White Hart, Boston

Official site of White Hart - www.whitehartsibsey.co.uk

Official site of White Hart - www.whitehartsibsey.co.uk

A great looking detached Bateman's pub and eatery with a patio area and a children's play area at the back. The pub looks Georgian, with its large regular sash windows above. The entrance at the front has a nice porch, the windows being in a similar style. The pub is cream rendered, with coffee paintwork. The interior has three rooms. The front area - housed in the old cottage part of the building - is now the restaurant area. It is in white walls and ceiling mainly, with a couple of red and white striped wallpapered walls. there is a half carpet and half wood floor, with a couple of brick fireplaces. The tables and chairs are smart - the chairs having Latin words on them. There are a few bistro pictures and brasses for interest. The middle area is an extension. It is in white (some painted brick) with a tile floor. It has a dart board, TV (not on) and lots of old photos on the walls. It too has a Latin - well this time a sofa, and bar stools. At the back there is a pool room. It is functional, with stacked seats and no pictures. It is in cream, with brown carpet. The service was friendly and there were a few locals in. Music came from the radio. I didn't eat here, so can't comment on that. Beer; usual tap stuff, with just the basic Bateman's XB on handpull, which was decent A nice place that has grown organically from the building at the front. It is a little modern for me, but has the pub games - sadly, just the one real ale was on - and that the basic XB. What is interesting to note, is that the pub has an amazing attraction for some. I don't normally comment on other reviewers, but Matt Waddell must have really like the pub on his visit. The 'experienced Landlord' must have sold the place to him that year, after but a few months in charge - and he and his (i assume, lovely) wife, Anne, went on to finish runner-up in the Bateman's tenant of the year 2011.

Situated on the main road north of Boston, the White Hart is, from the outside, a welcoming roadside tavern beckoning passing traffic to pull over for a pit stop. The interior has however been rather unsympathetically modernised and is a total contrast to what you would expect for a village local. The carpeted front area is now a games room with pool table taking pride of place whilst the main bar area towards the rear has a rather nasty tiled floor, ugly seating and modern art prints that would be more suited in a trendy town pub. The small plasma TV is rather inadequate and a badly positioned dart board would involve the removal of several tables if one were to have a game (although I believe there is another board in the pool room). With 6 people present at peak time on a Saturday and this being the only pub in the immediate vicinity, I would guess that the locals in this expanding village are not too enamoured with spending much time here. The beer is nothing to shout about with 3 of the 4 pumps either off or redundant (John Smiths the cask only bitter available) and the tendency here is to save on the washing up by not giving customers a fresh glass. No food. Bland piped radio. Not really much going for it at all. The best option if stopping here is a necessity is to enjoy the beer garden, should the weather permit.