The Kings Arms, Lymington

Official site of The Kings Arms - www.craftunionpubs.com

Official site of The Kings Arms - www.craftunionpubs.com

A former coaching inn whose courtyard is now used to house idiots who can’t be trusted to drink inside. The two front rooms have been conjoined to form a single bar with two floor levels. It’s pretty much as described by Steve, below. Sadly on this occasion the atmosphere was marred by its being full of drunken idiots whose average IQ was about the same as the outside temperature at Christmas, many of whom were yelling unintelligibly at what appeared to be a football match on the multiple TV screens, like some post-apocalyptic youth club. Others were showing open belligerence towards us, clearly intolerant of strangers who just wanted a beer. Some better behaved individuals were entertaining themselves with the dartboard and gaming machines. There were three ales on draft, Proper Job, Brains SA an Doombar, all in suboptimal condition. Indeed, the Brains was undrinkable, badly-kept and over-chilled in a failed attempt to hide the corrupted flavours. Cheap and nasty cocktails were also on offer. There is nothing here that makes me want to return.

From the outside the Kings Arms looks very inviting so I was looking forward to finishing a recent Tuesday evening crawl in here. After over a minute trying to open the door using the large hooped handle someone unbolted it to inform me that the busy pub with live music was closed. Advertised opening is until 23:00 and I arrived before 22:30 so business must be grand if they are able to turn away paying customers.

This nice looking Enterprise Inns establishment at the top end of Lymington high street is a former coaching inn which allegedly dates from the reign of Charles II. Unfortunately the very attractive timber-framed gabled exterior with its projecting bay resting on carved lions is not matched by the interior, which although light and airy and comfortable with an assortment of chairs and settees is fairly plain and staid. However it does benefit from a very good enclosed external garden space at the back which is reached through the original coach entrance to the left of the pub. And if the copious amounts of advertising for upcoming sport, quiz nights and live music evenings was anything to go by, this is a very well run community pub. Unfortunately, on a cold January evening with a few bar flys in attendance on the stalls blocking the view of the fizz taps I probably didn’t see it at its best. And with just Doombar available for my visit I soon left it to the few locals. So not the most exciting of visits but I would guess this is a totally different place when there is a live band on.