Whitmore Hotel

Positioning itself as «a country-​style pub in the heart of the city», The Whitmore Hotel is my favourite place for a Sunday Sesh if you and some friends are feeling particularly fragile. Sit outside and enjoy the pub band while being able to talk to your friends. The Salt + Pepper Squid is my favourite in town (I believe it’s on special on Sundays), and their garlic bread is fantastic too (though it’s minced garlic thickly spread onto baguette — that may not be everyone’s piece of cake).
Good happy hour, central location, friendly service and you won’t be fighting for barspace. I’ve been warned against ordering a steak here.

The Whitmore Hotel used to be a strip club, and it still retains some of the stigma (and a few of the patrons) that it garnered during that period.
Although it has now changed ownership, and the new owners have done their best to leave that all behind, there is still something a bit squiffy you just can’t put your finger on.
Catering to the over fifties who are still trying to be cool (i’m certainly not in any position to comment as i’ll more than likely end up being one of them) the Whitmore Hotel hosts both failed and aspiring elderly rockers and blues musicians as both patrons and as the live entertainment.
Whilst the music is not that bad, at their age they should be better, but it is nice to see that passion has not died with age and the regulars truly do love their music and the venue.
I’ve stopped in for a beer on occasion, to witness a crew of old boys sitting around on the metallic chairs strewn out the front, jamming away, unannounced and uninvited, on their guitars they have brought from home. Their contorted faces twisted and their mustaches bristling with the effort of hitting that mid tone note in the Eagle Rock.
And I have to say I love that and there should be more of it.