Mitre Inn, Shaftesbury

Official site of Mitre Inn - www.themitredorset.co.uk

Official site of Mitre Inn - www.themitredorset.co.uk

Nice building in the high street with an impressive beer garden with fine views. Dont get many Youngs pubs in the Good Beer Guide but this is one (2024). That said, my Stone Daisey Park Bottom (the only non youngs beer on) was very poor.

This Young's pub was built in the mid 19th Century and is a former hotel. The high street frontage is inviting and impressive, leading to a parquet floored bar with an adjacent dining room. There is an open fireplace and a hint of old-worldliness about the place which makes it very welcoming. At the back there is a decked multi-level South-facing terrace which gives a fantastic view out across Blackmore Vale, which in turn makes it feel like a rural pub. The food is very well cooked and is a cut above the normal pub grub. Staff were welcoming and friendly, the clientele less so: a mix of ignorant locals and opinionated tourists was not a comfortable one. Four ales on, I had Waggledance which required patience as they had just changed the barrel and cleaned the pipes, but it was worth waiting for as it was in perfect condition, though possibly a little too cool. A GBG entry, this pub is a definite inclusion in a town crawl and a pub to which I intend to return to eat and drink.

Just spent the weekend in Shaftesbury and this was the best pub there (better than the bar at the Royal Chase Hotel anyway but, to be honest, that's not saying much). I tried the Youngs Bitter & Special plus a couple of guests, Bath Gem and St Austill Tribute, all in good nick, well served and not too expensive considering the touristy nature of Shaftesbury. I didn't eat here so can't comment on the food.