The Wheatsheaf, Yarmouth

After a week of walking around the IOW on the coast path, this was (in my opinion) the best pub to be found. Lovely beer garden/courtyard with comfy cushioned covered seating. Good music, not too loud. Bit of artwork. Very friendly staff - who seemed to want you to enjoy your visit, rather than enforce bizarre rules that were common elsewhere. Proper Job is usually a great pint and it was very well kept here.

Quite a plain yet appealing façade entices us in, and we find a surprisingly light, semi-modern refurbished interior. If does, however, retain two bars; one more of a dining area, and the other housing the pool table, etc. The food was good and reasonably priced too. On the beer front, Bombardier, Ringwood Razor Back and the local Goddard's Fuggle-Dee-Dum were available from the bank of three handpumps on each counter.

Looking for some lunch on Monday afternoon last week the family and I were enticed into the Wheatsheaf by the promise of quality food at reasonable prices. After passing a pool table and jukebox we sat at one of the two tables in the bar area. A family of eight sat at the other table and a bloke was filling up the fruit machine with his hard earned. I noted the presence of a flat screen television which was off and I didn’t spot any advertisements for live TV sports. Whilst ordering some beverages from the bar I discovered that there is a separate food till in the dining area to the right. This table lined dining area is about the same size as the bar area and was half full with more young families and couples having lunch. Apart from a few Yarmouth Festival pendants I found the décor to be quite bland. At the rear access can be gained to an enclosed patio area that houses some picnic tables. Unfortunately after making my way to the food till I ended up behind a gentleman with various food allergies. After a lengthy discussion about the individual ingredients of certain dishes the barman disappeared on a fact finding mission. I like the fact that there is a separate food till because I hate waiting for ages behind people ordering food when all I want is a pint, but for this to work at least two members of staff are required. Available from the bar was a standard keg range alongside Amstel. The three hand pumps were drawing Plain Ales Inntrigue, Ringwood’s Razor Back and Butcombe Bitter. The pub food mains were mainly priced under £10. I found the food to be very good and I would have no hesitation in returning here for another meal. However, I would probably walk by if only looking for somewhere to drink.

Official site of The Wheatsheaf Inn - www.wheatsheafyarmouth.co.uk

Official site of The Wheatsheaf Inn - www.wheatsheafyarmouth.co.uk

Well described by Soup Dragon, below, the pub hasn't changed much in form. The 'wood' theme is a bit overpowering, making it feel more like a church hall canteen than a local pub. The food was cheap and tolerable, although 'Fat Shaun's Burgers' are a bit off-putting. Free WiFi is available, and the jukebox (or was it local radio?) was sufficiently benign not to be annoying. Other sources of entertainment include a pool table and a piano. The three ales on were Betty Stoggs, Ringwood Best and Fuggledeedum. All three were well kept and in good condition making for a most enjoyable evening. The pub is popular with yachties due to its proximity to the marina, while there were quite a few locals in as well. Worth dropping in for a pint and a non-healthy snack.