The Blue Boar, Maldon

A lovely old pub that is part of the adjacent hotel but operates entirely independently, it consists of a couple of bars as well as a function room and a pleasant garden area where a live band were playing on a recent Sunday afternoon visit. The upper bar was a very cosy spot with very thick beams on the ceiling as well as black timberwork set in to the walls which were otherwise rough white plasterwork and unusual flooring which looked to be made of small pieces of wood arranged in to a sort of tile pattern. A small brick fireplace complete with wood burning stove was on the back wall, and this had a TV screen mounted on the chimney breast above, which looked a little out of place but fortunately was not in use. A couple of old oil paintings of ships were on the walls. The lower bar was also very cosy and broadly similar in terms of style with a parquet wood floor, a larger brick fireplace and a collection of stuffed animals including a badger, ferret and a stag’s head. A few old black and white photos of the locale were on the walls. Beers were all dispensed directly from barrels racked up on stillage behind the bar and on this occasion consisted of several from the town’s Maldon brewery including Puck’s Folly, Farmer’s Golden Boar and Hair of the Hog and these were joined by something from Adnams. Ciders were well represented with Magners and Stowford Press on tap, as well as several from Lilley’s served straight from the box – Rhubarb, Mango, Strawberry and Lemon & Lime. All in all, a great pub and well worth seeking out.