What was the dodgiest pub you have been to?

steve-collins

Was also in a pub in Manchester, my mates friend lived in the area . Whytenshaw I think it was . Anyway the bar gave some woman a loaf who was causing trouble . It had no windows and honestly looked like the pub from Shameless .

It was featured on Britain's toughest men a few montha after I was there and had Paddy Doherty and Shayne Ward in it. They are cousins apparently and from the area.

Ted Plain

ablelocks wrote: »

just out of college, so went to wild east germany in the early 90's. One of many dodgy pubs in chemnitz. so I worked in the new irish bar* and after we shut for the night, we sometimes went to one of the local bars. or at least we did for the first week or 2 after opening, but one night we got attacked by neo-nazis - who targeted some of our british and irish customers**, but didn't touch the staff for some reason. myself, my now wife and a few of the lads scarpered to a nearby flat. I had to talk big phil down from going back with samuri swords. 3 brought to hospital. one of ours, 2 of theirs.

Turns out the nazis were hired by the local mafia dudes to give us a warning because the owner of the irish bar wouldn't pay protection money. So he put out a rumour that the IRA was protecting us. this was pre-ceasefire and may have been true. I don't know how that worked out because...

we were home 3 weeks later after somehow getting unknowingly mixed up in a dodgy building development project - the regulars thought we were spies for a building contractor and that we were going to hire labour directly in ireland and under-cut their rates. We got a not so subtle word from the pub owner that we were possibly persona's non-gratas in Chemnitz - "better clear off, I'd hate to have to clean up your blood off my lovely new bar"

*new irish bar was well dodgy too...

**among the regulars, there were exiles from the loyalist and republican sides, ex-irish and british army, ex-foreign legion, ex-clonmel and one fella with a big scar across his face who apparently was wanted by the RUC for murder.

It's five years after your post, but if you see this do you remember the names of any of these places or where they were located?

Was there myself, but after your stint.

givyjoe

The Harp on O'Connell Bridge. Can't remember what it's called now (under the 'Heineken Building'. Complete and utter sh1thole.

Hector Bellend

I lived in England for a number of years and used to travel around the country supporting a particular football team. There's a list as long as your arm of these types of pubs that we were in.

A particular favourite of mine was the prince of wales in East London which is a short walk from West Hams old ground. The place was literally crawling with well known hooligans when I went in. For those of who who are familiar Brett Tidman and Bill Gardner were at the bar and I walked in with an Away shirt on. What was worse was that I had no idea at the time who they were.

Only for the fact that I walked in with a friend of mine who was a West Ham fan there's no doubt I'd have got a serious kicking.

Stab*City

The Henry Cecil, Limerick
Ma Hogans, Limerick
Black Only Pub, Brixton
Wetherspoons, Barking

to name a few. back in my teens / twenties i used to love places that this thread describes.

GoneHome

The pub near the RSC Waterford United stadium, went to a game there about 3 years ago, had a bit of time to spare before kick off so asked the taxi driver to drop me at nearest pub to grounds, can't remember the name of it but dodgiest spot I've ever been in, quick pint and out the door.

Reputable Rog

Stab*City wrote: »

The Henry Cecil, Limerick
Ma Hogans, Limerick
Black Only Pub, Brixton
Wetherspoons, Barking

to name a few. back in my teens / twenties i used to love places that this thread describes.

Ma Hogans ? That was a fantastic old Limerick pub.

Stab*City

Reputable Rog wrote: »

Ma Hogans ? That was a fantastic old Limerick pub.

What time period are you talking about? I think this pub has changed hands over the years.

Grahamer666

The Nag's Head in Peckham.

Reputable Rog

Stab*City wrote: »

What time period are you talking about? I think this pub has changed hands over the years.

If your talking about the premises on Catherine Street, I'm referring to the mid 90's.

Stab*City

Reputable Rog wrote: »

If your talking about the premises on Catherine Street, I'm referring to the mid 90's.

Ya that's the place.. Im talking early 90's i guess..

Nerdlingr

Stab*City wrote: »

The Henry Cecil, Limerick
Ma Hogans, Limerick
Black Only Pub, Brixton
Wetherspoons, Barking

to name a few. back in my teens / twenties i used to love places that this thread describes.

Was in college in Limerick in the 90's. Must have been looking for a late pint and decided that this place looked ok. Went upstairs to the 'disco' part of it. Straight away all the heads looked round at the young college students coming in the door....did a han solo 'i got a bad feeling about this'. Serious uneasy feeling about the place... was gonna leave, but one of the lads got a round in, then proceeded to knock over a table of drink on his way back from the bar. Serious tension and chesty-cuffs started!! he'd go back up and buy another round for the table (rightly so) whilst the rest of us slowly edged to the door. About two weeks later some lad shot a girl in the face in there. I see they knocked it down now. Well dodge.

purpleisafruit

GoneHome wrote: »

The pub near the RSC Waterford United stadium, went to a game there about 3 years ago, had a bit of time to spare before kick off so asked the taxi driver to drop me at nearest pub to grounds, can't remember the name of it but dodgiest spot I've ever been in, quick pint and out the door.

The Yellow House I believe if memory of my few trips to the RSC serves me right

Pherekydes

I see a few votes for The Towers, Ballymun. Never drank there, but I did work there for two years in the '70s. It was a total kip. Great barmen, though. Always looked out for each other.

I was standing beside a barman when he got a glass in the face. The perp got caught by the biggest fattest barman halfway across Ballymun. Beaten to a pulp and then dumped in the cop shop which was right beside the Towers.

Mongfinder General

Pherekydes wrote: »

I see a few votes for The Towers, Ballymun. Never drank there, but I did work there for two years in the '70s. It was a total kip. Great barmen, though. Always looked out for each other.

I was standing beside a barman when he got a glass in the face. The perp got caught by the biggest fattest barman halfway across Ballymun. Beaten to a pulp and then dumped in the cop shop which was right beside the Towers.

Absolute mad shop. There was murder in there nearly every weekend. If it opened today it would make an absolute fortune-there is no other pub in that area.

GoneHome

purpleisafruit wrote: »

The Yellow House I believe if memory of my few trips to the RSC serves me right

Yes that's the one

Chrongen

The Plough on Abbey Street was a right slum back in the day.

Stheno

steve-collins wrote: »

Stoney Burkes on Hill street in Dublin. Was there after a night on the gargle in some flat on said road . No trouble but some of the heads and even women drinking there were proper rough and I'm from a rough area myself . Was warned by a chap in his 50s to be careful as a few of the younger locals wouldn't be too happy with a gang of outsiders drinking with the local young ones .

Ah Stoneys

That was my local for a while in the 90s

Dog rough

Rory28

Mongfinder General wrote: »

Absolute mad shop. There was murder in there nearly every weekend. If it opened today it would make an absolute fortune-there is no other pub in that area.

I doubt anyone would get insured to open another pub there.

Mysterypunter

GoneHome wrote: »

Yes that's the one

Closed now

Mongfinder General

Rory28 wrote: »

I doubt anyone would get insured to open another pub there.

True. I'd love to see it reopen. The cops could walk in there on any given day and make arrests just for the craic.

yourdeadwright

Chrongen wrote: »

The Plough on Abbey Street was a right slum back in the day.

Firestone more recently come across some characters in there,
the Legal Eagle on the quays ,Saturday nights and Sunday mornings used to be a bit wild

dd972

Pubs like this, like the dumps they tend to be in shouldn't be lionised as 'rough', 'tough' or 'dodgy' as if they have some sort of kudos, they are simply day centres for idiots.

TomSweeney

Read really early on about the Old Chinaman - some say it was a myth but can verify it's existence, is it a new pub now ? or has the building been flattened ?

humberklog

TomSweeney wrote: »

Read really early on about the Old Chinaman - some say it was a myth but can verify it's existence, is it a new pub now ? or has the building been flattened ?

Flattened. However the pub across the road from where it was is called The Snug and it carries on its spirit. Rough as boots.

Ipso

givyjoe wrote: »

The Harp on O'Connell Bridge. Can't remember what it's called now (under the 'Heineken Building'. Complete and utter sh1thole.

Was the Q Bar when I was in Dublin last, that was a sh1t hole of a different variety. One of the typical mutton dressed as lamb places that were everywhere.
A friend told me about The Harp, he remembered someone getting a kicking because they wore a "cricket blazer".

andekwarhola

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Is The Hill in Ranelagh a rough pub?

Some people told me it's a former I.R.A. pub and I myself remember that a few years ago, there was a marked Garda car always parked outside, but that might have been connected with a rough housing estate also closeby.

It's a craft beer place now I thought?

_Brian

Remember back years ago a friend brought me to a pub intuinknit was somewhere in Tallaght.

Tables, chairs and ashtrays all screwed down.

retalivity

humberklog wrote: »

Flattened. However the pub across the road from where it was is called The Snug and it carries on its spirit. Rough as boots.

Ive seen the snug recently, as its on my walk into town. Thought it was relatively new as i dont remember anything there from my college days in the early noughties. Also thought it was respectable enough, as it appears to be attached to a hotel/b&b?!

elperello

The Grey Goat in Cockermouth long since closed down.

(in fairness it was ok until we arrived)