The Branksome, Bournemouth

This part of town, previously a bit of an afterthought for anyone planning a night out in Bournemouth, has seen some significant improvements in recent years, as evidenced by the popular Brewhouse & Kitchen chain revamping this failed old pub. Formerly the Branksome Hotel, it’s great to see this place open again, as it has arguably the most impressive facade in the whole town, which is now gleaming and looking proud again. This includes a quite fantastic glazed tile Eldridge Pope sign near the entrance which doesn’t deserve to be next to boarded up windows. Inside, there is a real jumble of a room, set across a mix of different levels with lots of partitioning throughout, which creates a lot of cosy little nooks, breaks the sightlines effectively and requires a fair bit of exploring to take it all in. One downside is that seating through almost all of the room is in the form of high padded stools, so it’s not the comfiest place to settle down for a few pints. The servery is well hidden away in the rear left corner and has a modern counter and bar back, plus a big board listing all the beers available. Lots of displays relating to the brewing process can be found around the room, including various info boards and of course, the brew plant itself, which is over to the right of the room. Interestingly, the brewing schedule is displayed clearly on a board, so you can learn which beers are going to be made next and for £85 you can join the brewer for the day and make some yourself. Stairs lead up to a smartly appointed first floor dining room with some much comfier seating options, whilst a ramp to the rear right leads out to a sun trap beer garden. There were four of the homebrew beers on when we visited – Churchill Square Fall, Supermac, Lightning Bolt and Saviour Ed – and I was pleased to see that two of these referenced the mighty AFC Bournemouth. I obviously opted for a pint of the Saviour Ed which was in good nick and served to us by a chatty barman. I’m really pleased that a chain like Brewhouse & Kitchen have brought this place back to life and I think they’ve done something a bit different in creating a maze of an interior rather than the usual open-plan modern beer bar you might expect. With good beer and some other top pubs not too far away, it’s worth heading up to the Triangle to check this place out.

One of the growing chain of new-style brewpubs, this one opened relatively recently in the former Branksome. Completely remodelled and refurbished inside, with the brew-plant on your right as you enter and the along the left-hand wall after the three-step change in level. Mix of furniture, but mostly of the annoying high type, and a beer garden at the back. Six of eight handpumps in operation, showcasing a decent range of their own beers (e.g. the Lucky Man Red Rye, a good pint but hardly cheap at £4.30). Very busy on a Saturday afternoon, and despite the Camra AGM being held nearby it was good to see many younger (presumably local) groups in too.