The Parish Pump, Weston Super Mare

Very much as described by Blackthorn, this rather unattractive-looking modern building houses a pleasant surprise. The garden is rather dull – a small grassed area, partially fenced to screen it from the road, and containing wooden benches, tables and children's play apparatus. There is plenty of parking here, shared with other businesses on the retail park. TV screens have appeared since Blackthorn's visit; these were showing live sports matches but were not overwhelming. It seems like a decent local, welcoming and friendly. The staff were engaging, the regulars accepting. There were 4 handpumps on the bar, but only one was working, dispensing Butcombe's Original which was in very good condition. Food was freshly cooked and reasonably priced pub grub. In terms of ambience and beer quality it's one of the better pubs in the area and I'd be happy to drop in for a swift one when I'm back here.

A modern, purpose built pub in the corner of a retail centre’s car park, first impressions might suggest a bland and characterless chain pub and whilst this may be true to an extent the beer choice was surprisingly good. Inside it’s all one large single room, although this is split in to two different areas by virtue of the fact that they are slightly offset from one another. The far end was dominated by a pool table, and there was also a darts board nearby and the noise from some of the players here made it very difficult to talk on occasions. A portable card table was also doing the rounds. Decor wise, there is little of any note as is often the case with modern pubs. There was some exposed brick wall, but being of the modern variety it doesn’t have quite the sane rustic charm that a brick wall would present in an older establishment. Beer choice as mentioned was decent enough with Doom Bar, Moles Best, 6X and Otter. All but one of these were dispensed directly from barrels racked up behind the bar. Ciders were also well represented, albeit all from Thatcher’s, with their Gold, Heritage and Dry.