Winchester Gate, Salisbury

Official site of Winchester Gate - thewinchestergate.com

Dating from the 16th century in some form, to become a pub in 1732 called the Green Dragon (the snug area), the London Road Tavern from 1873 and the Winchester Gate since 1974. Recognised by the Arts Council England, this is Salisbury’s only live music and arts pub according to their website, and a bit of a trek from the city centre. The interior is more functional than cosy, with multiple music flyers, the Artex then the cotton wool ceiling bizarre and perhaps a potential fire hazard. There were four casks on, my Dark Revolution So.LA nice, served by a charming and engaging landlady. Unless I were making a trip to see a gig, I couldn’t envisage a return visit, but the landlady gets the score up.

Official site of Winchester Gate - thewinchestergate.com

The Winchester Gate, that’s Winni to the locals, is very much a live music venue with a bar area to the left where a serving counter across the rear wall supports four hand pumps that were drawing Dark Star’s Hophead and Full Circle’s Pale alongside So.La and Reboot from Dark Revolution Brewery. Stan’s Cheddar Valley and Seacider were available from boxes piled on the back bar and premium keg was available as well as Greene King’s Level Head and Hazy Day. I popped my head into the live music area with stage to the left, but I didn’t have a proper nose around because we were the only people in on a recent Friday afternoon. I’m not a live music fan so I doubt I’ll ever return, but I will mention that the lady that served us seemed very friendly.

Old pub, once called the London Road Inn and listed at Grade II* still under that name, and now mostly a music venue. Only had time to look the bar area, but there are several other rooms behind the black-and-white facade in use for events. Four cask ales on handpump: Dark Star Hophead, Full Circle's Pale and a pair from the local Dark Revolution (So.LA and Reboot).

One of three pubs slightly out of town on, or in this case, the wrong side of the A36. This one is worth a venture if you are into live music as the pub actually has three stages in total and puts on a varied program of live gigs. I was slightly disappointed that I wasn’t staying in town and could return later to watch the Thin Lizzy tribute band that was playing that evening. The pub is not much to look at both externally and internally but unusual for live music venues does provide a decent ale selection and had four ales as described below on for our visit and I went for the Greene King Full Circle Pale, which wasn’t too bad for a Greedy King brew. If I lived in Salisbury I would only venture out here when there was an act on I fancied seeing, as there are a lot better pubby pubs in the town centre.