• Added: 19th of September 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Sightseeing and Attractions

Colchester CO3 0SL

Linnyg said

Colchester zoo is probably one of the better zoos. It is quite expensive to get in but you can often get money off vouchers or use Clubcard voucers. Also the last time we visted it was raining most of the day so they gave us a voucher for a discounted next visit. If you can cope with the rain I would recommend visiting on a not so nice day, or during the week as it gets very busy on a nice weekend or holiday day. This can make it difficult for children especially to see anything as every window is crammed with people. Last time we went we fed the elephants practically a whole tray of food ourselves rather than having to wait in a huge queue. There are all sorts of feeding times and talks to go to- you would not fit them all into one day and you need to plan ahead so you can see everything you want to. Most animals have a reasonable amount of space. The elephant enclosure is not very big for their size and the giraffes, rhino etc. enclosure was a mud bath when we went, it must be hard for the grass to recover. Overall they seem to be treated well.

• Added: 19th of September 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Shopping

Colchester

Linnyg said

Tk Maxx have a huge range of designer clothes crammed in in a market stall type of arrangement. If you like designer clothes then you will be able to find some good bargins at a quarter or less of the retail price. If you aren't bothered about labels the reduced sections have clothes at the price of any cheapish high street clothes shop. You do have to be prepared to search but they have made it easier for you by sorting things into types and then sizes. The rails are a bit crammed in so it can be difficult to negotiate when it is busy! As well as clothes they also stock toys and housewares.

• Added: 19th of September 2008
• Area: Chelmsford
• Category: Restaurants

Chelmsford CM3 1HA

Linnyg said
Cosy restaurant/ pub
The White Horse at Pleshey is a pub with a small bar area but most people visit it for meals, so it is really more of a restaurant. It is a lovely old fashioned building with with several separate rooms which give it a cosy private feel. However the menus are on blackboards situated around the pub so if you are sitting at a table in front of one of they you will have lots of people standing in front of you to read them! They have several open fires in winter which add to the warm cosy feel. There is a largish range of typical upmarket pub food with upmarket pub food prices, but still not bad value. The food is well presented but portions are small. The staff are helpful and attentive.

• Added: 19th of September 2008
• Area: Chelmsford
• Category: Restaurants

Chelmsford CM2 8NB

Linnyg said

Seabrights Barn do lovely carveries as well as a few other choices. The bar area is a lovely high ceiling beamed barn conversion so it is a very attractive building inside. Carveries are very good value during the week, but a bit more expensive at the weekends, however still good value for all you can eat. There is a choice of meats from the carvery and a wide range of vegetables and different types of potatoes. The veg is cooked very well and it is unusual to have such a wide choice. I don't know about the meat as I am vegetarian but others seemed to enjoy it. My one complaint about it was there was only one vegetarian option on the menu, that highly unimaginative stock vegetarian dish of spinnach and ricotta canneloni. However, this was one of the better spinnach and ricotta cannelonis of the many I have tried!

• Added: 19th of September 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Restaurants

Colchester CO4 9WP

Linnyg said

We went here once on a Saturday night and it was quite busy so we were very patient after they had taken our order. However, after almost an hour, when we saw people being served who had arrived well after us we spoke to the waiter and it turned out that they had somehow managed to lose our order somewhere between the table and the kitchen! They were quite apolgetic and we ended up getting one of the meals free. The food was ok with typical Brewers Fayre pub food choices. I did not find the portions were very big. You can sometimes get money off vouchers with Nectar and others which makes it good value, otherwise it is just average value.

• Added: 12th of September 2008
• Area: Chard
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Chard TA20 1QA

Linnyg said

The Cerdic is named after the cinema that used to stand on this site, and so it is quite an impressive building with high ceilings. The Cerdic is a Wetherspoons pub and so is what you would expect from a Wetherspoons: no music, and good cheap pub food. They have regular offers such as curry night and special prices for two meals (from a limited choice). It is a popular place but they have a large building so it is generally too full. There is a separate area in the conservatory (formally the non smoking section) for families, and the place seems popular for family meals out.

• Added: 12th of September 2008
• Area: Chard
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Chard TA20 3NG

Linnyg said

The Green Dragon is a friendly local pub with a separate main bar and lounge bar so if you are there for a meal you can be separte from the main bar area. Food is served until 9 o'clock but not on Mondays. They hold regular live music events with local bands, which usually attract a good crowd. The dates and bands are advertised outside the pub. Look out for the Green Dragon sculpture in place of a pub sign which was made by the landlord Trevor. There is a car park to the side and a smoking shelter around the back but no garden since it was sold for houses. There is a pool table and darts but no skittle alley since it was demolished (it wasn't used a great deal anyway).

• Added: 12th of September 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Colchester CO4 5AA

Linnyg said

The Bricklayers is a friendly pub with a car park to the rear. They have tables in the bar areas as well as a conservatory and they are popular at lunchtimes. They serve a variety of sandwiches and typical pub food such as burgers and chilli. The menu is rather uninspiring, but what you would expect from a pub menu really. They have two veggie options, which don't really seem to change but they are both on the good side for pub food. Prices are reasonable. Staff are friendly although some of them could do with a little more training in pulling a pint and making a shandy!

• Added: 12th of September 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Restaurants

Colchester CO1 1HF

Linnyg said
Good pizza
Pizza express offers a wide range of more authentic pizzas that are that bit tastier than run of mill pizza restaurants and takeaways. They do an interesting variety. When I was there at Christmas they had a Christmas pizza with turkey and cranberries?! (I didn't try that one). The pizzas are thin stonebaked with toppings that go well together. They do various side orders such as olives and bread (in their effort to be auhentically Italian) but other than that not a great deal other than pizza. The restaurant is rather small so can feel a bit crowded, they have a very large mirror to try and make it seem bigger, which is rather disconcerting

• Added: 11th of September 2008
• Area: Colchester
• Category: Food and Drink

Colchester CO1 1LS
01206 572592

Linnyg said

Humphreys stock a good range of fruit and veg although don't expect to always be able to buy everything whatever the time of year as they do adhere to the seasons to some extent, which many people have forgotten about due to everything always being available in supermarkets. A good proportion of the produce is described as local (in season) so you can support local growers as well as local shops. The prices are reasonable and in some cases cheaper than supermarkets, for example 10 apples for £1. Traditional fruit & veg shop where you are served by the assitants and service is fine. They don't seem to stock any fairtrade produce though.