The Star, Dorking

Quite a nice little pub at the end of the shops, with an impressive exterior which faces the traffic coming in from the west. Just the one room with motley furnishings, some painted woodwork and a few nice etched windows. It's not huge so goodness knows where they put the band, and be careful of the spiral stairs up to the toilets! Don't be put off by the branding - it does a good job of pretending not to be a GK pub, with Pilgrim Surrey, Crafty Loxley Biscuit and a token Hardy's and Hanson's on cask. A good pub feel.

The Star is a Greene King pub on a constantly busy corner, though that doesn't stop the regulars nabbing the tables outside on a sunny afternoon. The brewery has relaxed the tie, so the 2 clipped pumps offer Dorking DB One and Pilgrim Original Pale; the third being out of action on my visit. There's no surprises on the kegs. Despite the constant traffic, I can see the attraction of outside, as its all a bit basic inside - well-worn wooden floor boards, with an equally scuffed wooden bar. There's a few dark corners in here too. The Pilgrim was fine, so I'd consider a return some time.

A single room pub, fairly traditional with wooden floor and mixed comfortable seating, the walls for the main part were wallpapered with old dorking newspapers which I'm sure would make for interesting reading should you have time. There was easy listening background music at an unobtrusive level, the service was friendly.I wasn't as lucky as previous reviewers with the beer choice , GK IPA and a GK derived collaboration between Orkney brewery and Belhaven,the resultant beer, Kittiwake was predictably ordinary, a third handle had Rosie's Pig Cider on offer. Beer aside I found this to be a nice relaxing pub and would happily try it again, but Cobbetts being just over the road makes it less likely.

This certainly is a rather quirky place, on arrival the door was closed, another punter was waiting outside. Presently the door opened slightly and a bloke dressed and made up like a pantomime dame advised that the doors would be open again in two minutes, some sort of filming was going on. Once normality resumed and access was gained, there is a small L-shaped interior with a boarded floor, raised at the far end with what looks to double up as a stage judging by the speakers and lighting rig. Etched windows have the pub name inscribed, décor includes Bakelite radios and a 30s looking TV set, there is a shelf containing well thumbed books and a few board games and a piano sits on the side wall. The possibility of bringing in your own takeaway food is reinforced by a holder on a cill containing various takeaway menus. Regular seating with a couple of pew style benches. Signed externally as a GK pub, there were however better options. Three handpumps offered GK Olde Trip, Thornbridge Wild Swan and Robinson's Trooper. The Wild Swan was first rate. The toilets were up a steep and winding stair with a confusing tread pattern, care is needed, strangely the toilet door was wedged open leaving any urinal activity on full view to the clearly domestic parts of the pub adjoining. The panto dame and cohorts were in the room at the end editing their production. The pub seems to be gay friendly but it doesn't seem to be an exclusively gay pub, the clientele were from all walks of life; despite the unusual aspects of my visit I enjoyed my brief stop here and would visit again.