The Duke, Westbury

A traditional 18th Century village pub with two bars at the front and a long restaurant area behind. It’s one of a small chain, Pub Leisure. There is a large car park at the side, from which you enter the garden via a gateway framed by two whale bones. The garden is mostly grassed, and it has plenty of benches and tables. Inside, the bars are cosier. There are comfy seats including a sofa, a couple of tables and a few barstools. The traditional look has been modernised by an electric fire by the chimney and a large TV screen, while the wooden floors seem to be a recent addition. The young female staff were very pleasant and welcoming. Two ales on, both from Plain Ales – Crafty One and Grafter, both in excellent condition. The keg range was Madri, Praha, Meantime IPA, Staropramen, Hofmeister Helles, Jute Session IPA and Two ciders from Aspalls. A real bonus was the availability of 14 boxed ciders. Food is a mix of enhanced, over-priced pub classics and gastro/restaurant dishes. I really liked it here and would definitely be happy to have this as my local.

This pub in the village of Bratton is not too far from the Westbury White Horse. I received a warm welcome from the 3 young barmaids. What looked like the landlady and a French chef were also in attendance, as the staff were gearing up for Sunday lunches in the summer heat. Just one other customer came in during my visit. There are 2 rooms, both with access to the bar. A smaller room to the left as you enter appears to be mainly for drinkers. The larger room looked more suited for diners. There are 3 handpulls in each room, with 2 real ales on - Twisted Gaucho & Plain Sheep Dip. My Gaucho was a decent start to my day in Wiltshire, as was the pub as a whole. This pub may not have made an appearance in the Good Beer Guide since 2004, but I'd recommend that the local CAMRA branch take a look!

The Duke At Bratton page at the Moles site - www.molesbrewery.com

Official site of The Duke At Bratton - www.thedukeatbratton.co.uk