The Babbling Brook Inn, Bridgwater

E TA left this review about The Babbling Brook Inn

A village pub with 16th Century roots, most of the building being Georgian. There is a large car park at the back, and a few parking spaces at the front which compete with a couple of wooden tables and benches for space. At the side is a well kept garden, mainly lawn, with some areas shaded by trees. Inside, there is a single U-shaped bar formed by conjoining the ground floor rooms, the floor level changing as the bar flows around. There are various exposed ceiling timbers and a large inglenook. The bar is carpeted, and there are various bits of bric-a-brac on the walls, including a couple of shotguns. A small conservatory houses a few dining tables, while the bar is also mainly full of tables laid for diners, with just a pair of substantial bar stools at the bar for social drinkers. Despite the presence of four handpumps on the bar, there is no cask ale or real cider. We asked why and were told "it goes off too quickly"; this is probably due to their limited opening hours. That left a keg range of Camden Pale, Guinness, Carlsberg, Estrella and San Miguel. Food was fairly modern pub food, certainly nothing exciting. We didn't feel at all welcome once we said we were only drinking, and we had to negotiate somewhere to sit even though most tables were free. The majority of customers were elderly diners, so we didn't seem to fit their target demographic. Dog walkers were also not welcome inside, and there were several in the garden. The pub feels a bit of a waste, given its location and the fact it's a village freehouse, but as it stands, with no real ale, limited opening hours and lack of pub atmosphere, I don't think I'm going to be making an effort to come back.

On 24^th August 2025 - rating: 4
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