ReviewThe Cask Marque accreditation logo by the door is usually a very good sign, and it was here as well. There were three ales on - Doom Bar, Timothy Taylor Landlord (£4 a pint), and Artesian Pale Ale. According to the pump clip, the latter is made using Artesian water, whatever that is - water from Artois(?), or more probably drawn up from a deep Artesian well. This is not an extensive selection, but OK neveretheless. Food is available, and I suspect this is the pub's main business stream. They advertised weekday lunchtime specials for a fiver a time, and sandwiches are about the same price. Main courses are from £10 (for sausages & mash) up to £17.50 for the "rump of belted Galloway beef with confit garlic mash onion rings and kale". Must be a gastropub then. The sandwiches are toasted even though it doesn't say so on the menu; I was told that the bread they use doesn't work unless it's toasted(!). Toasting works OK for most sarnies but not for the sarny I ordered - hot tuna, hot cucumber and hot mayo tastes revolting as far as I'm concerned. But the service was good - when I picked up a menu a young lady came over to my table to outline the specials of the day, which I thought was nice of her.
This is essentially a single room pub, although there's a small area - "the snug" - at the back on the left with a handful of armchairs/sofas and with a shelving unit bearing a few books. The main bar area is bare-boarded in the way of these madeover places, and the furnishings are re-cycled dining room tables with standard chairs on the left, and tall tables/tall stools on the right. There's also a bit of picnic bench seating outside at the front. There's not a lot in the way of decor, it being somewhat minimalist in fact, but in one corner I spotted an old suitcase on the wall with a globe atlas sitting on top of it. A bit Antic-esque I thought. There were also a battery of electric circular fans on the ceiling (not needed to be on during a cool November day), as well as a mirror glitter ball, also thankfully not illuminated during my lunchtime visit. There was a TV on but muted; some low volume piped music playing, and I also saw a quiz night and free wi-fi advertised.
