Wetherspoons prepares for Leominster delivery

JD Wetherspoons are still committed to open a pub in Leominster's old Post Office. The development has been continually delayed but recent confitmation from a Wetherspoons spokesman suggests work is set to start on the Corn Square site in August with an opening date pencilled in for 2010.

Does the county need another Wetherspoons and how will this impact upon Leominster's more traditional pubs? Only time will tell...

Three more Hereford venues call last orders

The past week has seen the demise of three more Hereford drinking establishments...

Last week saw the much publicised closure of the Left Bank 'Flood Gates' restaurant and bar. It had been no secret that the Left Bank village in general had been struggling, with the shops along Bridge Street having been closed for many months.

The Game Cock on Holme Lacy Road also closed its doors on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how things develop with this well-located pub. Will it perhaps be snapped up for a re-furb and re-opened as a more food orientated venue? With the recent closures of the Wye Inn and the The Ship, the pub scene in that part of town is looking pretty sparse at the moment. The Broadleys has something of a captive audience.

Most recently, news has reached us of the closure of Charlotte's Bar just off St Peters Square. The closure does not appear to be due to financial reasons but in the current financial climate a quick re-opening would seem unlikely.

2009 looks to be shaping up to be a grim year for the pub industry as the nation collectively tightens its belt. We at the HM Pub Guide would like to urge you all to support your local pubs in their hour of need. The pubs of Hereford need your custom more than ever and what better way to spend a winter evening than with a few pints in your local.

We would also like to encourage you all to venture into pubs you may not have visited before. If our Pub Guiding adventures have taught us one thing its that the vast majority of pubs out there are friendly and welcoming to all, and well deserving of your custom.

Happy drinking and remember to drop us an email at the usual address if you have any (hopefully happy!) pub-related news.

2008 Stats

The statistics for 2008 are in: in total there were 12190 recorded hits. The year started off slowly, however, with the revamping of the website in the summer there was a marked increase in viewer numbers- with the best month being September.

Keep checking back for more news of the pubs in Hereford, and don't forget to send us in those all important reviews. The following graph shows a breakdown of monthly hits during 2008.

Here's to a great 2009 from all at the HM Pub Guide.

Hereford Pubs of the Year 2008

In December we asked viewers of the HM Pub Guide to vote for your Hereford Pub of the Year 2008.

The votes have now been counted and verified and we can proudly announce that for 2008 there are two Official HM Pub Guide Pubs of the Year.

The Barrels and The Hop Pole are joint winners, each with 27% of the votes. Our congratulations go out to both of these fine establishments, each with their own unique charms. Click here for a full listing of the results.

Thanks for all of your votes and remember to keep checking back during 2009 for more pub reviews and news.

Litchfield Vaults Re-opens

Whilst walking through town today to do some post-Christmas shopping I happened to notice that the Litchfield Vaults had re-opened. Although I didn't have time to pop inside (not even for a quick pint), rest assured that the HM Pub Guide Team will visit it shortly and reassess the pub. However, if anyone out there has already had a drink in there then let us know what you think of the place.