Old Fire House, Exeter

This is a brilliant free house built around 1834 that is grade II listed and was actually used as a fire station until 1888, the Georgian frontage with sash windows, decorative columns and shallow pitched roof concealed by a parapet is partially obscured by tall gate posts and a wrought iron gate. The building is at a 45 degree angle to the road as the New North road was only built in the 1930’s. The interior is one smallish dark room with exposed stone walls and stone floor, the untreated wood bar counter and basic bar back is an L shape following the walls in the back right corner, there is a large empty fire place in the back wall on the left of the counter, the ceiling is bare wood boards and new thick wood beams decorated with several old oil lamps, garlands of dried hop plants and fairy lights, across the front of the room below the windows are a few rustic (misshapen) tables and pew style benches. Between the roadside gate and the front of the building is a small cobbled court yard with a couple of tables which are covered by a glass awning. The pub does not have any regular ales but there are up to eight changing guest beers all on gravity (straight from the cask) from a stillage against the back wall of the bar counter, worth mentioning is a wall full of boxes of cider along the right wall also behind the counter and four on hand pull. Some of the beers on during this visit were Hunters Crack Shot, Exeter Avocet Organic, O’Hanlon’s Original Port Stout, Teignworthy Reel Ale and Blue Anchor Spingo Middle. I tried all of these and found them to be in excellent condition (GBG 2013 and Cask Marque). The staff were very knowledgeable about the beers and eager to offer samples. A great pub with some character and a fantastic selection of beers that they really seem to care about. Something to be aware of is that it doesn’t look like a typical pub and although I was actually looking for it, I still managed to walk past before turning round and finding it on the way back! Staff were very friendly and helpful which seems to be a company policy, so a little forced but they appeared genuinely happy to be working there. Live music on both Friday and Saturday nights, the pub is popular with students. I have not visited many pubs in Exeter but I would definitely return here for a few drinks if in town again.