The Cremorne (London Road)

I've never been a fan of the pubs on London Road.  They're generally a bit 'townie' for my tastes I'm afraid.

The Cremorne on the other hand strikes a distinctive path in it's own direction.  Having recently come under new management it’s been transformed into a haven for the artistic and eccentric amongst us.  Students mingle with musos who mix with older clubbers in a (generally) relaxed atmosphere.

The music is loud and decidedly on the eclectic NME side of the tracks.  If Franz Ferdinand were a pub they'd be like this.  They could even play here as they regularly host bands and acoustic solo acts in the courtyard out the back which acts as an all year venue thanks to the use of heaters and some sort of marquee type covering.

Being a 'corridor pub' It’s not really very big so it can get packed at weekends - especially when there’s a band on.

The décor is all wooden floor boards and rickety tables.  If anywhere still had sawdust and spittoons then they’d most certainly be in residence here.  (Surely no where does?  If there are places that still furnish the aforementioned then I want to know where they are and pay them a visit).  Some of the fixtures have seen better days and the seats could do with recovering but hey - perhaps they're more rock and roll as they are?

The one minus point is that the drinks are a bit pricey for this neck of the woods.

Let's face it, London Road isn't short of a restaurant or two, but for me Tim Po seems to be an oft overlooked little gem.

The décor inside is somewhat plain and has more of the appearance of a café than a restaurant.  Brightly lit there are plenty of tables without it feeling too cramped but the wooden floor can perhaps make it feel a bit cold in winter months.  The room is dominated by a huge fish tank filled with various exotic looking fish that swim about and peer at diners sat at the adjoining tables.

Whilst it's probably safe to say the ambiance is cheap and cheerful this is more than made up for by the food.  There is a huge choice of traditional Cantonese, Chinese and Sechzuan dishes, the best part of which being a massive selection of vegetarian and vegan options.  The friendly staff are also happy to try and accommodate you if you want to go 'off-menu' in the rare occasion that your favourite isn't listed.

The food is very tasty and arrives served simply and without fuss but with sizable portions you can't really ask for any more.

Unfortunately for some reason it seems to be very quiet - we went on a Saturday night and it was deserted which is a shame when you consider the quality and value of the food.

The only downside was the disrepair of the toilets (the gents at least) which slightly took the edge off the evening (but could be argued to add to the cheap and cheerful feeling.)

Ideal for students or those on a budget.  Perfectly amenable for anyone else too.