The Bell, Tadworth

This pub is signposted from the road, but still requires a fairly long trudge down a muddy, pot-holed, unsealed road to actually reach the place. It’s worth the effort though, as you’re rewarded with a very pleasant, two-bar local’s pub, which was doing a roaring trade on our late Sunday afternoon visit. The two bar set up sees a parquet floored public bar occupy the right-hand side of the pub and a carpeted lounge bar through to the left. The public bar has a few tables and chairs to the front, some low stools in front of a low brick fireplace on the right-hand wall, which was thankfully lit on a cold February afternoon, and some comfier armchairs and leather sofas in a wider space beyond the end of the bar at the back of the room. The bar has very nice panelled counter with an attractive gantry and dark wood bar back. The walls have lincrusta covering the first four-fifths, with plain painted upper sections. There’s plenty of traditional décor throughout, including various mirrors, paintings (including a notable collection of the ‘dogs playing pool’ variety), old photos, horse brasses along the ceiling lintel, old lampstands, trophies, earthenware, a ship in a bottle and high shelves full of copperware. There is also a dartboard on the back wall, albeit in a closed cabinet, a lit stove that helped make the room feel a bit cosier, and a large TV screen was showing live Six Nations rugby to a small but appreciative crowd. The left-hand room has a similar servery down the right side and plenty of comfy banquette seating around the rest of the perimeter, with regular chairs in support. Décor is also similar to that in the public bar, but the room was so busy, I was unable to have a good look around and take it all in. The pub is dog friendly and seemed very popular with dog walkers, including one whose mutt left a mosaic of incredibly muddy paw prints across the otherwise lovely parquet floor. There are three handpulls on the bar, but only two were being used, offering a choice of Fullers London Pride and Brakspear Bitter. After waiting a good while for someone to acknowledge us, we were eventually served by the friendly landlord, who dished up a fine pint of the Brakspear, which was enjoyed whilst thawing out in front of one of the fires. The lounge bar may have been particularly popular because of the free food that had been laid out on the bar counter on that side – the closest thing you’ll get to a meal here. This is a really nice pub with a good, warm atmosphere, two well-appointed bars and some well-kept ale. The rather uninspiring choices of cask beer are probably the only thing that prevents this from being a bit of a destination pub, but there’s a nice bit of drama to be had in trying to find the place, and a very pleasant, traditional pub experience to reward the effort.

Official site of the Bell, contains real ale details - www.thebell-therat.co.uk