Berkeley Arms Hotel, Berkeley

The revolving doors at the entrance of the Berkeley Arms Hotel lead to a foyer where the toilets, including disabled, can be found. To the left and right of the entrance by the front windows are a dining area and lounge. The bar to the rear right is split in two with seating at the front that was popular with dining hotel guests during my recent Tuesday lunchtime visit. The rear bar, which is accessed by walking out of the back door in the foyer, had only one customer who was sitting at the bar. Labelled as a sports bar I got the feeling that this rear bar is used by locals as an actual pub rather than a hotel bar. There is a plasma screen that was showing muted Asia Cup football. At the rear is another room that houses a second plasma screen, a dartboard, a fruit machine and a very long table with seating. Nobody was utilising this space during my visit. Along the side of the bar are some covered picnic tables and there are some more picnic tables by a grass covered area the other side of the car park at the rear. The menu at the bar consisted of standard pub food which was reasonably priced. A limited standard draught selection is available from the bar and the four hand pumps were drawing Tribute, Butcombe Gold, Adam Henson’s Rare Breed and Ashton Still cider. I found the overworked young barman to be very polite and helpful. I found this place to be relaxing and I would gladly return for a few more lunchtime beers. I will mention that there is some sort of mobile signal blocking device in operation so I wouldn’t agree to meet anyone here who is unreliable.