Saville Square, Barnsley

Saville Square was the busiest of the 3 pubs we visited in Hoyland Common on Saturday. The crowd was mainly young and similar to the Keys along the road. In fact, I think we saw a few in both pubs. Not knowing whether to wait at the entrance to be seated or whether to simply to take a seat and to hope service comes along eventually, we waited a while before taking the nearest available table. There seemed to be a couple of ladies taking orders and delivering drinks, with a third member of staff (a young guy) dispensing the drinks behind the bar. We eventually managed to attract his attention and he came over to take our order. Both of the real ales were from Bradfield - Farmer's Bitter & Farmer's Euro 2020. We opted for the seasonal beer, which was nothing particularly special. With a very bland interior, this was my least favourite pub in Hoyland Common.

Not my sort of place, decorated as it is in the modern "someone's-front-room" style, with random patterned chairs and banquettes, and similar but equally random wall coverings and lamps in a determined rejection of the whole concept of taste. On the bar, in a similar statement, we had three beers that would normally have me making regretful noises and remembering another appointment elsewhere: Bradfield Farmers Pale, Wychwood Hobgoblin and Thornbridge Lumford. I went for the latter, in an attempt to overcome my prejudice against everything Thornbridge but failing again; at least it didn't have that sherbetty taste that I detect (and detest) in a lot of their beers. The service was friendly and good humoured (especially considering I had told her I wasn't going to like the beer!) and the beer was at least in good condition. It's not their fault I didn't like it.