The Jolly Sailor Southsea — Restaurant in Portsmouth

Beware the revolving door!!!

I found myself at the Jolly Sailor on a Saturday where I was attending a private function. The location of the place is great - (fairly) easy to park (and not too expensive in the grand scheme of parking charges) and has 2 levels of seating (not sure how a disabled person would get on though as I only saw steps for entry into the place but I could have missed a ramp)

Because I was attending a private function I was able to enter via a ground level entrance (again though, there were steps to get in/out of the area as it's in the basement) so not good if disabled. However, I didn't know about this entrance until after I had been into the main bar area - I wish I had, for I might not be sporting a ridiculously large sized plaster across my finger which I'm having to keep covered with 'finger condoms' - the embarrassment!!

You see, to enter the upper main bar area you have to go through a revolving door. For the record I was not drinking alcohol of any kind! I'm 48 years old, I visit ikea in the neighbouring city regularly (they have a revolving door which is why they get mentioned) I've been through many of these things during my lifetime, yet for some reason, and somehow, entering the Jolly Sailor through theirs ended up with my finger being trapped between the edge of the door and the frame, lifting the skin from my nail bed to the knuckle. From what I could make out I was the first person to do such a thing (as if I didn't feel foolish enough) but it does concern me that if it could happen to me, then it could also happen to a child and I dread to think how their finger would survive (just because I was the first, doesn't mean I will be the last). My nephew was with me and he was still laughing at my stupidity when we reached the bar, which is why I think the 2 men working the bar thought we were just messing about when I asked if they had a tissue or plaster (I had to send my nephew to ask another member of the party we were attending for such things as I was getting nowhere with the staff). Eventually, I think the amount of blood running down my arm and dripping onto the bar got them (the bar staff) to realise I was in fact not messing around and I was told "I think we have a first aid kit out back; would you like me to see if it's got a plaster in it?" Umm, Yes, Please!! As it turned out there were a couple of plasters in it (I took one) but no antiseptic (in either liquid or wipe form). I'm not sure how things work on an accident level in a bar, but I'm sure there should have been some kind of antiseptic available, and am almost positive all businesses I've worked in, any injury (whether to staff or the public) has to be noted in an 'Accident book'?? Mine wasn't.

I patched myself up, managed to get the bleeding under control and continued to order a round of drinks. £9.80 for 2 small cokes and a bottle of Kronenburg - talk about 'adding insult to injury'. By the time we'd started buying larger cokes in the function room we were being charged £3.30 each (I'm not sure if this is a 'usual' price).

The lady serving us in the function room was lovely; very personable and friendly (I think I might not have had to keep asking for a tissue had she been serving upstairs) and I have to say the food we were served was exceptional (if a little too cold - to be expected I guess when trying to feed so many). There were 3 pieces of cutlery on our table of 7 that was unusable though because they still had food stuck to them; not really what you want when you're sitting to eat.

The function room is tiny though, and it's not somewhere I would recommend to anyone if you have more than about 30 people attending, and you have to share the public bars toilets too (they left a lot to be desired several times during the evening and one of the cubicles seemed to be a meeting place for a lot of "outsiders").

On the whole, it's somewhere you could spend an hour or two on a sunny day (outside seating) or a cold, wet day, also; the main bar is light, airy and...

Upon arrival at the hotel, there was no clear signage on how to enter. I rang them and the bar staff let me in the emergency exit, where the manager sat at a table with a can of tango doing his paperwork. ||I was taken to my first room, room 9 after walking up 3 flights of stairs. The room looked nothing like the photos, with mouldy windowsills & a shared bathroom with broken light. I spoke to the manager who allowed me another room for £10 extra per night. The next room was worse. Although it had an ensuite...the window was broken and decayed, it wouldn't shut, the carpet was full of mould, the desk was stained, the curtains were mouldy, crumbs were everywhere and the ceiling was crumbling. I didn't want to make too much of a fuss so for the night I stayed in a friend's room a 30 minute walk away. I came back this morning and decided it just wasn't okay or hygienic for a second night. I came down and asked to speak with the manager. Upon his arrival, he refused to look at my photos, refused to speak or compensate me. He just repeatedly said sorry I have to go. He said he would be back in 2 hours to have the conversation - 5 hours passed, he did not return and hid away instead.||I'd like to point out that the bar staff, particularly Ash & Nat were incredible. They were so apologetic + compassionate. From the state of the rooms, this is definitely not the first time they've had to deal with complaints, despite it not being their fault and instead the fault of a manager who is in over his head and is struggling to run an efficient and hygienic hotel.|I have spoken to the agent on the booking page where I booked the hotel, They called the hotel demanding they give me a compensation/ refund and the owner has refused to pay anything and is not answering my calls. I payed for 2 nights and didn't stay in the hotel due to the circumstances and not even a sorry from the owner. ...

Upon arrival at the hotel, there was no clear signage on how to enter. I rang them and the bar staff let me in the emergency exit, where the manager sat at a table with a can of tango doing his paperwork. ||I was taken to my first room, room 9 after walking up 3 flights of stairs. The room looked nothing like the photos, with mouldy windowsills & a shared bathroom with broken light. I spoke to the manager who allowed me another room for £10 extra per night. The next room was worse. Although it had an ensuite...the window was broken and decayed, it wouldn't shut, the carpet was full of mould, the desk was stained, the curtains were mouldy, crumbs were everywhere and the ceiling was crumbling. I didn't want to make too much of a fuss so for the night I stayed in a friend's room a 30 minute walk away. I came back this morning and decided it just wasn't okay or hygienic for a second night. I came down and asked to speak with the manager. Upon his arrival, he refused to look at my photos, refused to speak or compensate me. He just repeatedly said sorry I have to go. He said he would be back in 2 hours to have the conversation - 5 hours passed, he did not return and hid away instead.||I'd like to point out that the bar staff, particularly Ash & Nat were incredible. They were so apologetic + compassionate. From the state of the rooms, this is definitely not the first time they've had to deal with complaints, despite it not being their fault and instead the fault of a manager who is in over his head and is struggling to run an efficient and hygienic hotel.|I have spoken to the agent on the booking page where I booked the hotel, They called the hotel demanding they give me a compensation/ refund and the owner has refused to pay anything and is not answering my calls. I payed for 2 nights and didn't stay in the hotel due to the circumstances and not even a sorry from the owner. ...