The Folly Inn, Faringdon

A Victorian stone terraced house, the pub has recently been completely refurbished inside. The two front rooms have been knocked through t form a single bar, and the décor is entirely modern. It still has the feel of a local pub, though, with a fire burning at one end and a limited selection of seating, meaning people tend to Stand Up and talk to each other. Two ales on, Brakspears Bitter is the house beer while the other pump carries a regularly changing guest. On this occasion it was Animal Brewery's Heron, which was in excellent condition. An essential part of a Faringdon crawl, well worth a visit for its beer and conviviality.

The Folly is a small pub that takes its name from the nearby Farringdon Folly tower. It’s a proper traditional but fairly basic locals pub, at the top of London Street as you walk down into Faringdon. It's quite small inside with what looks like the original two room layout still in operation, a small public bar dominated by a huge flat screen TV and then a more cosy lounge bar. Was the first port of call as we strolled into town on the Saturday evening and it was quite packed with what looked like some escapees from a wedding reception in one of the nearby hotels, although it doesn’t take too many in here to make it packed. Two ale pumps on the bar but only one in operation for our visit. But it was a very passable pint of Brakspear Bitter