Old White Horse, Baldock

Next door to The Engine but much more popular this pub is owned by Charles Wells who feature the Brewpoint beers plus guests ales.There is a U shaped bar with rustic high banquettes along one wall,a mix of trad furniture elsewhere and a back section around a pizza oven which has a dining feel but you can sit anywhere to sup. There were three ales on my trip namely Brewpoint Anchorman,Adnams Southwold Bitter and Ghost Ship (too cold,NBSS 2.5) while there are three Brewpoint keg beers besides some mainstream dross. Lively atmosphere,trying to be trendy but not making it ,I might be tempted to have a quick one before taking a train somewhere more interesting.

A nice old pub which someone has unleashed a lunatic designer on - all recycled, distressed and otherwise crappy fittings which belong in (and probably came from) a junk yard. It still functions quite well as a pub and at least seems to have some life in it. Cask ales were Southwold and Ghost Ship from Adnams and Anchorman from Wells, although the latter had run out. Food is mainly based on the prominent pizza oven.

Official site of Old White Horse - www.oldwhitehorsebaldock.co.uk

Official site of Old White Horse - www.oldwhitehorsebaldock.co.uk

Massively hipster-fied - all stripped wood and R'n'B beats. The ale selection was a little prosaic for me (Young's Bitter, Young's Special and McEwans IPA) so I went for a Charles Wells Tripped Hopped IPA on keg. I'll be sure to grow my beard out, sport a sleeve tattoo and have my shirt top-button done up should I decide to venture in here again.

The second pub you come to from the train station and worth a visit solely for the reason that it is not one of the town pubs owned by Green King and this decent size double gabled pub is owned by Charles wells. Internally it comprises of one large bar area with a separate restaurant/function room in the gable roofed back extension and then and a large beer garden to the rear. The internal décor is more gastro than traditional with bare wooden floors, Farrow and Ball pastel shade walls with some exposed brick work sections and lots of different style wooden table and chairs in the restaurant section. And although I got the impression this pub focused on food and a decent looking food options were shown on the various chalk boards, the lounge bar section was still comfortable enough with lots of available leather seating. Four hand pumps on the bar top dispensing CW brews and the regular beers appeared to be Youngs bitter and Eagle IPA with Courage best and Directors on the other two for my visit. Comfortable enough place for a pint , with no gaming machines or sport on large screens here, which I was later to discover is the exception, rather than the norm for the pubs in Baldock.