The Cricketers, Dorking

Official site of The Cricketers - www.cricketersdorking.co.uk

Official site of The Cricketers - www.cricketersdorking.co.uk

Half way up South Street, little more than a stone’s throw from The Queens Head, is The Cricketers. It’s smaller inside than you might reasonably expect from the rather substantial looking building you see from the outside. The L shaped bar features much exposed brickwork throughout, leaded frosted windows and a high ceiling. It is accessed through a door with etched glass denoting “Private Bar”, indicating that it was formerly a multi room pub. Just inside the door, there’s a large impressive mirror depicting a cricketer and, continuing the theme, there’s two framed autographed cricket bats near the TV in the far corner of the bar. It’s a comfortable, carpeted interior with mainly traditional seating. At the back of the pub is an attractive split level walled garden where beer festivals are occasionally held and the spindled bar gantry displays a fine collection of pump clips showing beers that have been served. It’s a Fullers tenancy which has been a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular in recent years. On my visit, Hobgoblin was supplementing the usual Fullers range. Probably one of the better pubs in Dorking, but, unless it was a sunny day and there was a beer festival on, I doubt that I’d make any real effort to revisit

I liked the unusual feel of this pub, it certainly felt it was kept in condition from many moons ago. Plus its a Fullers pub so thats a bonus.

Popped in after walking in the Surrey Hills. Surprised to find it so quiet on a Bank Holiday afternoon, but we found it welcoming and the Fullers beers of good quality. Beer mats and pump clips from other breweries abound, so it's clear that they can go off-tie from time to time. We didn't play any of the board games stacked to one side; just drank up and planned our next move.

I liked this pub immediately on entering, it has that feel of a real local, yet welcoming to all. My initial impressions were then further enhanced when I realised I'd stumbled unaware on a beer festival with 14 beers on in the rear garden up a flight of stairs. By the time I realised this I'd already bought myself a pint of ESB, but it mean't that my Dorking crawl was curtailed and I stayed for a couple more of Castle Rock "Kiss Me Kate" and Dorking Brewery Red India Ale. The pub itself is a single L-shaped room which still retains the original Private and Public Bar doors although nowadays there is seating across the Public Bar door. Exposed brick walls, leaded windows, the cricket theme maintained throughout with photos, drawings and a large etched mirror of a batsman mid-stroke. There are stacks of beermats and pump clips over the bar from previous festivals. Mostly traditional seating at benches and standard chairs but there are a couple of high tables. A window cill holds a library of paperbacks, there are a selection of board games on the TV shelf and there is a useable dartboard. A chalkboard had a list of sandwich and toastie options and this is the first pub I've been in that serves cream teas. Fullers beers, Pride, Chiswick and ESB plus festival brew Taylors Landlord were on the bar. Comfortable, clean and tidy, the landlord was friendly and welcoming, first rate.