Red Lion, Wimborne

This is a large pub in the historic centre of the village, with distinctly separate areas for diners and drinkers. You enter into a lobby area of sorts, with the bar straight through at the front of the building, and a dining area off to the right in the rear part of the pub. The bar runs along the back wall of the front room and has a wood panelled counter front with a pleasant bar back and a large red lion statue to one side, which I assume is a former external decoration, now brought indoors. There’s some simple bench and chair seating along the front wall, mainly formed into separate seating bays with lots of cushions in support and occupied by a mix of drinkers and diners on our Sunday lunchtime visit. The dining room has some smart modern floorboards throughout, half height tongue and groove wall panels with neutral shaded uppers and a nice brick fireplace to the left with a carved lion’s head in the mantle above. There are a few sofas and armchairs opposite the fire, but these soon give way to rows of tables and chairs down each side of the room, some with simple partitioning screens between them. Dark beams cross the ceiling and the walls are decorated with a mix of contemporary paintings, old maps and a few arty photos. A door to the rear left leads out to a decent sized beer garden with plenty of garden furniture and lots of greenery. We came here for their Sunday roast, but found they also had a very good looking daily menu, and the dining area was full-up as a result. My roast lamb was outstanding - a very generous portion with all the trimmings which made up for the usual disappointment you get at the bar in Hall and Woodhouse pubs, with only Badger Golden Champion and Fursty Ferret available. My pint of Ferret was in decent enough shape and I can’t fault the bar staff who were very friendly and didn’t complain when my Dad sent his pint of Golden Champion flying, requiring an extensive clean up. This is a decent enough village pub with excellent food and service that makes a visit to try some food a worthwhile prospect. However, the food-led nature of the place means drinkers will be confined to the fairly basic front bar, with only a couple of uninspiring Badger beers to get stuck into. This did a good job for a Sunday lunch, but I wouldn’t suggest going out of your way to visit otherwise.

The 18th Century building is that of a traditional village pub, sited on the main road through next to the village school and opposite the church, currently owned by Hall and Woodhouse. Once inside, however, it is apparent that successive modernisations and conversions have eradicated most of its charm. The majority of the original ground floor has been knocked through to form a single J-shaped bar with a flagged floor, brick fireplace and various cosmetic timbers. There is a wood-floored extension at the back which serves as a restaurant. The food looked rather dull, and the staff were rude, unhelpful and reluctant to serve customers who just wanted a beer. The majority of the customers were families with unruly children. There was only one ale on draft, First Call, which was in very good condition. The beer and quaintness are worth coming for, but this wasn't an enjoyable visit and is one I shan't be repeating in the near future.