The heading here, ie ” a leisurely drink among friends ” is totally misleading. The main bar area is a very noisy invariably crowded area most weekends from 9pm, where any prospect of conversation is impossible. Certainly most weekends, a combination of background “musak” (mostly just indecipherable heavy bass stuff), extremely loud bands/groups playing mediocre cover songs in adjacent “tap-room” , 7 or 8 Tv’s, and lack of any acoustic sound absorbent surfaces, ( wood flooring and “hard wall surfaces” ) makes any conversation impossible unless shouted within inches of recipients ears. Bar staff often have to lean over counter to hear drink orders. This propensity towards “loud noise ambience ” has increased in recent years, and while it seems to have increased customer business, proprieter John Maginn is happily oblivious: ….perhaps until there’s a staff claim to Employment Tribunals in relation to their hearing impairment . I regularly check decibel levels on smartphone to find them verging on what audiologists regard as damaging. Working in such a continually noisy environment is potentially damaging.
So if you want a convivial environment avoid the Donard and go 250 yards across to the Percy French at entrance to Slieve Donard hotel: more expensive, but worth it.
Monica
Very rude barmaid, tried to get her attention, she was too busy chatting. Don’t bother with this bar. If you want good customer service
Mary mcerlane
Just to say. Massive thank you to the staff in the Donard Pub Newcastle. My special needs son left his iPad mini there five months ago and we never knew where he had Lost it. We went to Newcastle to watch the Air show, which was then cancelled due to weather conditions. However one of the staff recognised this and my son got his communications iPad back. So thank you again?
3 Reviews on “Donard Bar”
The heading here, ie ” a leisurely drink among friends ” is totally misleading. The main bar area is a very noisy invariably crowded area most weekends from 9pm, where any prospect of conversation is impossible. Certainly most weekends, a combination of background “musak” (mostly just indecipherable heavy bass stuff), extremely loud bands/groups playing mediocre cover songs in adjacent “tap-room” , 7 or 8 Tv’s, and lack of any acoustic sound absorbent surfaces, ( wood flooring and “hard wall surfaces” ) makes any conversation impossible unless shouted within inches of recipients ears. Bar staff often have to lean over counter to hear drink orders. This propensity towards “loud noise ambience ” has increased in recent years, and while it seems to have increased customer business, proprieter John Maginn is happily oblivious: ….perhaps until there’s a staff claim to Employment Tribunals in relation to their hearing impairment . I regularly check decibel levels on smartphone to find them verging on what audiologists regard as damaging. Working in such a continually noisy environment is potentially damaging.
So if you want a convivial environment avoid the Donard and go 250 yards across to the Percy French at entrance to Slieve Donard hotel: more expensive, but worth it.
Very rude barmaid, tried to get her attention, she was too busy chatting. Don’t bother with this bar. If you want good customer service
Just to say. Massive thank you to the staff in the Donard Pub Newcastle. My special needs son left his iPad mini there five months ago and we never knew where he had Lost it. We went to Newcastle to watch the Air show, which was then cancelled due to weather conditions. However one of the staff recognised this and my son got his communications iPad back. So thank you again?