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Poll for date of Halifax crawl. with ROBCamra
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Bucking Fastard
Submitted on Monday, 14th September 2015
With picture contributions to 1482 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (3 more images)
Detail Pages
The Sheaf of Arrows, Dorchester
Melbury Osmond
Postal town: Dorchester
DT2 0NF
Served areas
Reviews of The Sheaf of Arrows (Average Rating: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Sheaf of Arrows
Previously The Rest and Welcome Inn, this roadside pub is well described by others, below. The car park and exterior areas remain scruffy, reminiscent of a Gypsy camp, not at all welcoming and giving the appearance of somewhere that is either closed or to be avoided. Once you do venture in, the modern décor is cheap and nasty, the pine ceilings and laminate floors particularly so, while the dartboard is just incongruous and therefore unused. Service is slow and grudging, probably because the owners live in Guildford and don’t really show much interest. Food is overblown pub grub, not particularly cheap, though bizarrely it does always seem to be busy in the evenings. Two ales on – Gold and Original from Butcombe. There are much better pubs just a few minutes’ drive away. Not worth getting into a quiver about.
On 15th November 2018
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3283 recommendations about 3248 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Rest & Welcome Inn
ORIGINAL REVIEW Nov 2015
Right on the busy A37,the pub feels isolated although there is a small hamlet a little way off.You enter into a small front room with a warming wood burner and a few traditional tables being used by diners on my Saturday evening visit.Beyond the modest bar up a step is a larger games room with pool table and darts,it's own bar access and a few more tables.There is exposed stone work,a low ceiling and a pubby atmosphere but the muzak was 60's pop being played a touch too loud.The three handpumps on the lower bar were clipped with a real cider,Lyme Regis Black Ven and Isle of Purbeck Studley Bay Wrecked,while the handpumps in the games room bar were unclipped although the guv'nor was getting a brew ready.The barmaid didnt pull the pints from the handpumps but disappeared to either the cellar or used two barrels on stillage at the back bar.Sadly the Black Ven was rather flat and watery,not bad enough to take back but not right either,and the Wrecked was indifferent,all a little surprising for a 2016 GBG entry.The large collection of pump clips attests to a constantly rotating ale policy but quality was lacking on my visit.
We didnt try the food and maybe this is a bigger draw,with a steak night on Thursday.Free pool on Tuesday and I failed to find the skittles alley out the back,so maybe there is a community feel to the pub sometimes.
I was underwhelmed and can't fathom the reason for a GBG listing but maybe the guv'nor is friendly with the local branch.Not on the list for a revisit for their ale,but their food may need investigating.
UPDATE
All change here after an aggressive refurb,which on my visit was still very much work in progress.A new building outside named Coach House Kitchen houses a visible kitchen.There is a new porch into the main room,all stripped out with a pine floor,pine furniture and a fitted bench under the front windows but with a wood burner and a large chalkboards describing the food offerings and noting the daily specials.The bar here is featureless ,so if you want to see what draught beers are on offer you have to go through the exposed stone doorway into the back lounge.This is similarly stripped out ,with lots of pine furniture ,a couple of sofas and some old photos on the walls,but little else by way of decoration apart from a fireplace.The bar sports two handpumps,thankfully Doom Bar was reversed leaving a decent Dartmoor Jail Ale.There are 10 wall mounted taps offering 5 ciders,4 lagers,a stout and an IPA from American sounding brewers,but I'm no expert on keg.A couple of bar stools were occupied by some early finishing tradesmen on my Friday afternoon visit.
The food is the main draw and was pretty good ,several specials around £10,menu mains varied between £10-£16 with lighter bite options.My trio of sausages and mash was enjoyable ,and the co owner chef enquired whether we enjoyed our meal.It was sufficiently good to warrant a revisit,but the pub has lost it's boozer vibe and until the interior has weathered in ,the shock of the new is quite overwhelming.It's possibly too trendy for this part of Dorset.The small beer garden has not been touched and is a mess,while the skittles alley remains but there was no sign of access to it from the pub.At least there has been an upgarde on ale quality compared with my last visit,when it had a GBG listing.
On 18th August 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brew Guru left this review about The Rest & Welcome Inn
Roadside pub on the A37 between Yeovil and Dorchester, it relies on passing trade. Hopefully the new managers Russ and Emma will suceed, the beer and food are good. The owner runs a very successfull pub in Bournemouth, this is a different kettle of fish I fear but so far so good. Definitely on the up and worth popping in if hungry / thirsty.
On 22nd August 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 116 recommendations about 101 pubs]
No known official website for this pub.
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Sheaf of Arrows - whatpub.com
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 22 August 2012 by hondo .
- Car Park : Yes last updated 16 November 2015 by Bucking Fastard
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 22 August 2012 by hondo .
- Darts : No last updated 18 August 2017 by Bucking Fastard
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 18 August 2017 by Bucking Fastard
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 22 August 2012 by hondo .
- Pool Table : No last updated 18 August 2017 by Bucking Fastard
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 22 August 2012 by hondo .
- Real Cider : No last updated 18 August 2017 by Bucking Fastard
