The New Inn, Axminster

Comprehensively described by others, below, this traditional village pub is sufficiently off the A35 that it hasn’t been spoiled by the tourist trade. It’s a Palmer’s pub so the ale range is limited though well kept. Palmer’s Dorset Gold, IPA and Bouncing Bomb plus First Press Cider were all on draught. The keg choices were Guinness, 1664, Carlsberg, Orchard Haze and Dorset Orchard Gold cider. Definitely worth a visit and a better choice than The Old Inn on the main road.

Whilst the New Inn in Kilmington is also thatched, similar to the Old Inn on the main road, the similarities stop there. The New Inn is tucked away down a narrow side street. It has a small bar area and a larger dining area on a slightly lower level. There is also a patio and large garden, with some undercover seating. It's a Palmer's pub that no longer appears in the 2022 Good Beer Guide. Nevertheless, it was my favourite pub of the day. Staff were friendly and the setting was wonderful. 3 of Palmer's ales were on - Dorset Gold, IPA & Tally Ho! Dorset Gold was my choice and it was good quality. As with most Palmer's pubs, they also had Dorset Orchards First Press cider on handpull. Opening times are limited here to lunchtimes 5 days a week (Wed-Sun) and evenings 6 days a week (not Sun). Without the pretentiousness of the nearby Old Inn, the New Inn is worth making the detour off the A35 for.

This charming thatched traditional pub is situated in the pleasant village of Kilmington, just a short distance from the busy A35. The pub is perhaps best known outside of the local area for being one of only six pubs to have appeared in every edition of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide, and this seemed like recommendation enough for us to pay a lunchtime visit when passing through the area on New Year's Eve. The pub has two entrances, signed Bar and Lounge, although they lead into opposite ends of what is now effectively the same room. The bar is to the left, on an higher level than the rest of the pub, with the short servery tucked in the front left corner, leaving enough room for a couple of small tables. A few locals were sat on bar stools along the far end of the bar, helpfully leaving the hand pumps clearly in view. Steps lead down into the main lounge/dining space which is carpeted and has two rows of seating running down the front and back of the room, including a few settles and a lot of standard tables and chairs set for diners. A large map of the Trafalgar Way - a route used to carry despatches detailing the Battle of Trafalgar from Falmouth to London - is hung above the settles, as apparently the route passes through the village. Elsewhere, a small shelving unit acts as partitioning and has a few odd items on it whilst the walls have been decorated with a lot of old paintings. A 1950's soundtrack played quietly throughout our stay and the pub apparently has a skittle alley, although I saw no evidence of one. Perhaps the pub's most impressive feat was its survival from a considerable fire in 2004, which has resulted in the construction of a modern toilet block at the far end of the building. The fact that the pub retained Good Beer Guide status during this period speaks volumes about the owner's commitment to good ale, so I was a little disappointed to subsequently learn that they had decided to retire from the business a few months prior to my visit. Three ales from the local Palmer's Brewery were available - Copper Ale, Best Bitter and Tally Ho - with a fourth pump unclipped, and my Copper Ale was in very good nick. However, the landlord was particularly unwelcoming when we arrived and we felt a bit like we were in the way throughout our stay. We visited for food and I had a chicken kiev and chips from the menu detailed on blackboards opposite the bar. I forgot to note how much it cost, but it was very good value and the portion size was huge. Unfortunately, the place seemed to be long overdue a good clean as the afternoon sunlight coming through the front windows highlighted a thick layer of dust on the tables, which was quite off-putting. I had high hopes for this place but came away a little disappointed, especially with the poor service and cleanliness. I would like to think that these were uncharacteristic niggles from the post-Christmas period, and to be fair, the food and drink was top draw. Apparently the previous owners timed their departure to allow the new incumbents the longest possible amount of time to get things in place for the next Good Beer Guide selection process - I'll be very interested to see whether they are able to make the grade.

The New Inn is an attractive white washed country pub with a thatched roof located in the village of Kilmington, just off the main A35. It's a long room with a small bar area at the front which leads through to a larger food orientated area. A basic lunchtime menu is offered, with a more substantial evening menu. The pub is cosy and comfortably furnished throughout and traditionally decorated. Note in particular, the large Trafalgar Way framed print showing the route from Falmouth to the Admiralty in London that a messenger took in 1805 to announce Nelson's death. We learn that the journey took 37 hours and passed by the village of Kilmington. A large pleasant grassy garden contains several willow trees and a bird aviary. It's a Palmers pub, but it's not badged externally as such, although we do see an old enamel sign by the entrance advertising the delights of "Palmers High Class Mineral Waters". The pub is one of only a handful to have been in every edition to date of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and the plaques denoting 25,30 and 35 consecutive years are displayed just inside the entrance. A few GBG stickers are in the windows - I suppose there isn't room for all 37 !. I was informed that the current landlord, Brian, has been in situ for nearly 20 of those 37 years. On my recent lunchtime visit, a decent ploughman's lunch was enjoyed, along with good pints of Copper Ale and Best Bitter at £ 2.65p and £ 2.80p respectively. A third, stronger beer, Dorset Ale, was on. This is an attractive Devon village pub, well worth a detour.