City Gate Hotel, Exeter

Recently done-over by the Youngs refurb brigade and what results is a fairly dull and mimsy affair, from decor to music. The jumbo conservatory is of passing interest and is probably what keeps it in operating profit with the dining pashmina classes. An optimistic four cask on the bar, 2x Youngs and 2x Hanlons. My half of the latter's IPA was a lacklustre stale mess (NBSS 1.5). Don't bother.

Although this pub is indeed also a hotel as it’s name suggests, it doesn’t have the genteel ambience that this might lead you to expect, and was in fact filled with a noisy and fairly raucous crowd on a recent Friday evening visit. It’s an open plan pub with a conservatory at the rear, and beyond this it looked as though there may have been an attractive courtyard garden, although we did not investigate this. The flooring is carpet and the paintwork predominantly khaki green, although there was also some maroon paint elsewhere. There was dark wood panelling behind the bar and a couple of black painted metal support pillars, and a few old black and white photographs dotted around the walls. An ornate black and gold fire-place was off to one side, but there was little else of any note. A separate room off to one side housed a large, single table and there is also apparently a cellar bar. Food is offered, although we did not check the menu. A small sign advertised that pizzas were available to take away and we saw a number of burgers coming out. Staff seemed quite switched on and cleared tables promptly as soon as anyone had left. Beers on tap were predominantly from Young’s, with their Special, Bitter, London Gold and Hummingbird and these were joined by Hanlon’s Yellowhammer. The solitary cider was Thatcher’s Gold.