THE ANGEL

The Angel achieved national notoriety in the summer of 2000 when it got visited by many reporters following William Hague's 14 pint story. It is a bit of an old folks pub but the beer is very reasonably priced. Curiously it chooses to have an American-ised pool area round the back.

BAR ONE

In town, near the main sorting office. A classic example of a "last pint before club" pub. Being in town and where Ritz video used to be, it is near most of the clubs in Rotherham, so is only open about half the week. Bouncers on door, lights, and club music blasting out, so not a good idea to sit next to a speaker. General club like atmosphere apart from the fact it closes at 11pm. Sells John Smiths Extra Smooth for about £1.90ish.

BELVEDERE

My local. Twenty minutes walk away. Its difficult to do a review of the Belv as I used to go there a lot. Right next to TRC, so it is full of students usually, but nowadays it seems to be full of 16 year olds (ie my sister). It has a pool table, installed a year or so ago and a big screen. Unfortunately these two attractions don't make up for the fact that it is now long since past its best as everyone is younger than us. Over Easter we tended to go there every Friday night. Full stop. Nowadays we don't actually go there at all, ever.There was one abberation in Easter 2000 when myself and John nicked in for a pint and a game of pool. Apart from that we avoid it like the proverbial plague. Sells Trophy at £1.50

BLUECOAT

Newly opened Wetherspoons pub on the site of where Feoffees was. It is more expensive than Rhino's, strangely. It has an unusual atmosphere as they don't really seem to have decided what sort of market to aim for. To be fair, it may fill up on Friday nights and as I've only been once (and that on a Tuesday night in October) I'll reserve judgement for the time being.

BRECKS

A restaurant type pub, up at the Brecks (surprisingly) Generally tends to be full of families. Sells John Smiths.

CAFE DE PARIS

Only recently opened, we have a tendency to go on Fridays. This is another example of a last pub before club. It has loud music blaring out onto the street and not wholly efficient bar staff. It is not cheap. Everyone has a tendency to rush off at about 1130 to get to the clubs so it tends to be OK after that.

CHEQUERS

Greenys local, ha ha. The nearest pub to my house, I suppose, in Whiston. Also has a big screen. Tends to be busier than the Belv, full of big blokes. Recent (unconfirmed) rumours suggest it has become a gay pub. I stress these are unconfirmed rumours, and hopefully untrue. Sells Tetleys for about £1.60.

CHURCH HOUSE

Pub visited when we went to Wath. Medium sized, seemed very dark and dingy, had several rooms but only one person on the bar, who had a few problems to say the least when seven of us walked in. Only been once, will probably never go again either. Think they sold Tetleys, no idea of price.

CLIFTON

Harmless pub opposite the rugby ground that sells Worthingtons.

DENE BROOK

Ah, the Dene Brook! In East Dene, at the top of a big hill and not easy to find with a small car park and an adventure playground for the kids. Used to have a blind DJ on Sunday nights but they don't any more, which is a shame. Medium sized, tends to be a lot of families in there. One time we went there and we sat outside having a belching competition. Excellent taproom with a pool table and a number of locals sat there minding their own business. Dirt cheap, Trophy only about £1.25. Go and ask to see the blind DJ, even if he can't see you! (sorry)

EARL OF STRAFFORD

Pub about halfway between Rotherham and Doncaster, near Conisborough. We went there in July 1998 when we decided to go to somewhere new and wound up at this place. It is basically a restaurant (they asked us if we were paying separately!) so it was a bit more expensive than usual and we were the only people under 40 there! Trophy £1.65.

ELLIOTTS

Two doors down from Bar One and very similar, apart from the fact that its busier, the music is a bit more cheesy and its possible to hold a conversation in there. I personally prefer it to Bar One. Tetley about £1.76.

FLORENCE

Used to be the hospital, at the top of Alma Road. A curious place. We went for a while on New Years Eve 1997 and there was hardly anyone there. One night in July 1998 Webby and I called in there at about 10.30 and the only people there were watching TV, so we whispered to each other. Yet on Friday nights it stays open until midnight, so at about 1045 it fills up with people coming from the Belv. Apparently Alan broke the dividing door a few months ago, although it has since been repaired. Couple of scuttlers behind the bar. Tetley £1.56

HIND

On Bawtry Road near Whiston Grange. Has a taproom - big ra! Also has an incredibly difficult quiz. Usually packed. Not been for a long time so I have no idea what it sells or how much it all costs.

MAILCOACH

On Wellgate, close to the Tut and Shive. Empty Monday to Thursday, but on Friday and Saturday nights it is so full people stand on the pavement! Sunday they have a farcical quiz and a deafening DJ. Not my favourite place. Sells Worthington about £1.29 (not Friday or Saturday)

MILLENNIUM

Debatable whether this is a pub or a club, but it is free to get into after 11pm (take note Florence) and sells beer until midnight. There is a dancefloor and suitably wattery beer. Not stunning.

NELLIE DENES

In town, right next to the chapel on t'bridge. Irish pub, only no-one at all goes there. Four of us once went and the clientele shot up by 400%. We have at times been the only people there. We often seem to wind up there at the end of the night, which is what it was made for. Sells a rather nice ale called Oldmill at £1.51 a pint. And any pub that contains the Wide Awake Club Annual 1987 is alright by me.

OLD MONK

Newly opened pub on the High Street, where Muntus used to be. It is quite like Rhinos in that there is no music at all and also sells food. It so far appears that the gospel has not spread this far, and one night over the new year we went in at about 10.20 and were the only people in there! Quite like it.

RHINOCEROS

Directly opposite McDonalds. A Wetherspoon pub, can be packed or empty.Usually the former, as it has rapidly grown in popularity in recent months. Like all Wetherspoons, it takes an age to get served and has no music or atmosphere. There is a something about the place that I don't like, the lack of atmosphere, the un pub like clientele, the two lifetimes it takes to get served. They recently closed it for a week to refurbish it, and like all good pub refurbishments all it got was a few things moving round and a fresh coat of paint. Unfortuantely this paint makes the place look like Mothercare. But it deserves everlasting praise for selling Theakston at 99p a pint. That is not a typing error! And they know my order! Most visited pub of 1999.

RED LION

If you ever find yourself in Rotherham, do NOT go to this pub, it is the most empty, boring scruffy pub EVER!

SARACENS HEAD

Don't go to this pub either! In Wath, it is the only pub I have actually been looking around constantly as I felt threatened. Phil nearly got into a fight just by playing pool. We went to the toilet in pairs because it felt safer. Avoid!

TURF TAVERN

Another one that has debatable pub/club credentials. Stays open a while, longer than others, free to enter and moderate beer, if not very friendly.

TUT N SHIVE

Also in town, on Wellgate. Used to be really good, then they ripped out the bowling alley at the back and it became average. Then they changed it again, to create "blue". This lasted a couple of years, now it is Voodoo Lounge which only opens a couple of nights a week. The Tut goes in and out of fashion with us, two years ago we went a couple of times a week, then we never went at all between April 1998 and January 1999. Over the last 18 months we tend to have been most nights though! The guest ales should be avoided. It has a quiz Tuesday nights that we once won!

ALBION ROAD WORKING MENS CLUB

Yes, a WMC. This one is situated just off Wellgate and was visited by four of us over Christmas, one person being a member. We had already been to the Old Monk and the beer at Albion Road was infinitely better. We were the only people under 40 there though! The funniest bit was when a singer started cevering low quality 80s tracks, truly frightening. It was an experience!