Methuen Arms, Corsham

Large hotel with a bar and restaurant operating on the ground floor, all off a long central corridor which links the two far-flung entrances – quite characterful. Contemporary upmarket vibe, with the dreaded green mush colour scheme much in evidence and it's all a bit catalogue. Piped music via early 60s Americana. The main bar actually serves two rooms either side. Classic half-arsed point of sale fail as there are pumps either side of the servery but one of them had two clipped pumps whereas the other had three on, so cheerio 50% of sales there on the third cask beer. I went for the two-sided Butcombe Original was fair (NBSS 2.5). A landlord who was interested in his cask could turn this into a neat destination venue.

A busy hotel which feels grander than some of its clientele who may have drifted in erroneously tempted by the first part of the name. The building is impressive, and the dining rooms are pleasant and smart. The bar has two sides, and it was quite busy when we visited. Three ales on, all from Butcombe. I had Rare Breed which was in excellent condition, though it was overpriced for the area. The paved courtyard garden was covered and had plenty of seating, and sheepskin rugs were provided to make the garden chairs a bit more comfortable. Staff were helpful and professional, and overall this was a really enjoyable visit which I hope to repeat.

Official site of Methuen Arms Hotel - www.themethuenarms.com

Official site of Methuen Arms Hotel - www.themethuenarms.com