The Chough, Salisbury

The pub is now no longer a Hidden house, due to problems at the Brewery. It has been taken over by Gusto, and on my last visit had begun to return to its former glory, with the internal layout and decor stayign ptretty mush as it has been for years. Food is available once again, and the beer range has broadened. This time I had a pint of Bombardier which was well kept and enjoyable. The clientele hasn't changed too although the chav element has diminished slightly. The Chough is once again a decent venue, worth including on a crawl or dropping in for a pint when in town.

It appears this is one Hidden brewery's pubs, there's an entrance off the Market Place through a courtyard often littered with suits and rugby types although there is a more pub like door on Castle Street. The building appears to be an amalgam of at least two buildings with the courtyard, which is partially covered in at one end, between them. The Castle St side looks like an old pub and is labelled the Tap Room, the other side is a modernistic multi level dining area with lots of wood and exposed brick, furnished with sofas as well as chairs and tables. Odd bits of corn milling related equipment form part of the experience. The cask beer from Hidden is usually good, although filling the glass anywhere near the top is rare; there is a mundane range of kegs arranged on a pretty horseshoe shaped thing plus more unusual Grolsh Blonde and Weizen. Mixed clientele ranging from middle aged jazz fans waiting for the regular live music to start, middle class diners, bellicose chavs bellowing into mobiles and the odd member of the Wiltshire pixie folk lost on the way to the new age. Food is obviously a major part of the business.