Malt Shovel, Bridgwater

Official site of Malt Shovel - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

Official site of Malt Shovel - www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk

A large Victorian town pub on the main road West, currently owned by Greene King. There is a scruffy car park adjacent to the main road, and a small sloping garden with benches and children’s play apparatus. There is a large outbuilding at the end of the car park which may once have been a skittle alley. Inside, the ground floor has been knocked through to form a single large bar, one end of which is a raised platform hosting a pool table, dart board and several large TV screens which were showing live sports. The main part of the bar is rather featureless, except that there are TV screens here too. There are various football memorabilia around the walls, but it stops short of being a sports bar. Food is the standard GK fare, and they offer takeaways too. Two ales on draft, GK IPA and Abbott, both in average condition. The welcome was a bit frosty and officious, but the staff became friendly thereafter, and it’s probably a half-decent local in normal times.