The Goods Yard, Broadstone

Originally The Railway Hotel, then The Broadstone Hotel, this pub was extensively renovated in 2008 and is now an excellent gastro-pub and freehouse with a reputation for good ale. It is well described below by PSM, so I won't try to better his description. I found the staff very friendly and welcoming and the clientele an eclectic bunch, mostly locals though, who were very welcoming. Free wifi is available, but there are no gaming machines or TVs to spoil the ambiance. There is a try-before-you-but approach to ale sales. Food is mostly the high end of pub grub, but there is also a selection of restaurant styles. This is augmented by regular wine-tasting evenings which includes a five course meal. One criticism I have though is the prices - £3.50 for a chip butty? Oh, purleeze! This is Dorset, not Knightsbridge. There were 3 ales on – I had the guest, Hopback Redsell, which was a first class pint, properly kept and most enjoyable. I shall certainly be back, maybe for one of the special evenings, but certainly for their beer quality.

We headed to this pub for the first time in its new incarnation (having previously been the fairly grim Broadstone Hotel) on the back of several good reports for both their food and drink. The pub has had a gastro make-over and as such presents a clean and light interior with some interesting decor, which won't win over pub traditionalists, but nevertheless retains enough of a pub feel. There are several distinct areas, with diners seated in a compact area to the right of the door, whilst drinkers congregate either around the bar or to the rear where there were some comfy sofas and a selection of the morning's papers. A large fireplace in the dining section acts as a strong focal point and the area around it is decorated with various artefacts including an old radio and some suitcases, presumably a reference to Broadstone's old railway station which used to be located over the road. There were four ales on the pumps - Ringwood Best, Sharp's Doom Bar, Hop Back Hopfest and Flack Manor Double Drop. I tried the last two and found the Flack Manor to be in good shape, but the Hop Back was a little flat and was taken off soon after. We also enjoyed the Sunday roast, which was proper home-cooked fayre and good value at £8 for a sizeable portion with all the trimmings. The staff were very friendly and made us feel welcome - nothing was too much trouble for them and I thought that it was the sort of service that makes you want to keep coming back. A beer festival was being promoted for the week after we visited and posters for a charity quiz night and live music were also in evidence. With the news that Wetherspoons look set to open a branch in Broadstone's other central pub, The Stepping Stones, this place may have its work cut out keeping people coming through the door in the face of cheaper beer down the road. But from what I saw on my first visit, this is a proper community pub which the local's would do well to support. I look forward to a return sometime soon.

Official site of the Goods Yard, contains menu and real ale list - www.thegoodsyard.com

Official site of the Goods Yard, contains menu and real ale list - www.thegoodsyard.com