As a frequent explorer of one too many pubs around Belfast, I seem to have gathered some degree of experience in spending time there. During my four years at Queen's, The Globe has become one of the places I have frequented most often, and has also been one of the most increasingly depressing places to go.

Positives:

A delicious lunch with a drink for £5 is not something to be scoffed at by the student population. This is an excellent offer and one of the best, and most influentially, cheapest lunchtime dining experiences to be had in the Queen's area. The burgers, lasagne and sausage and mash are all of proper pub grub standard. The portions are exceptionally good value for money. My personal favourite, the Mexican Chicken Wrap, has gently spiced chicken wrapped with lettuce in a flour tortilla and flavoured with sweet chili/mayonaise on top, served with a hefty portion of home made chips. It's a lot of food (many a time, I have had to run to class on the top floor of the PFC with a very full stomach which was not a happy experience) and when it is good, it is excellent.

The cocktail list is adequate if not a little unimaginative. They have some good weekly offers on jugs (Appletini, for example, was £7 for a large jug) and the atmosphere is always an interesting mix between students in a rush for class, and older people lounging at the bar. The staff are usually pleasant and friendly, although in my last visits I have noticed there is a greater turn over and a lot of the new staff are not as good as the older staff.

Negatives:

When it is bad, it is seriously bad. The food takes a very long time to come out, the staff take a long time to take the order, and the food can be of very bad quality. The chicken can be extremely overcooked, dry and tastless. The burgers; sloppy presentation and, more often than not, not available. The lasgane can be dry and taste like cardboard. Obviously, this is a serious problem, to the extent that the place is no longer somewhere I would consider visiting unless there is a serious revamp of the food and service.

This is not a place I would even consider visiting on a night out unless I have been there from lunch time. It is empty, dark and dreary with very little to appeal to a more active crowd.

Overall:

A place I have spent many a happy time here enjoying the cheap offers, and the food when it is good, is very good. It has gone seriously downhill in recent months and I really hope that it picks up because it would be a shame to see such a popular student haunt facing closure.