The Bell, Stratford-Upon-Avon

Facebook page of The Bell - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Bell - www.facebook.com

I think The Bell may now be a Bruning & Price boozer although there aren't any visible signs of that when visiting. It's definitely more food focused than local village boozer but there's still plenty of space for drinkers and the welcome is friendly. This was something of a flying visit so I didn't have the chance to take in the detail but it was busy enough on Jubilee Saturday with the gin tasting being something of a draw. We didn't eat so can't comment but our chums use it regularly. Six handpumps graced the extensive bar with one unused. Beers on were: Purity Pure Gold, Church Farm Session IPA, Wye Valley Majesty, North Cotswold Windrush and Titanic The Wreckage. The Wreckage as a dark, 7.2% was the outlier here with the rest being similar beers of low strength albeit all fairly local. Everything we tried was in top condition and beautifully served although my beer sommelier companion detected that The Wreckage was just on the turn. My palate isn't sophisticated enough to have detected that unaided and it was still drinkable. Definitely worth a visit if passing to see which beer is the outlier if nothing else.

Official site of The Bell - www.brunningandprice.co.uk

Official site of The Bell - www.brunningandprice.co.uk

This is, I guess, a former coaching in on the former A34, one of the main routes between the south coast and the north-west. It's now a village pub owned by the Big House, feudalism still survives in these parts. A predominantly gastro offer and letting rooms aimed at Stratford tourist market. No doubt WS has a pint in here; he seems to have visited almost as many Warwickshire pubs as I have. Inside the layout seems relatively unchanged if you turn a blind eye to the shockingly awful restaurant stuck on the back, and if it retained traditional furnishing rather than trendy upcycled tat it would be lovely. Outside it is indeed lovely, with a selection of patios, gardens and meadows on which to while away a sunny afternoon. Service was lively, the North Cotswold Shagweaver tired. Drop by if you're passing this way, but it's nowhere near as good as it thinks it is.