The Brown Lion

Love this place as one of my locals. It a great size, cosy for a catch up but also live music on some evenings if you want some entertainment. I have always found the drinks prices to be reasonable & the staff to be welcoming!
The jam night on a Tuesday is fun! Andy Bennett of Ocean Colour Scene fame runs it and it gets going around 9.30 til late! Lots of acts who show up and jam together so you never know what you ll get! The only reason I knocked a mark of and sometimes the music on a weekend is too loud (I’m getting old) and occasionally the drink choice could be better. Need to go back and sample the reasonable food soon!

I’ve seen many iterations of this venue over the years and used to live pretty much next door. It’s best chance arguably was when the Two Towers boys took it on: local people, local brewed beer served up in a local pub — surely a winner? They seemed to take a lot of time and not a small amount of cash ‘doing it up’. But back then it had too much of an air of ‘real ale drinkers’ about it. Not very ‘interesting’ to the rest of us perhaps and I only went in 3 – 4 times. I wanted to love it, but … I couldn’t! Food was very much an after-​thought!
Anyway, here we go again and it’s a curious combo for sure. It’s had another ‘do up’ that’s arguably still not that exciting. It lacks something. It’s essentially doing what the Two Towers lads did, i.e. not spend much on the interior and hope for the best. Looks quite inviting outside. I think it needs some solid design sensibility applied. It still feels like a ‘real ale’ kinda place, but without the ale! A poor facsimile of the Rose Villa, which itself is a poor facsimile of the Clifden, Red Lion and Bartons.
Overall, I’d say decent enough effort but you may need more to make an impression around these parts. We’re already blessed with many average places to eat and drink. Actually, I’m of the opinion we have too many. It’s all a bit safe along this stretch. Oh for a place with genuine individuality. This is where the likes of The Lord Clifden and Red Lion score high. They offer a blindingly good combo of friendly service, great food and top quality drinks in a comfy and interesting environment.
So, personal décor tastes aside, I popped in with a Groupon voucher. This allowed me a decent opportunity to sample food and drink all for a bargain huntin’ £6.50. I had a beer … quite pale and unmemorable … plus pie and triple cooked chips. Service was pleasant enough. Normally this would set me back around £14 according to the menu, which actually does show some potential on paper, so my deal was good value.
BUT this offer won’t last long and so it’s a case of reviewing based on actual prices. Unfortunately, on food and drink, it’s no-​where near the Clifton or Red Lion. The pie is home made, but with a slightly doughy tasting pastry. The filling is decent but lacks something — too much leek and bland sauce for me. The chips nothing special and ditto the veg (parsnip and carrot). The gravy makes the chips soggy. I wonder if they’re out the freezer or real potato. They lack taste and solidity.
I so wanted to like this place but feel once again it’s a little over-​priced for the quality and a little underwhelming on the service or atmosphere (tho’ I did pop by at 5pm, so hardly the time to be rockin’ it out!) I wish the owners well, but not sure they’re doing enough to rise above the average around these parts! But let’s be honest, there are similar (and worse) places that seem to do Ok!

The Brown Lion is under new ownership. Paul, (of Temple Street Social and previously the Sunflower Lounge) is bringing his unique 60s style and love of good music to the JQ via the Brown Lion.
It still has the traditional pub feel, but with a nice refurb, and the addition of a piano, which is a promise of some great music nights to come. It’s a place to find real ale at a really good price– pints are around £3, so it’s still an affordable place to drink up. Paul’s hoping to open a microbrewery on the premises, so fingers are crossed– can’t wait to see that!
So, a lovely vibe, great music, quizzes and beer. In a good JQ location too. I hope to make it at least a semi regular hangout. Make sure you come and take a peek!

I am so pleased to see this place finally has an owner that seems to be the right… Fit for the venue. The Lion has had 10 different owners since 2012 (10, imagine that!) and seems to be open for a short while before closing again so constantly, it’s hard to keep up.
I visited on Friday night for the grand reopening. Paul (owner of Temple Street Social) has now taken the place over and given it a 60’s musical vibe, as well as bringing back in a good selection of real ales and lots of lovely decorative touches which really make it more of a «character» venue.
I am very pleased to say that a pint of real ale on Friday was just £3 (which is quite a difference to many of the other venues in the area) and my soda water was free of charge. The venue is now well designed, but still feels like a «local pub» with a chilled out atmosphere, good music in the background and decent prices to match.
There will be music nights on a Tuesday and rumour has it there might even be a microbrewery in the works for this «phoenix out of the ashes» venue. I hope this place goes from strength to strength and can become a regular spot for locals once again… Long live the Brown.