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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Dolphin, Betchworth
Betchworth
RH3 7DW
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Dolphin
It was a bit of a trek trying to get to this village pub by public transport, with trains only operating to Betchworth station hourly (not some hours, be careful!) and a 22-minute trudge, which involved walking through fields, crossing a busy roundabout of the A25 and traversing country lanes with no pavements and plenty of traffic. I suspect most people arrive here by car!
A few other customers were present outside at the front when I arrived. A few others arrived and were seeking food. Inside, it is quite historic, with 3 small rooms, all with plenty of character, flagstone floors and some impressive fireplaces. Being a Young's pub, you will find their Ordinary and their Special, alongside Surrey Hills Shere Drop. An additional 4th beer was Young's All Ale The Queen.
I ordered the Shere Drop, exactly as Quinno did almost 5 years ago. Interestingly, it shows the affect of inflation. A half set me back £2.75. So, unless there is a supplement for the half, it means that the price of a pint has rised by 90p in almost 5 years.
On 16th June 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Dolphin
Youngs owned country pub which is around 400 years old as stated below. Pretty unspoilt gem inside with three rooms, two at the front and one at the rear. The main bar has a huge hearth, original flagstone flooring, dark wood fittings and a general air of timelessness. The other two rooms are a bit more modern in appearance but still decent. Newspapers available. Five pumps with two of the Youngs standards plus three local ales from Hogs Back, Dorking and Surrey Hills. My pint of the latter was very expensive (£4.60) but was in excellent shape and went down without any prompting. A slight downside was the presence of a number of bar blockers (I just shimmied my way in anyway). A good little find and is well-worth making a special trip out to enjoy. 7.5
On 29th October 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about The Dolphin Inn
The Dolphin is a 400 year old building at the bottom of this spread out village down by the church on the road out to Leigh. There are three distinct rooms, a very traditional stone floored public bar to the front with a cosy snug with big fireplace to the left and rather ordinary eating area further on which I reckon was added sometime between the wars. There are various outdoor areas and the usual 'temporary' structure for smokers. It has managed so far to evade Young's rabid corporate refurbishment team.
It's had more than its fair share of ups and downs in recent years. Due to the way it's laid out people tend to congregate in the public bar and it doesn't take many to block up everything up, the bar and the doorways, and so making actually getting in and buying a drink a stressful exercise. That many of the regulars were not, shall we say, representative of the residents of the village further detracted from the experience.
After a couple of changes of management it all seems to be on a firmer footing now and the present incumbents have got a grip on things, and once again it's well worth a trip out.
It's a Young's pub sothe usual Wells and Young's range skewed towards Young's brews. It used to be a GBG regular but recent indifferent management put paid to that. On present form it should be back in the guide soon
On 28th June 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 578 recommendations about 570 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Dolphin Inn
Looks a picture, and the historic nature of the building is acknowledged by a SCC plaque above the main door. Inside it has a traditional village inn feel, with a welcoming array of Youngs / Charles Wells handpumps. My pint of Ordinary was very good, and the bar staff were friendly. Went at a quiet time during mid-afternoon, but it seemed a nice-enough place to me.
On 28th May 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]