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Last APG visit: 20/04/2008
Background: Originally a comfy boozer back in ‘97, this place went for a full-on refurb and emerged blinking into the daylight as a binge-drinkers paradise – an IKEA cocktail bar. Became massively popular and has remained an integral part of the circuit ever since.
Student factor: Almost totally student. Some locals on a Saturday, not that you’d notice.
Atmosphere: Veers from dead at 4pm to major crush at 8pm. Some evenings it will take you five minutes to get from one end of the bar to the other, which is lethal if you’re desperate for a slash.
Drinks range: Star Wars and University-themed cocktails, with their ingredients, are plastered all over the walls on slate discs; don't be a tool and ask for a menu at the bar. Cocktails are pretty much the only reason to go in. They’re not cheap, but they’ll do the job and they are big – most come in pint glasses. Biggest mutha of them all is the Death Star – two pints of what looks like muddy water from the River Rheidol. One of those will be more than enough to get you bouncing off the walls. Service is normally pretty sharp, the staff in here earn their biscuits. Token handpull, not that I've ever tried it.
TV/Music: No TV, but ‘pumping’ music gets progressively loud during the evening, often ending up at unnecessarily ear-splitting levels after 10pm.
Other stuff: Pool table, which is permanently booked after 7pm. Food is served during the day, Sunday lunch is rumoured to be decent.
Quinno’s verdict: Probably the best student bar in Aber. Notice I said ‘bar’, not ‘pub’. This a place for vertical binge-drinking only. Don’t expect to make interesting conversation with the person on the next table.
3 comments:
First place I stayed in when I came for an Aber open day in 96. Arrived on the late train and the landlord cooked me up some grub and served me a few pints even though he knew I was underage. Got chatting to a few students at the bar and had pretty much decided that this was the place I wanted to move to by the end of the 3rd pint. Frequented it a lot in the 1st year and was distraught when it got refurbished and (in my opinion) ruined. Favourite Cocktail: Cambrian Sunrise. Favourite Cambrian News Headline: "2 bar stools stolen from Cambrian Hotel" (front page news none the less!)
Mike Fisher the landlord used to be my landlord as I lived just round the corner at the GlanAber. Loved this place and the numerous lock in's we had. We left in 1997 and were distraught when we came back and saw it refurbished. Mike came over and asked what we thought and I gave a big fake smile and said it was great as he seemed so chuffed with it but it was all I could do not to cry. Mike Fisher is a great landlord though!!
Just read the food comments that said it does an okay Sunday lunch- I think you need correcting. It does an awsome SUnday lunch- the biggest Yorkshires you've ever seen- 3 types of potatoes, meat cut from the joint and all prepared fresh by Paul who gets into work at an ungodly hour to cook it all. Moved away now but can't eat pub sunday lunches anymore- they just can't compare!!
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