Woodbridge Inn, Telford

This Brunning & Price pub has lovely views over the River Severn, which makes it popular on sunny days, as it was for our Sunday afternoon visit. There is a rather large car park behind the pub. But even this was full when we arrived. Outdoor areas were popular in the sunshine. There is a patio you walk through to enter the pub and another to the side overlooking the river. Entering the pub, you pass through a small room before reaching the bar which had a long and orderly queue. However, the space is quite confined here and serving staff were struggling to get through the crowds. It does not help that those who had made reservations had to join the queue for drinks in order to be shown to their table. Having somebody there just to filter those people out would help. Seemed like poor organisation to me. At the bar, the house Brunning & Price Original Bitter is these days brewed by Brightside. The 4 guest beers were Rowton Ironbridge Gold, Purity Ubu, Castle Rock Our House & Backyard Blonde. Camden Stout was the pick of the keg beers. The interior has plenty of different sections, with the usual decor and many pictures on the walls. Dogs & children are welcome. We did manage to bag a high table next to the bar, but most tables were reserved and occupied by diners. Mother's Day was being promoted for later in the month. I've always liked this chain of pubs and this was enjoys a lovely location. However, it was perhaps a bit too packed to enjoy for us.

Brunning and Price tied house - may have been my first. The pub website offers details of a walk from here (see reviews below for historical context) to Ironbridge, which is a nice touch. Same walk available from the Pub Walks App on Android. Mainly food led - and the cost of living crisis appears to have not made it to this part of Shropshire. Sunday lunch lamb is £20. Cauliflower Cheese side an extra fiver. Xmas day lunch - an eye watering £84.95. Each. And its packed on this Sunday and a sign pronounces Xmas day fully booked. Beer wise - much better than I could have expected. Three Tuns, Titanic Plum, Enville Ale and a previously unseen Ironbridge Gold. My XXX topped up twice without asking to get to a full imperial measure. Fine condition too. £4.40. Beautiful garden and patio with fine views. A destination pub. Enjoy the walk and make a morning of it.

A good description of the pub and the history of its eponymous bridge appears in Oggy's review below, so I won't repeat that. I got the impression there's been a recent refurbishment, as the pub looked very smart. In fact, I think they'd probably reckon on being smart enough to be called a hotel rather than an inn. To be fair, the beer wasn't hugely expensive - maybe 30p per pint above the average for the area. I found myself a seat beside the fire - luckily my cycling clothes weren't muddy - and felt right at home. It turned out I'd sat in the only place where it was not possible to see the signs saying which way to the toilets (it turns out they're upstairs) but I got to see more of the pub by wandering about. The wooden floor is highly polished, the furniture is very smart and of high quality and there are numerous interesting pictures on the walls. The bar faces two ways, with six hand pumps each side (see photo for beer range) and there is a fireplace facing each bar counter. Staff, as Oggy says, were young , knowledgeable and enthusiastic - I would add (if it's allowed) also very attractive. In summary, not really the sort of pub that I like, but I wouldn't mind coming back another time. Date of visit: 8th November 2017