Old Spot Inn, Dursley

In the Gloucestershire town of Dursley, on the Cotswold Way, is The Old Spot, a multi award winning well known real ale free house. It’s a former farm house dating back to 1776. It occupies a rather uninspiring position, hidden away behind Dursley Bus Station and close to a rather hideous modern looking glass fronted library. There’s a largish free car park directly opposite the pub. As we approach the pub, we see the pub sign showing the breed of Gloucestershire pig after which the pub is named and a sign proclaiming, as if we didn’t already know, “a traditional pub”. We also see the now familiar ( if you’re on holiday in the area) “West Country Ales 1760 – Best in the West” ceramic tile logo featuring a castle. It’s deceptively large inside with a number of adjoining areas, all decorated with a fine and varied collection of brewery memorabilia. The main bar area has a slate tiled floor and behind us we see a fine picture of Ric Sainty, the larger than life looking owner and former landlord. Behind the bar here, we see a collection of CAMRA certificates – the pub was CAMRA Gloucester Pub of the Year 2006-2009 and CAMRA National Pub of the Year 2007. Furniture consists mainly of wooden benches, settles and chairs throughout the different areas. Despite the absence of carpeting, log fires at either end contribute towards a homely, welcoming and traditional feel. Several large enamel signs on the ceiling advertise the wares of Butlers Ales and Stout Birmingham and Godsell and Sons Fine Ales and Stout. The end room – The Farrowing Hut – has a sloping roof, some pictures of pigs and a collection of pump clips on the beams. A room on the right has some framed prints of wildlife on Jura and a collection of beer bottles on a shelf high up. A larger room – The Swill – has a fine collection of whisky jugs hanging from beams. The friendly barman told me how the pub has had reluctantly to make changes to cope with its increasing popularity since becoming CAMRA National Pub of the Year – for instance the former billiards room on the left has lost its table and has been converted to provide additional seating. In the passageway, leading to the partly covered garden is the old pub sign from its former Whitbread days when it was The Fox and Hounds. In the gents toilets, we see some rather non – PC posters of the obviously well endowed farmer’s daughter seductively telling us how much she likes a Bishops Finger. The pub is popular with walkers, but evidently retains a solid core of loyal regulars. A good range of pub food is offered. Pleasingly, no areas are specifically set aside for diners and, although there appears to be a brisk and healthy food trade, it’s first and foremost a drinkers pub and one that doesn’t need to resort to TV’s or fruit machines etc. On my recent visit, the pub was advertising that Severn Vale Brewery were due to launch a new beer at the pub on Saturday 24 September ( coincidentally, the next day ) and a BBQ was planned. 7-8 beers were on including Moles Tap and Old Ric, the latter brewed specially for the pub by the nearby Uley Brewery. There was also a rare sighting of Orkney Dark Island. Other beers on were mainly from local micros. The pub website is one of the best I’ve ever seen and includes details of local walks, inter alia and bus times. Pleasingly the Pubs Galore website gets a mention. This pub ticks most, if not all, of the boxes as far as I’m concerned and you should try to get here sometime

Where to begin? An excellent range of well-kept ales (I almost died and went to heaven when I spotted Sarah Hughes dark Ruby Mild on the go), served excellently. A warm welcome and a good selection of nice food. Lots of paraphernalia around the walls - old clips, ceramic drinking mugs, old signs and adverts etc. No pool table, fruit machine, juke box or background music. One fault I would pick is that the outside patio heaters seem to be permanently on. I'm no Swampy, but that really is a waste of electricity - get one of those push-button timer systems in and do your bit to save the planet! Otherwise, near-perfect. Well done.