Arrack, Dorking

Modern side street pub, in Good Beer Guide

Originally the Jolly Butchers, this is a smart side street pub, just a short diversion from Dorking's High Street, which has been given a sensible contemporary makeover. You enter into a bare boarded room with an island servery directly opposite. The pub appears to have had a two bar layout in the past, but partitioning walls have been removed, leaving the bar stranded in the centre of what is now essentially one large room. A good deal of smart seating runs around the perimeter of the pub including some comfy looking chairs on the right hand side and nice padded banquettes in the rear left section. The pub adopted its current guise as far back as 2010, but still retains the fresh feel of a pub that has undergone a recent refurbishment, with lots of new looking bits of decor dotted around the place and a fairly bright, airy colour scheme giving the place a swanky, contemporary vibe. For all this, the place still felt like a typical local's pub when we visited on a Friday evening, prior to a night at Dorking Beer Festival. Even at 18:00, the pub was surprisingly busy with very few seats available and plenty more customers crowded around the bar. To the left, a door leads through to what appears to be a modern extension housing a dining room with fancy new tables and chairs all set for formal dining but empty on this particular occasion. There were three ales on the bar when we arrived - Dark Star Hophead, Surrey Hills Shere Drop and one other from a local brewer that I forgot to note. The barmaid gave us a fairly friendly welcome and the Hophead was in pretty good shape, as you would expect from a pub that has made it into recent editions of the Good Beer Guide. This is a pretty decent example of how a failing traditional pub can be given a modern makeover and draw the crowds back again. Whilst the aesthetic wasn't really my cup of tea, I still found the place had a proper pub atmosphere thanks to a decent sized crowd and the well kept local beer makes the place worth seeking out if you want a quick pint or two in Dorking.

It seems odd that anyone would want to turn a back street former Ind Coope pub into this modern bar. Having said that, what do I know as there were quite a few people in on my Friday afternoon visit both inside and in the patio area outside. The interior has a polished wooden floor, is very modern and has an assortment of tables chairs and sofas. There is a sort of conservatory to the left leading to the patio. The bar has four hand pumps which had a Thatcher's cider, Hogs Back HBB, Dark Star Hophead and Surrey Hills Shere Drop. I went for the Shere Drop (£3.50) which was in very good condition. This isn't really my sort of place and I thought the beer choice was a bit regimented (all circa 4% bitters). Nevertheless it seems to be doing OK and I'm sure they won't miss me not making a repeat visit.

A strange mix of bar/bistro (interior) and pub (stoic 1930’s red brick exterior). GBG-listed, this is a relatively upmarket backstreet bar though the clientele are mixed. Enter to a modern, fairly characterless main bar area with an extension function/dining room to the left rear. Interior lighting dimmed with pinned billow sheets on some walls, very boho. Beyond is a tidy patio garden with modern willow tub seating. Four pumps with surprisingly eclectic local(ish) ales; Tillingbourne, Dark Star Hop Head (very good), Surrey Hills and a proper cider (rare for Dorking!). Didn't take to the venue but the beer choice and quality is undoubtedly good and so worth seeking out for that alone.

Formerly the curiously-named Arty P's (and JB's / the Jolly Butchers before that), the rather austere 1930's brick exterior now houses a surprisingly bright modernised interior. However, this gives the 'L'shaped bar a rather cool feel on a winter's day and the gas 'coal effect' fire offered little in the way of warmth. Decked area to one side. On the beer front, two of the three handpumps were on - offering Harveys and a decent pint of Dark Star Hophead (£3.15). Overall, the place has quite a relaxed feel and is worth looking for a short distance up a side road leading from the High Street if passing.