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Pangea/World Café
London Street, RG1 4PS
Reviewed On: 7 Dec 2004
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Public Houses in Reading
Berkshire, England.
   
Bar Med
Previous Names:
Oracle (Riverside), Reading, Berkshire, RG1 2AG
0.38 miles from Reading station [Map]
Final Score: 3.0 out of 10
Steve's Score:2 (Out of 5)
Gray's Grade:1 (Out of 5)
Steve Supped:Corona
Gray Gulped:Corona
Garden / Facilities:No garden but the whole place is behind a wall of glass on the Oracle Riverside. Tables outside in summer.

RE-REVIEW:

Ok, so this is closed now as well. I think this it's a Giraffe place!

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
5 November 2004

Well, it's a huge place with a big dance floor at one end. It's getting to feel really knacked now though - the whole place is trying to be a glitzy town centre bar-club but in fact feels rather scabby. I guess it gets busy on weekend evenings filled with the shiny shoe gang and loud dancy music, but at any other time it's empty, soulless and unwelcoming. The place has a huge glass frontage - but no heating and it was freezing cold in November. It might have redeemed itself with good service but the bloke behind the bar was barely old enough to be serving beer and was too busy being cool. The best thing going for the place is that's it's a late night dancing venues - but there's much better examples of that kind of place around town. G.
I think they must have read my review! Bar Med is currently closed for pre-Christmas re-furb. Let's hope they also ban the chavs after they've given it a good coat of paint and new carpets. G.
Empty, soulless, the shiny shoe gang! Not to mention unwelcoming and scabby! That's a brief highlight of G's review. Though they aren’t highlights I suppose, but not too far off the truth. I would say well worn as opposed to scabby but the very recent refurb which looked pretty good as I strolled passed the other day, makes that all pretty redundant now. The layout problem still remains though because of the shape of the building. The dance floor is down one end and the long bar (good thing) is squashed in a bit by a standing area in the middle and on those busy Fri and Sat nights it is always a real problem trying to get to the bar. In fact it’s a problem getting from wherever you are to wherever you want to go. It's just too long and thin really. S.
Should we re-score this place post refurb G as at the mo it looks a it harsh? S.
Lets schedule a re-visit some time soon. G.

BEER EXPERIENCE

Happy hour ran until 8pm (Monday to Friday) giving buy one get one free on bottles of Bud, Corona, house plonk and some cocktails. Not a bad deal at all for the few people that bother to take them up on the offer. Nothing exciting going on behind the bar though. G.
What do you want to see going on behind the bar you dirty perv! Good deal on the drinks though. One of the best value for money rounds I have bough in ages! S.

VISITOR FEEDBACK [Give Your Feedback]

"Suppose it is getting a bit old now, but which of the Oracle bars arent now after 10 years? Hopefully they and/or the Council etc will read that. Anyway, other than that, I like it here, its a place for all types of things."
(Rated 7 out of 10)
dave visited in July 2007

"too bad it isn't busier... because it has the best karaoke in town by far.. and has a nice atmosphere. Why don't people go there more? I have no idea.. they're doing something wrong. anyway most reading college students are pretty trendy and easily led astray by loud booms"
(Rated 8 out of 10)
jason gael visited in October 2006

"I cant believe this bar has such a bad score. I was very impressed with this pub, and have always been. I think its disadvantaged a bit as it is hidden by Chilli's, but it seems friendly enough, and is pretty classy, although I agree the people behind the bar might die of boredom in the day, as it always is quite quiet. Try it again, and hopefully it'll spring to life"
(Rated 8 out of 10)
Craig Beazley visited in September 2006

Average Visitor Score: 7.67 out of 10

NEIGHBOURING PUBS

The following pubs are within stumbling distance of this establishment:

         
Current Score:
3
Original Score:
3
Traditional Pub?
No
Party Pub?
Yes
Proper Food?
Yes
Real Ale Pub?
No
Pub Games?
No

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