The Bicton Inn, Exmouth

Just a short walk from the town centre, this is a very pleasant, two room backstreet pub, popular with a predominantly older clientele. You enter into a parquet floored main bar with the servery to the left and an open seating area to the right. Half panelled walls with lincrusta uppers have been decorated with many old photos of the pub and lots of rather encouraging CAMRA certificates, as well as a dartboard and a large TV screen, which remained switched off throughout the duration of this visit. Hard benches run around the perimeter and tables and chairs fill the space in the centre of the room. There’s a lot of stained glass around the room including in the top window panes, a few partitioning screens and the bar canopy, all of which catches the eye in the right light and adds a welcome splash of colour. The bar has a wood panelled counter front and rather simple bar back with a hatch to the smaller rear room. A space to the right of the entrance had been given over to an acoustic duo, who were churning out heartfelt ballads to a packed house, with not a single seat available. Thankfully, the rear room was empty as a result, so I could take the weight off my feet on the hard bench seating which runs around the perimeter. The room has low wall panelling, lots of local photos on display and another inactive TV screen, plus a dartboard which is pretty impractical to use thanks to the room’s layout. Upon entering, I was accosted by a friendly, if slightly mad, local lady who was jokingly denying me entry for not having bought a ticket for the live music. The pub appears in the latest edition of the Good Beer Guide and had Dartmoor Jail Ale and Legend, Exeter Darkness, Salcombe Gold and Hanlon's Citra available across five handpulls. I gave the latter a try and thought it was in great condition - it certainly slipped down very quickly and it was a shame I ended up drinking alone in the back room rather than being able to enjoy the atmosphere in the rammed front bar. This felt like a popular, traditional, back street boozer with a good band of friendly locals, some very well kept Devonshire beer and a nice two bar layout. This may well have been my favourite pub of the five I visited in Exmouth and I’d make an effort to come back here again the next time I happen to be in town.

Quiet back street community pub - with good quality ales deserving its place in the 2022 GBG. I only noticed the large single room at the front, with a long bar taking up nearly the length of the building until it hits the door to the gents. Bench seating around the outside and typical pub chairs and tables across the floor. Dartmoor Jail Ale in fine condition

Wonderful backstreet pub of the type almost of myth these days. Approach to an imposing Victorian building with the Home Nations flags fluttering outside. Enter to a large room with a high arch where presumably a divide once was (and would be beneficial to reinstate). There’s also a small rear overflow room. Pleasingly basic feel without being austere; worn herringbone flooring, green and cream walls, curtains. Covered pool table, darts and an upright piano. A rare 11am Sunday opener and at quarter past it was already getting busy with a nice locally atmosphere. Eight pumps with six on; 2x Dartmoor, Salcombe Storm Watch, Branoc and 2x Hanlons, Port Stout (NBSS 4) and Yellowhammer (4). Spoke to the landlady who has owned the place for 27 years and it shows. A real gem and worth a special trip to do.

Unspoilt traditional backstreet locals' pub with a very good range of beers. The bar is in one large room, with a small room to one side housing a dartboard and TV. The ales included some good local ones - the sampled O'Hanlon's Port Stout was in very good form (Cask Marque certified).