The Crooked Chimney, Welwyn Garden City

A Vintage Inn with a very crooked chimney.The side entrance from the car park is via a low door and you are immediately confronted by low beams,flag stoned floors and many nooks and crannies.The first section has chesterfield chairs grouped around a real fireplace,while the bar is in the centre of the building and has a seating area with banquettes in the bay windows , tradition tables and chairs and a further real fire,very warming on a cold lunchtime.These two area are not festooned by menus and appear set aside for drinkers.There are three other rooms which are set up for diners but the rambling interior hides the fact that a lot of people can be accomodated here.The only downside is that some children can wander around the bar but this says more about their parents than it does about the pub. There are three handpumps serving Doom Bar,GK inspired Brakspears Bitter and Bateman's Autumn Fall (£3.55 shock horror) well kept but an intrinsically dull brown beer as were the other choices.You may be more lucky than I ,but interesting beers are not the core priority here I suspect. There was a reasonable lunchtime special offer of £6.50 for one course,£8.50 for two and my food,when it finally arrived,was fine.Faint musak could be heard but that wouldn't disturb anybody. I like the fact that Vintage Inns operate real fires and offer real ale and the interior of this pub is worthy of inspection with interesting photos of Welwyn before the Garden City arrived.There is likely to be a connection between this pub and Brocket Hall opposite but this was not touched upon by any material on the walls that I spotted. A decent lunch,less than exciting pint and overall better for food that a real ale session.

Official pages of the Crooked Chimney, contains menus and cask ale details - www.vintageinn.co.uk

Official pages of the Crooked Chimney, contains menus and cask ale details - www.vintageinn.co.uk