The Talbot Inn, Frome

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Blackthorn _ left this review about The Talbot Inn

A large pub set in it’s own grounds in this very pleasant village, it’s looks like a fairly traditional coaching inn from the outside with an arched entranceway leading in to a cobbled courtyard. The pub consists of a number of buildings all around the courtyard as well as a good sized walled garden set behind the main pub building to the left.

The main part of the pub is to the left, and this is quite a cosy old room with red quarry tiles on the floor, beams on the ceiling and an old stone fireplace to the left with a wood burning stove. Walls were mostly exposed stone which had been painted in places with pale blue wood panelling on the lower part. Plenty of old beer mats were tacked on to the beams suggesting a frequently changing selection. Next to this was a more formal dining area, and further dining options were available in at least two other buildings off the courtyard. The garden was an attractive feature, although spoilt somewhat by a couple of kids using it as a football pitch. Perhaps a few more picnic tables to break up the space may help a little.

The food menu offered a decent enough selection of “pub grub” dishes such as burger, ploughman’s, fish & chips etc., as well as a few more adventurous offerings. Most of the pub classics were either £10.50 or £13.50 with the other being in the £15 - £20 range, so certainly at the top end of pub dining prices. Unusually there was a 10% service charge added on to the bill as well, so fish & chips came in at a rather ambitious £14.85 for example. I realised after I’d left that as I’d asked for a tab my drinks too included a service charge, even though I’d collected them from the bar myself.

Beers on tap were Butcombe Original & Butcombe Rare Breed, whilst a third pump appeared to have run out. Ciders were well represented with Thatcher’s Gold, Thatcher’s Haze and Orchard Pig Philosopher.

On 14^th July 2017 - rating: 8
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