Flying Fox, Heath & Reach, Woburn

An attractive, part thatched pub on the A5 just south of Milton Keynes, it is part of the Vintage Inns chain and thus whilst it’s nice enough it does have a slightly formulaic feel similar to most of their other establishments. The side of the pub away from the main road is in a no through road and has a few tables and chairs in the garden which is a pleasant spot. Inside it’s split in to a number of different areas, although they all flow through from one to the other rather than being entirely separate rooms. The emphasis is very much on food here, with most, if not all of the tables being laid up. As is often the case in such establishments, service at the bar could be painfully slow. When I arrived, there was another punter waiting and nobody around. After waiting for a couple of minutes I went off to find someone, and said I’d like to get a drink. Her immediate reply was to ask if I was eating; apparently if I was I had to have table service, I wasn’t allowed to order at the bar. That said, the staff all seemed pleasant enough. Décor wise, it’s all a bit generic and rather similar to their other pubs as I recall. That said, it does have a bit more character than some of the other chains that just look like hotel bars. There’s was plenty of “old” oak around, paintwork was a mixture of cream and maroon and the flooring was a mixture of carpet, wood strip and tiling. A few random drawings were on the wall and there was one old leather sofa to sit on if you weren’t eating. A small TV was mounted on one wall which seemed a little out of place, but this was not in use. Elsewhere were a couple of fruit machines. The menu was extensive as might be expected and should offer something to suit most tastes. Main courses were divided in to Classics which consisted of options such as Fish & Chips, Gammon & Chips, Hunter’s Chicken, Fish Cakes, etc., and these were mostly in the £8 - £10 range. There was also a Seasonal Favourites section which included Sea Bass, Pork Belly and Duck Breast. These were more expensive at £12 - £15 or so. My Fish Pie was a decent enough dish and a generous portion and came complete with a rather more interesting side salad than is usually the case including soya beans and pomegranate seeds among other things. Beers on tap were Ubu Purity and Adnams Southwold. Ciders were a slightly disappointing Strongbow and Aspall’s Suffolk.

Official pages of the Flying Fox, contains menus and cask ale details - www.vintageinn.co.uk

Official pages of the Flying Fox, contains menus and cask ale details - www.vintageinn.co.uk

The Flying Fox is well known in Woburn, Milton Keynes and across Buckinghamshire as a fine country pub. we are close to the city of Milton Keynes. There is always a warm welcome with roaring log fires, freshly prepared food, a good selection of real ales and a wine menu for you to choose from.