The New Inn, Basingstoke

Community local not too far from Basingstoke town centre. The pub sits on a corner. It is quite lively with a raised area at one end with a pool table and a dartboard. There are a couple of large screen TVs. One was playing music. The other was being used to show photographs of a couple and their family. The couple having a party to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. A mixture of karaoke and live music is held on Wednesday, Friday & Saturday evenings. 2 cask ales were on - Otter Bitter & Wadworth Horizon. A third handpull had a clip turned. Beavertown Neck Oil was on keg. Ciders were Inch's & Orchard Thieves. This is also the kind of place were shots are popular, with offers in place for those buying multiple shots. Seating wraps around the bar from the games area to the rear where there was a seating area I didn't explore. Most of those from the party were there. So, it didn't feel appropriate to explore.

Located around a ten minute walk from the station, this is a rather basic boozer that seems to major on live sports coverage. The pub has a bare boarded main bar area with the servery along the rear wall. The bar has a modern tongue and groove counter front and modest bar back dominated by some centrally positioned blackboards detailing upcoming events. Banquette seating runs around the front and left perimeter walls, with chairs and low stools in support. Various old photos are on display, but the decor is dominated by corporate six nations bunting and flags, the latter hung from the bar canopy. To the far right, there's a raised games room with a pool table in the centre and a dartboard further back, although I'm not sure both can be played at the same time. Seating is very limited here, with benches in the rear corner the best bet. Additionally, the pub has a juke box and many TV screens which were showing a mix of horse racing and music videos. Various tunes were playing in the background, but they were no match for the very boisterous group of locals who were here early on a Saturday evening. I didn't hold out too much hope for any cask ale here, so was surprised to find Long Dog Red Runner available alongside two turned pump clips. It wasn't in sparkling condition, but it went down well enough and the lone barmaid was very friendly to an unfamiliar face. This is a pretty basic pub with the slightly unexpected bonus of providing an unusual cask ale option. I found the pub a little unexceptional for the most part, but it clearly serves the local community well and I was glad that I'd added it to my crawl, as it offered a different experience to other pubs I visited around town. Date of visit - 17th February 2024

Official site of The New Inn - www.newinnbasingstoke.co.uk

Official site of The New Inn - www.newinnbasingstoke.co.uk

Something a bit different for Basingrad, looked like a pool tournament going on when I was there, with a fairly raucous (but unthreatening) atmosphere. My ale was OK (think it was Courage). Found the music a bit loud, inside a bit dark…not my bag but can see it appealing to others. Impressive edifice from the outside, tiled and imposing.