The Turks Head, Retford

The Turks Head has a small L-shaped lounge to the left, which was empty, so I made my way into the main tartan carpeted bar area to the right where banquettes sit under the front window adjacent to a log fire on the right-hand wall. In the rear is a laminate floored area with a red banquette across the rear wall, a pool table and a ring, string and hook snag game that a young family were playing while a few locals sat chatting with the landlady at the counter to the left. The televisions were off, but there was some very low background music, so low in fact that I wondered why they bothered with it. Standard and premium keg was available alongside five hand pumps, four of which were in use drawing Hogsback TEA, Albion, TT Landlord and Adnams Ghost Ship. The barmaid was very confused when I asked for half a pint of TEA, I assume that it had only just gone on. This is a tidy and friendly local boozer, so I enjoyed my visit and will return if I find myself in this neck of the woods again.

An attractive pub with a stone lower floor and Brewers Tudor mock half timber above. The inside is equally pleasing with a lot of wooden panelling, decorative ceiling beams and a nice Arts & Crafts fireplace with a copper hood. There’s a screen above it which was thankfully off on my visit. A double front room split by an entrance vestibule and residual wall, the counter is within the space formed between the two rooms. A further area is found to the right of the servery and contains a little seating, a machine and a pool table. Banquette seating is found in the room corners and the other seating is largish leather arm chairs in a deco style. On the counter are five beer engines with a mixed bag of Landlord, 6X, Hobgoblin and Exmoor Gold which was a decent drink. The T-bar is tucked round the corner of the L shaped counter. Decor is a bit of brassware, a small collection of small Toby Jugs and signs. Definitely a nice pub, only gripe is the piped music.

A proper old-school town pub, with lots of wood panelling and an open fire, and featuring a lot of leather tub chairs. A rather old-school selection of cask ales also, including Wadworth's 6X, Old Speckled Hen, TT Landlord and Ghost Ship, with the only 'newcomer' Bradfield Belgian Blue, which was however waiting a line clean for a new barrel. No surprise then that the rest seemed well-kept. Lovely pub.

Facebook page of The Turks Head - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Turks Head - www.facebook.com