The Alice Lisle, Ringwood

A Fullers pub in an impressive country house in an idyllic setting on the edge of the New Forest. There is a large car park and a good sized garden which includes a children’s adventure playground. The interior consists of a restaurant area, which extends into a large conservatory extension, and a two-room bar with a mix of flagstone and wooden flooring and a homely open fireplace. The restaurant menu is also available on the bar alongside daily changing specials. The food we had was poorly microwaved, apart from the bread which was stale, while some of the ingredients were quite unidentifiable as human foodstuff – overpriced slop representing poor value for money. Dogs are permitted in the bar area, and water is provided for them. The staff were pleasant, although clearly the kitchen staff are not the best. Customers were a mix of dog walkers, who were mainly quite decent, and overly-permissive families whose children thought the play area extends inside. Four ales on, all from Fullers. I had a pint of faux-HSB which was as good as you could expect. OK for a swift pint while walking or cycling past, but I wouldn’t eat here again.

This large Fuller’s run country inn takes its name from a local nearby dame who was controversially sentenced to death by Hanging Judge Jeffrey’s for harbouring fugitives during the Monmouth rebellion. Set back from the road, and located on a green, it is ideally situated on the edge of the New Forest National Park and backs onto the Blashford Lakes nature reserve and benefits from an excellent garden area outback which overlooks the lakes. Although clearly focussed on food with a large dining room and conservatory with its own bar serving area, there is a separate bar only area with much more of a pub atmosphere. Both bars support three hand pumps which were dispensing Fuller's London Pride and the former Gales Seafarers and HSB. As well as trying all three we gave the pub the full tour by having the first pint in the garden in the sunshine, the second with the meal in the conservatory restaurant, and then the third up the bar in the pub section This is a popular country pub, especially for walkers and cyclists, and rightly so on the evidence of our visit.

Official site of Fullers Brewery, owners of The Alice Lisle - www.fullers.co.uk

Official site of Fullers Brewery, owners of The Alice Lisle - www.fullers.co.uk