Stag Hotel, Banchory

One of 3 pubs clustered together on this stretch of the High Street, the Stag’s frontage is a strange affair, partly weatherboarded and partly brick with an odd shaped Mock Tudor add on giving it a rather unusual appearance. The deceptive interior is a mix of old and new with exposed stone walls, some with white textured paintwork, a modern brick bar and a host of twists and turns that lead to a number of small alcoves and semi-open rooms giving it quite an intimate feel. There are a few local angling photos on disply (the River Dee is just down the road and this is very much Salmon fishing territory) and also a couple of open brick fires. To the rear is a larger, beamed, open plan extension containing a pool table, dart board, a few TV’s and stage area for DJ’s, karaoke etc. Not the greatest selection of beers with just the one ale, a decent enough Deeside Nechtan on my visit which at £2.55 a pint was very reasonable (and at least 50p cheaper than the Douglas Arms a couple of doors down). Whilst it wasn’t over welcoming and the locals weren’t exactly the engaging types, I wasn’t particularly uncomfortable sitting there watching the World Cup footy with the predominantly young customer base. Reasonably priced accomodation is also available if you don’t want to stagger too far after a few pints and if you can drink up an appetite, Francos Italian restaurant next door is also part of the Hotel business and does some of the biggest pizzas on the planet. Not a place to go out of the way for but fine for a couple of pints and a pizza in conjunction with a swift couple in the other nearby pubs. Evening sorted!

Official site of the Stag Hotel - www.thestaghotelbanchory.co.uk

Official site of the Stag Hotel - www.thestaghotelbanchory.co.uk