Thistle Brands Hatch, Dartford

Advantages: Great food, pleasant location, children welcome
Disadvantages: Baby changing facilities are pathetic and the prices are over the top.

...The Hatch Family Restaurant and Public House DIRECTIONS AND DETAILS : Situated on Greywell Road, just off London Road, Old Basing, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 7JL. Tel: 01256 473077 e-mail hatch.2111@thespiritgroup.com www.pub-explorer.com/hampshire/pub/hatcholdbasing From the M3 coming from London, take the junction marked 6 for Basingstoke / Southampton. Just off the A30, follow the road round until you come to a large roundabout, from this point turn right into Old Basing. The Hatch is sign posted with a small square sign if you are approaching from Basingstoke town centre. London Road is the main road off the motorway and leads you through to Old Basing. Keep going straight for about two miles and The Hatch is on the right hand side of the dual carriageway. There is a large VW dealership on the opposite... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Great facilities, excellent view of the circuit, great corners for real nail biting action
Disadvantages: The car parking is terrible and be prepared to queue for a long time to get out

...the car park and I was less than 100m from the road. I was boxed in and could not move my car for the first hour. Although this is most frustrating and at the time you get really annoyed, it is all part of the race day experience. Once on the road the traffic is usually backed up to the M25. I live in Norfolk and have to go under the Dartford Tunnel in order to get home and I usually find that the roads are busy right up to Dartford. I cannot comment on if it is the same going the other way around the M25. Conclusion Brands Hatch is my favourite circuit and it is a real treat going there. Ever since I saw Giancarlo Falapa ride the Ducati 888 Strada to victory in the monsoon conditions in the World Superbike Championship of 1993 I was hooked on the place. The atmosphere is electric and second to none and the fact that it... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Overtaking chances.
Disadvantages: Slightly bumpy.

...The Germans seem to have a monoploy in recent years on staging the European Grand Prix, namely at the Nurburgring. This circuit was great in the days of Fangio et al, when it was much longer than today. Nowadays it is a mere shadow of it's former glory and should be dropped as host of such a prestigious event. Brands Hatch on the other hand is an excellent cicuit, having top class facilities which have recently been upgraded. It has some good overtaking spots (unlike Nurburgring) such as into Druids (a tight hairpin). The only drawback is the track is quite narrow in places, and it does also need resurfacing (at least it did when I last saw it). Having a location as near to London as it does, it would guarantee a large crowd for any F1 event which was staged there, this would undoubtedly please FIA who want to attract new... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful