ReviewA fair sized pub divided in to a public bar at the front and an area more geared up for dining at the rear. There’s an old flagstone floor throughout, with the exception of a couple of raised, carpeted areas. There’s a few black timber beams about, and some wooden cladding on parts of the ceiling. The dining area right at the back has a wooden arched roof which is a nice feature. Old beer barrels feature prominently in the décor, with a number of them suspended from timbers, set in to the walls or simply used as tables.
The bar area has a pool table, fruit machine and a small TV perched up in a corner. This seems to attract a few locals. The dining area at the rear feels slightly plusher, although the large stainless steel carvery counter wastes a lot of space. This wasn’t in use on our visit, so is presumably reserved for Sunday lunchtimes. There was also a vertical display cabinet for the desserts which seems a bit 70’s.
Service at the bar was chaotic and disorganised. On both occasions I had to wait far longer than I should have. That said, the staff were friendly and helpful, and had the good grace to apologise for keeping me waiting which is more than you get in a lot of pubs. One lady in particular insisted on calling everyone “sweetheart” or “darling”.
There was an extensive choice of food on the menu, and a large specials board as well. Confusingly though, some of the specials were not actually specials at all as they were also printed on the main menu. Similarly the menu listed various dishes that were available as a “2 for £12” deal, and this too was also chalked up on a board. But again, the listing on the board didn’t quite correspond with what was printed on the menu, with some dishes being the same and others different. Food was very tasty and a generous portion, but seemed expensive. £12 for a bowl of pasta in a pub is a lot whichever way you look at it.
Beers on tap were GWB’s Maiden Voyage, Butcombe and Doom Bar. The latter two were served straight from barrels racked up behind the bar. Ciders were Blackthorn, Natch and Thatcher’s Gold.
