The Duck on the Pond, Rugby

Facebook page of The Duck on the Pond - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Duck on the Pond - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Duck on the Pond - www.duckonthepondlongitchington.co.uk

Official site of The Duck on the Pond - www.duckonthepondlongitchington.co.uk

A classic 30's roadhouse,set back from the busy A423 with a large carpark infront,sadly the pub garden is next to the car park and allows views of the traffic thundering past.The exterior is all brewers tudor,although the windows are quite grand and there are two gable ends. Two swinging doors allow entry to the tap room in the centre,with high tables in the window and a charming real fire in a column to the right.The left wing is a formal dining room looking smart,while to the right is an upmarket lounge with a long banquette,a leather sofa opposite a brick fireplace with a screen (off) above ,and some traditional furniture elsewhere.Wood panelled up to the dado rail and painted in Farrow and Ball shades but with enough of the 30's feel still to admire. This used to be a shabby pub owned by Charles Wells with their awful ale to match,but some conserable effort has gone into this pub more recently and food,including Sunday roasts feature large.Cooking smells wafted around the interior but a lot of punters were in just for a drink.It probably is still owned by Charles Wells judging by a number of Brewpoint craft kegs taps and their Anchorman Fresh IPA on cask.Brewpoint is Wells attempt to brew modern beers.The other ale options were Adnams Ghost Ship (served in a handled glass,good nick NBSS 4) with Doom Bar coming soon but thankfully not on my trip. Much improved,and if ale quality can be maintained worthy of a quick one,not quite the full deal but decent.

Huge recently refurbished Charles Wells pub which, remarkably, retains a little of its thirties roadhouse origins. In its heyday it would have been a pit stop on the trunk route between Coventry's car factories and the south coast ports. There's a central servery, dining room to the left, fairly pubby lounge to the right. The garden out the front would be improved by the removal of the muzak. Pisppoor beer selection, just Bombardier and Oakham JH, four pumps unused. We stuck to lager like the other four or five customers. Long Itch has better pubs. OK, every other pub in Long Itch is better.