No, it would'nt be the Spirit Store, which is far from a dive. It's quite a decent music venue which has a great atmosphere for a few pints in it.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I was in a wee back street pub in clydebank in glasgow. It was super super dodgey. There was a karaoke machine in the corner and apparently no one was allowed to use it except for one bunch of customers who sat on the same corner every night and once they had a few drinks too to singing. I was advised by a mate if mine who knew most of the locals in it not to go to the toilet on my own as chances are us be robbed as I wasn't known. He pointed out all the different people in the pub that had been in prison and told me what they were in for. There were three people who had served time for murder , several others who had done time for serious assault and rioting and then the usual car thiefs and Burglars. I couldn't wait to get the hell out of it.

jt69er

The Palace Bundoran,a Kip!

foozzybear61

MaxSteele wrote: »

Finches in Neilstown, Clondalkin. There's a vaild reason the place has no windows.

But a great place to get a ride on a Saturday night

sligojoek

Oliverdog wrote: »

The Bat and Wickets in Bailiff Street Northampton UK

My first experience there was as a young footballer 'after the match'

Walking up to the bar, I said "Um, I'll have a half of . . ."
"You'll have a half of f*ck all - we only sell pints" said the landlord (Barry).

This man was the wildest publican I ever met. He had a small number of black customers, but would only let one of them in at a time. If one of the black men was in the bar, and another came in, he'd ask the first one to drink up and leave. His attitude towards the few gay people who dared to drop in was similarly uncompromising.

His regulars were mostly Rugby players, and they were pretty erratic too. Barry once took his wife on holiday and left the pub (which was a 'Free House', not tied to any brewery) in the hands of one of these people, who had some bar experience. When they returned two weeks later, they found that the pub had been painted pink, with lace curtains at the windows, and a Dixieland Jazz Band playing on the pavement outside.

Happy days . . .

I lived in Northampton back in the late 80s early 90s. I was never made welcome there either. I only dropped in an odd time on my way home from work.

Do you remember the Britannia the time John Daffy Had it. He used to Shave into the sink behind the bar.

admiralofthefleet

foozzybear61 wrote: »

But a great place to get a ride on a Saturday night

but posh girls dont drink there

Its Behind You!

There are no bad pubs, just some are better than others.

The least best I have ever been in was the Penny Black just opposite the main bus station in Sheffield.

There was a bloke outside collecting "Penny For The Guy"...he had a child outside in a pram with a face mask on. It was December.

As I walked past him he spat on my back. Beer was about 30p a pint, see not too bad after all.

Its Behind You!

ANY pub or hotel bar, or place selling alcohol in Campbelltown Scotland. Lord, I could write a book on my experiences there, but its a fair warning when you see people walking around the town in broad daylight, wearing UVF badges that there's likely to be trouble, especially if you're Irish and a "papish"....as I was called.

Anybody ever used The Cock Tavern on East Ham High Street? My local for a good few years.

I'm just realising that I have been in at least 6 pubs (that I am aware of) wherein people have been murdered, not when I was in them mind.

That includes the Blind Beggar and The Magdala (Ruth Ellis) but 4 of them were pubs where I had recently been in, London innit. Mostly knife crimes...dodgy.

This thread also reminds me of a pub Forest Gate east London, on the corner of the Barking Road. Early 90's, big Scottish fella been hanging around, been drinking in a few places. So he ends up drinking with some geezer at the bar, they have words and the big Scots felll pulls out a hatchet and splits the guys kneecap open, then does a runner.

He goes back in the next day and he's told he's barred, and he couldn't remember having been in the pub.

So he says "Why am I barred?"

"GBH and possibly attempted murder" was the reply. Never seen him again.

Aye, demes were the days...

Its Behind You!

mark_jmc wrote: »

a few years back I was caught up in bad weather in the UK and as my flight was cancelled we had to make our way home through Hollyhead.

the pub I was in was ok until locals from what I can only assume were the mountains came in for karaoke night. It was like a cross between a scene from little Britain and the inbred boys from deliverance sing the blues

Similar experience, the land that time forgot. Unreal.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

Its Behind You! wrote: »

ANY pub or hotel bar, or place selling alcohol in Campbelltown Scotland. Lord, I could write a book on my experiences there, but its a fair warning when you see people walking around the town in broad daylight, wearing UVF badges that there's likely to be trouble, especially if you're Irish and a "papish"....as I was called.

Anybody ever used The Cock Tavern on East Ham High Street? My local for a good few years.

I'm just realising that I have been in at least 6 pubs (that I am aware of) wherein people have been murdered, not when I was in them mind.

That includes the Blind Beggar and The Magdala (Ruth Ellis) but 4 of them were pubs where I had recently been in, London innit. Mostly knife crimes...dodgy.



This thread also reminds me of a pub Forest Gate east London, on the corner of the Barking Road. Early 90's, big Scottish fella been hanging around, been drinking in a few places. So he ends up drinking with some geezer at the bar, they have words and the big Scots felll pulls out a hatchet and splits the guys kneecap open, then does a runner.

He goes back in the next day and he's told he's barred, and he couldn't remember having been in the pub.

So he says "Why am I barred?"

"GBH and possibly attempted murder" was the reply. Never seen him again.

Aye, demes were the days...

As far as the bit in bold is concerned been there many a time and never had any bother and before you say anything about my sig people there didn't know what team I supported but did know where I was fro. But taking what you say as Gospel I could take you to at least a dozen places over in Scotland where its exactly like you mentioned only the polar opposite

Its Behind You!

@Broxi, delighted to read that you've been in Campbelltown often without a problem, maybe its changed. And of course, the opposite is true. Happy drinkin to you.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

Its Behind You! wrote: »

@Broxi, delighted to read that you've been in Campbelltown often without a problem, maybe its changed. And of course, the opposite is true. Happy drinkin to you.

Don't get me wrong I know theres a couple of pubs there I would't go into purely because I know of there UVF connections but I honestly have always had a good time there I have been going there since I was 14 I am in my 50's now Oh dear god how I hate saying that lol

Its Behind You!

@Broxi, for sure... There are morons everywhere, (but in line with the aim of the thread), that's just one place I've been where in nearly all the pubs we went to we were asked our religion as a starting/end of conversation..

I'd also be in similar discomfort if I were in a hard-line republican pub.

I much prefer spit and sawdust pubs to a wine bar anyday...enjoy them visits Broxi:D

Broxi_Bear_Eire

Its Behind You! wrote: »

@Broxi, for sure... There are morons everywhere, (but in line with the aim of the thread), that's just one place I've been where in nearly all the pubs we went to we were asked our religion as a starting/end of conversation..

I'd also be in similar discomfort if I were in a hard-line republican pub.

I much prefer spit and sawdust pubs to a wine bar anyday...enjoy them visits Broxi:D

With you on that one to many pretentious people in wine bars with me what you see and hear is it no frills

Heres Your Future

I have experienced the dubious pleasures associated with drinking in many dodgy pubs. Despite many of the posts in this thread I don't think there are that many really dodgy pubs in Ireland anymore. Most dodgy pubs I have been in were abroad.

One that springs to mind immediately was a pub in Wealdstone in North London about 9 or 10 years ago. I don't remember the name of it now, but after a long days drinking in some of the local Irish bars I ended up in a slightly dubious establishment, ostensibly watching football on tv but really more interested in observing the vicissitudes of the warring factions in the bar.

I should have left after I went to the jacks and saw lads openly snorting cocaine in a cubicle, I should have left after a row started between two women and one broke the others nose with a well aimed punch, blood everywhere, I definitely should not have made a comment to said girl as she was leaving the pub. It was all too late when a few minutes later 5 of her mates returned and started squaring up to me. Being drunk and having few options of escape open to me I decided to brazen it out and effectively told them I would have no hesitation in fighting them :-). Once the punches started raining in there was not a lot I could do except try to protect myself.

I got a bit of a kicking but was saved from a serious going over when one of the barmen grabbed a brush and ran out from behind the bar and managed to fend them off while shouting to the other barman to call the cops. Needtheless to say when the cops arrived nobody in the bar had seen anything. Still at least I got a free pint for my troubles.

LiamMc

For one visit pubs.

Cleanest:
2003 Szeged, Hungary nice town in Sth. Hungary.
walking around the town centre about 3pm in the afternoon, needed a pee so popped into the nearest bar standard Austrian beer 'Gosser' sign on the outside.
Small bar, but toilets opposite front door. Went to toilet door, locked. Decided to order a beer, two bar staff in white clinical doctor coats, plastic blue gloves and wiping door the bar with disinfectant. Smell of disinfectant in the place.
Ordered a Gosser, looked around only a few other clients, nothing out of the ordinary ( I am used to Heroin Dublin). Got beer served from a blue-gloved,white coat wearing barman.
Went for a slash, drinking my beer, about 15 mins after I entered the bar staff were closing the place up, before 4pm.

Mankiest:
1991 Scunthorpe, niteclub (some African Explorer motif on outside)
Around 9pm, Fri. or Sat. night, went looking for drink. Passed a few Kaoroke places. Kept going, came across a niteclub in the town. Went in, £2.00 entry, searched by tuxedo wearer. I was of an age and appearance I could be refused. Got In! here for the night, 3 bars on different levels. But not packed. The minute I walked on the carpet, my shoes starting sticking to the floor.All over the club, no let up in stickiness. After my third drink an older Oriental man came out with a little a small bell and starting ringing it (this bell). I started laughing at him, but that was the signal for the place to close. Everyone started drinking up and walking out.
Passed the Kaoroke that was still going strong and went in.

Its Behind You!

@Heres Your Future, what comment did u make to the girl with the busted nose?

@ Liam. Ha ha! Love that image of the Chinese man ringing his bell.

Cheers lads, both top shares...

Spread

anto9 wrote: »

""Mother black cap " its a well known Gay pub in Camden ,London .:D

The Black Cap is in Camden High St. The Mother Red Cap is at the junction further up the road.

Spread

mirror mirror wrote: »

The Three Barrells, Neasden, London.....The Black Lion ,Kilburn,.....Racey Byrnes ,Carlow Town

Don't know about the last one .......... but if you think The Black Lion And The Three Barrels are rough, you need to get out more often. Or rather visit more pubs.

Its Behind You!

Spread wrote: »

The Black Cap is in Camden High St. The Mother Red Cap is at the junction further up the road.

Is the Mother Red Cap the pub opposite Kentish Town swimming baths? There was a pub in that area that had a trad seisun/session every Thursday...not a very animated lot tho...(90's)..very staid.

Spread

You may be thinking of The Grafton Arms. In my days there this place was a kind of unsavoury. Knocked off stuff being sold etc. The last time I was in The Red Cap it had morphed into a huge place with an underground addition that could cater for for a rake of young things eager to hear up and coming bands and newly named as The World's End. But that was perhaps 20 years ago ........ so things change and it could have changed again.

Its Behind You!

Spread wrote: »

You may be thinking of The Grafton Arms. In my days there this place was a kind of unsavoury. Knocked off stuff being sold etc. The last time I was in The Red Cap it had morphed into a huge place with an underground addition that could cater for for a rake of young things eager to hear up and coming bands and newly named as The World's End. But that was perhaps 20 years ago ........ so things change and it could have changed again.

Yeah, it might well have been the Grafton Arms, rings a bell for sure. I remember the World's End, just opposite Camden Town tube station. Most aggressive bouncers ever...music down in the basement.

Edit: Yeah, it was the Grafton....checked Google maps..

Its Behind You!

Grafton Arms, Prince of Wales Road.

Wondering what was the name of the pub just on the left outside Kentish Town Tube station?

Its now called the Oxford Arms..used to be called something like the Eagle..watched in there watching the big screen when Houghton scored against Italy in 94.

FTA69

There used to be a place in Clapton, East London called The Cricketer's Arms (this was a few years before the gentrification process in Hackney) and it was one of the few times I felt afraid for my life. It was a Jamaican-only kind of a gaff and I went in for a quick one with a black welder I was working with at the time. All your man had behind the bar was cans, mostly consisting of Carlsberg Special Brew and out the front there was a load of youngfellas servicing a constantly moving line of crackheads. Despite being warned by my buddy not to speak to anyone untoward I had to listen to a coked up black man-mountain (think Uncle Phil from the Fresh Prince) with a giant gold scorpion medallion tell me at length how his grandfather was from Callan in Kilkenny.

Out the back then there was a load of yardies selling grass over the railings who proceeded to stare me out of it while I tried to finish my can as quick as possible so I could escape with my features intact. Apparently they thought I was a cop until my buddy started smoking a joint next to me.

For those of ye from Cork ye might remember the White Heather opposite Collins Barracks. Caged windows, no sign on the front and a general hell-hole full of plum-faced alcoholics, Travellers and kids off their chops on yokes and cheap cider.

FTA69

Spread wrote: »

You may be thinking of The Grafton Arms. In my days there this place was a kind of unsavoury. Knocked off stuff being sold etc. The last time I was in The Red Cap it had morphed into a huge place with an underground addition that could cater for for a rake of young things eager to hear up and coming bands and newly named as The World's End. But that was perhaps 20 years ago ........ so things change and it could have changed again.

Jesus Christ, the World's End? AKA the worst toilets in the western world, it's worse than the jacks scene in Trainspotting. Once you wade through the ever-present puddle of piss you're confronted with a urinal that's usually overflowing with some sort of foreign body. I saw an actual turd in the urinal before, I'd to go back in and take a photo of it because nobody would believe me. As for the cubicles, they're like something reminiscent of a Cambodian death camp.

Worst gaff ever.

Defiler Of The Coffin

lisa_celtic wrote: »

Haggies bar Glasgow

What is it about Glasgow and its pubs? Some of the roughest dives I've had the pleasure of drinking in are there. I was in Haggies myself with a bunch of mates before a match. Place was rough alright but the atmosphere was great and booze was cheap. Didn't feel any danger there but then I had the right colours on

Roughest pub I have been in recent times was O'Briens, near the Tolbooth in Glasgow. Clientèle was comprised of elderly alcoholics all telling us about how much they love Ireland. Place was a complete kip, toilet was basically a hole in the ground. Some 80-year tried to get in but the barmaid wouldn't serve him as he was barred!

Good times

Its Behind You!

FTA69 wrote: »

Jesus Christ, the World's End? AKA the worst toilets in the western world, it's worse than the jacks scene in Trainspotting. Once you wade through the ever-present puddle of piss you're confronted with a urinal that's usually overflowing with some sort of foreign body. I saw an actual turd in the urinal before, I'd to go back in and take a photo of it because nobody would believe me. As for the cubicles, they're like something reminiscent of a Cambodian death camp.

Worst gaff ever.

The Shepherds on the A19, (just past Suicide Bridge up from the Archway, on the corner of the right hand side as you approached Highgate Tube) was a pretty horrible place.

The writers of "Sean Of The Dead" used it as the basis for the pub in the film..lots of references in the movie that I could relate to The Shepherds . The landlord used to make the regulars toasted sandwiches at tea time. No-one in there ever spoke to you, not even after communication was attempted on successive occasions. Maybe that that further inspiration for the movie.

I was in there one day, and this well dressed, mannerly black guy comes in off the tube, busting for a piss. So he says "can I use your toilets" and went in in a rush. The barman muttered some apparent racist expletives including "well he's not getting the electricity for free as well the ____ ______" and he turned off the lights in the toilets so the poor fella couldnt see what he was doing. Horrible place...

It's all coming back to me now, the Winchester just down the road on the left was pretty horrible too....and well,the Archway Tavern...enough said...

BlackBlade

Some of the comments here are made up **** by people who obviously never step foot inside the pubs they mentioned!
The towers in Ballymun is a decent place with a nice regular older crowed.
toilets need a revamp but it still pulls a good crowed.

The Bottom of the hill in finglas is another decent pub.
had a bad rep in the 80's but that was a long long time ago.
Nice place these days and well worth a look on a monday night for a good cabaret sing along..

the oasis in Cabra is indeed a **** hole tho

but the worst pub over here has got to be the furry bog in rathfarnham.

Big Nasty

BlackBlade wrote: »

but the worst pub over here has got to be the furry bog in rathfarnham.

Is that sh1t hole still open?

Its Behind You!

BlackBlade wrote: »

Some of the comments here are made up **** by people who obviously never step foot inside the pubs they mentioned!

Good enough point Blackblade, it can be unfair to make generalisations in some cases.

I think we also have to factor in the instance when a random punter finds themselves in a different pub, and that coinciding with something rather unsavoury and out-of-the-ordinary kicking off. It can happen to the best of them.

Then again, it could also be a case of pub-regulars feeling comfortable and safe in their own environment. And, irregulars feeling acutely uneasy, verging on paranoid in an alien environment. Alcohol can mess things up as well.

But as I mentioned b4 a while back, there is no such thing as a bad pub, its just that some are better than others.