Gladstone Arms, Chippenham

Whilst I didn't concur with Quinno for my previous review, I do with this one. The Gladstone Arms looks quite imposing and upmarket from the outside. I turned right on entering into a small bar area. I recall the dining area being signed to the left. The bar area looked distinctively unwelcoming and garish. Some rather loud unidentifiable music also made it a room I wanted to steer clear of. Exiting the room to the rear, I found myself in a small corridor heading left to the dining area and right to the toilets and what looked like a small yard with tables. Walking through the yard, I eventually came to a reasonable sized garden which is where most of the fairly young clientele were drinking. A female vocalist and female guitarist were about to start a session, whilst a couple of kids were running amok. I completed my tour of the pub by walking through the "dining area", which felt a bit more like a proper bar than the other room. Although a few people were just finishing meals there. A thoroughly disappointing visit. The real ales are still Tribute & Doom Bar.

Traditional-looking, stone-built pub with a central entrance door branching left and right to the restaurant and lounge respectively. However, once inside the latter, you get a real surprise since it has been given a very upmarket canteen-style makeover with four large tables and lightish decor featuring Andy Warhol prints. The dining side has been similarly transformed into a smart modern space, and there is a rear beer garden and a covered patio to one side. Doom Bar and Tribute (£4.10) available from two of three handpumps on each counter. The transformation certainly won't appeal to all, especially with the background jazz music, but it is quite well done in its own way.