Queens Arms, Salisbury

Clearly an old building as many are in Salisbury with a claim to date from 1558, perhaps parts of the building do but it is likely to have undergone some extensive rebuilding in my opinion. Once inside there is an L-shaped split level, carpeted room with the bar on the back wall opposite the entrance. A framed list of Salisbury's oldest pubs claims this to be one of the oldest, a claim I encountered in several pubs on the day, there is a low ceiling but the exposed brickwork I spotted was clearly not of great age. Seating was mostly of the regular type, these low ceilinged pubs do thwart the designers love of high tables, there were also a couple of rather tired sofas down one end. As well as the pub list décor included framed pictures of town, plates, brasses and copper pans, a hunting horn, a hologram of the pub at the end of the bar plus a few pump clips. Four handpumps, one unclipped, Piddle Cocky, Milk Street "The Usual" and Doom Bar. My Piddle was passable if not great. Food served, home made soups at £3.95 with bread, homemade Wiltshire pie, chips and veg £8.95. A recess had a case of second hand books, being sold with proceeds to Troop Aid. It wasn't a bad spot, nothing special but my visit was to kill a bit of time while I waited for The Rai d'Or opposite to open so I could get my (very late) lunch.

A bit of a desperation stop as the Rai D’Or was closed for refurbishment. Tidy-looking from the outside but interior is a bit dated, with basic dark wood furnishings and a planked wood wall. At least the carpet looked fairly new. A couple of ales on, I went for the unusual choice of Flacks which was awful, well past its best (judging by other reviews this seems to be a regular theme here, making a mockery of the exterior sign that calls its real ales ‘award-winning’). A plaque outside the entrance states that a pub on this premises was first licensed in 1558, perhaps that was when the Flacks was put on. Old grey TV from the 1990’s and well-worn dartboard provide entertainment. We didn’t feel comfortable in here and were happy to shove off.