The Stilton Cheese Inn, Melton Mowbray

Absolutely magnificent pub, housed in a 16th century building. Tucked away in rural Leicestershire, it’s an unashamedly traditional place stuck very much in the early 1980s, décor-wise - a nicely worn comfy country pub feel with brasses, taxidermy, hung plates, old whisky cases and dried hops on the beams. A pair of old toilet bowls repurposed as flowerpots made me smile as did the handpump dog water bowl. Interesting layout with a couple of rooms and long front-facer with a divide between it and the bar. A good range of ales on and I sampled a fair amount of them as I was being chauffeured, quality was easily GBG standard. (4, 2x 3.5, 3) from breweries such as Grainstore, Oakham, Wadworth, Castle Rock and Baker’s Dozen. Cider available in the form of Rosie’s Pig. Service behind the bar was friendly and engaging. Top-notch pub experience and it’s well-worth the effort to do this one. 9.5