White Hart Inn, Honiton

An excellent roadside inn, currently owned by Enterprise, which offers B&B, freshly cooked food and decent beer. There’s a car park at the side, and there is a terraced lawned garden which is probably very pleasant in Summer but a bit exposed in bad weather. The pub suffered from a catastrophic fire a few years ago and has been rebuilt in a style sympathetic with its origins. It’s partly thatched, while inside is now mostly open plan and has tiled floors and structural timbers on display. The main open area is set out for diners down one side with a comfortable bar area around the old chimney breast, which now houses a large woodburner. There is a separate small dining room down some steps from the seating area, and there is a skittle alley at the back. The pub claims gastro credentials, but actually the food was quite ordinary though well cooked. It was disappointing to see it served on bits of old driftwood, though. The staff were very pleasant and welcoming, and the music on the jukebox was pretty good. Ales on were Salcombe Devon Amber and Bombardier, complemented by Rosie’s Pig on draft and a large selection of gins. A very handy place to stop for the night or just for a few beers.