Black Boy, Winchester

Tucked away on Wharf Hill, off Chesil Street in Winchester, The Black Boy is still faithful to its origins. Although recognised in most of the well known beer and pub guides, it is still a traditional back-street boozer. The pub has 5 locally brewed real ales and a small selection of good French wines. Good 'pub grub' is available from Tuesday evenings through to Sunday lunch. During the winter months roasts are served on Sundays with lighter lunches being offered during the summer. On the off-chance there is a summer, there is a sheltered rustic garden with heaters. Three standard ales Ringwood Best, Cheriton Pots, Hopback Brewery Summer Lightening. They also have 2 other real ales on, normally from The Itchen Valley Brewery, The Triple FFF Brewery, The Hampshire Brewery or one of the other small local breweries. A stuffed Donkey, collections of fire buckets says it all. A true classic you must visit.

This is a fantastic old pub, a little out the way but worth the detour to find it. As others have said, it's completely full of "stuff" everywhere, far too much to list. Plenty of stuffed animals, including what was presumably the pub's dog at one point, and one room that's more like a library with floor to ceiling shelves of books. I liked the old space invaders/pacman video game table, I haven't seen one of those for ages! Many different rooms on several different levels, and a couple of real fires. Friendly barmaid, everyone got a "Hiya" before they were hardly through the door. Beers on this occasion were Palmer's Best, Hidden Quest, Hop Back Summer Lightning, Flower Pots and Ringwood Best. Also Stowford Press and Thatcher's Dry ciders.

I recently went to stay with my brother who lives near this pub and he took me for a few drinks there. What an absolutely amazing place..... A goodly colection of stuffed animals, tables where the tops are painted with board games, a patio area with individual heaters that you can turn on at your own discretion... The whole pub is like walking through the house of an eccentric collector of random stuff. A set of book shelves with some books that you can take away, read, sign and then leave somewhere else on your travels, or add to the collection by leaving one of your own. The atmosphere is just amazing, the clientelle such a cross section that any budding actor looking for character study material will find it a gold mine! The staff are absolutely brilliant, charming, welcoming and great fun. A fine selction of real ales on draught is available. I enjoyed several pints of a local brew called "flowerpots" and wish I could get it where I live. This pub is a shining example to breweries and a landlords alike of how good a pub can be in a time of great difficulty for the industry as a whole. If any people in the trade read this then take note and see how it should be done. For any weary traveller passing through Winchester in need of sustenance then you would be hard pushed to find a better place to relax for a while with fine drinks and good company, Not just here in Winchester but any where in the U.K. Many thanks to all at The Black Boy from a grateful visitor from Wales.