Barking Cat Alehouse, Poole

I found 8 real ales (mostly local), 4 handpumped ciders and around a dozen taps for crafty and German stuff in this self-proclaimed ale house - and that's exactly what it is. The Barking Cat has the feel of a micropub really, just on a large scale. Plenty of tables and vacant seating in the front of the pub, with a pool table at the back. If you don't have the patience to enter the complicated wi-fi password I found that, located just next door, Coral's signal was strong enough to get online with a lot less faff. There's a bus stop outside served by the high-frequency M1 & M2 routes if you don't fancy the walk from the stations at Bournemouth or Poole. A buzz of conversation and a jukebox at a subdued volume makes for a relaxed atmosphere at what is a highly recommended destination pub.

Official site of Barking Cat Alehouse - thebarkingcatalehouse.co.uk

Official site of Barking Cat Alehouse - thebarkingcatalehouse.co.uk

We paid our first visit to the Barking Cat Alehouse yesterday and were suitably impressed. It's a good 25-30-minute bus journey from Bournemouth towards Poole, but not too far to walk from Branksome station. The cask range here is good, with 8 real ales and 4 real ciders clipped over the bar's 12 handpulls. Ales were Lord's Weekend Driver, Oakham Relativity & Inferno, Dark Star Sunquake, Nightjar Happy Joose, Fine Tuned 303 Squadron, Gale's HSB & Ossett Voodoo. Meanwhile ciders were Sandford Orchards Devon Red, Madhatter's Farting Dog, Dorset Star First Press & Snail's Bank Blood Orange Cider. Amongst the craft beer selection were New Bristol Maple & Pecan Stout & Up Close Magic, Unity Conflux, Wilde Child Clique Fiesta & RedWillow Yet Another Eton Mess. There were also a couple of draft ciders - Snail's Bank Rhubarb Cider & Cornish Orchards Dry. Whilst I didn't venture into the back room, the main front bar is square-shaped with the bar on the right as you enter. Bench seating with high stools is the order of the day. The ceiling is plastered with hundreds of pumpclips. With a friendly barmaid and quite a few customers, the atmosphere for our Saturday lunchtime visit was decent. This is without doubt now one of the best pubs in the Bournemouth/Poole area, if not the best.

Excellent ale house on main road, large insidewith the bar to the right and high benches to the left and a back room. Smart well presented pub, excellent choice of cask beers in top notch condition

Probably one of my favourite pubs that I've ever been to. Fantastic selection of ales/craft beers along with real ciders and spirits that aren't mainstream and found in most pubs. Have never had any trouble in the pub in the years that I have been going (back to the original smugglers run) and have found it one of the few pubs where you can have a pleasant conversation with anyone at the pub. Backroom with darts and pool table (50p a game on the pool table!) and a jukebox.

Please disregard any reviews of the previous pub (Smugglers Run). We are a new pub (The Barking Cat Alehouse) with 8 ales on hand pull, 6 ciders on hand pull and 10 craft keg. Still a function room for meetings (also a pool table/dart boards) I'm not going to rate my own pub - that's down to you guys n girls :)

Too big to be called a micro-pub, this elongated shop conversion has a narrow rectangular bar with a rear games room of almost equal size. Limited amount of furniture and basic decor. As a Bournemouth Brewing house, there were two of its beers on plus four guests in a variety of styles (e.g. Moonshine Night Watch Porter, £3.60) from six of eight handpumps.