Inside the 22, Rugby

Thuck Phat left this review about Inside the 22

This is not a pub.
The external signage lists: Bar, Coffee, Live Music. Quite correctly there is no mention of pub.
This, and the lack of anything I wanted to drink on passing, is why I hadn't added it but as it's here....
The premises was a shop for many years until a year or two ago when an enterprising soul decided to convert it to hospitality but the origins are clear with floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the pavement.
The long bar is to the left on entry with a stage at the far end of the room which was set up with instruments on my early Saturday lunchtime visit. The remainder of the space is a wood floor with predominantly tall wood tables and teal upholstered metal stools.
There is also an upstairs room which I didn't visit and didn't need to as only a couple of tables were occupied.
The two staff were young, friendly and charming and the tables all have extensive menus.
Three handpumps displayed just one clip showing Ringwood Razor Back at £3.50 a pint. All is not quite lost as the wide array of keg taps included Beavertown Neck Oil and Lunar Haze and Hobgoblin alongside the usual contenders such as Estrella, Erdinger, Carlsberg and Guinness. There is a wide range of other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks available from cocktails to a wide ranging coffee menu.
The menus lists rugby, the game not the place, themed brunch and lunch options with a full English priced at £10.75.
I try to visit places where I'm likely to find a decent beer so I had a very good Cortado coffee here.
Rugby has many fewer drinking establishments than in previous years so a new, or relatively new, opening is to be welcomed but I'm old and I like beer so I'll stick to my usual tried and tested haunts but I'd happily pop in for the friendly welcome, a coffee and perhaps something to eat.

On 26^th November 2023 - rating: 5
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