The Broad Face, Abingdon

Facebook page of The Broad Face - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Broad Face - www.facebook.com

Broad Face is an L-shaped pub with bar area to the right and seating to the left that runs from the front to the rear. The left side feels more like a dining area, so I stayed in the bar where the bar counter on the rear wall faces six or so tables. It wouldn’t take that many people to make this area very cosy. Premium keg is available and eight handpumps line the bar. These were drawing St Austell’s Proper Job, Kent Brewery’s Sunset, Hop Kettle Brewery’s C.O.B., Vale Best’s IPA, Adnams Ghost Ship, Greene King’s Old Speckled Hen, Chadlington’s Oxford Booooooo and Buntingford Brewery’s Oatmeal Stout that set me back £2.40 for a half. The service was polite, and I enjoyed the stout, but even though there was a good ale choice I’m not sure I could stay in here for an extended period.

Just a short distance from the Thames, this is a rather upmarket pub that looks on approach like it will be mainly geared up for diners, but in reality is quite a pleasant spot for a drink. The pub appears to occupy two adjacent premises that have been knocked through to a degree. You enter into the smaller right-hand side which has exposed floorboards, low wood panelled walls with dark paint of white tiles above, and a servery along the rear wall. The bar has a beige panelled counter front broken by a white tiled pillar midway along its length, with the pub’s logo on it, all fronting a rather plain modern bar back. This space is definitely the side favoured by drinkers, offering some decent chairs and plush leather button backed banquettes throughout, making it quite a comfy space to relax over a pint or two. The walls have been decorated with some fancy mirrors, shelving units and paintings, all of which help make the place feel a bit more pub-like. Moving through to the left-hand side of the pub, the bar turns ninety degrees in order to run towards the rear of this extended room. There are some lovely bench booths under the front windows and tables and chairs in the centre of the room, although these were soon removed to make way for a DJ who was gearing up for the evening’s New Years Eve celebrations. The walls are bare brick above low wood panels, but as the room runs to the rear, this soon gives way to a large mirrored wall with another plush banquette running beneath it. A loungey, chilled soundtrack was playing away in the background, but this was about to be switched off in favour of the eager DJ. I was a bit sceptical about the prospect of finding any decent beer here, but there were five handpulls in operation, dispensing Butcombe Original and Chris Moose, Eagle IPA, Morland Old Golden Hen and Thornbridge Market Porter. Friendly staff served up a tasty pint of the Market Porter which was in fine shape, befitting of the pub’s inclusion in the latest Good Beer Guide. This was definitely a great success in terms of exceeding expectations, with a pleasant lounge bar offering comfortable seating to enjoy a few beers from a hit-and-miss range of admittedly well-kept beers. The friendly service and nice ambiance would definitely encourage me to return again and I would suggest this is well worth taking a look at when in town.