The Potters Arms, Amersham

The Potters Arms is a large white fronted village pub in the Buckinghamshire village of Winchmore Hill, on one of the other corners of the central village green to The Plough. It benefits from a nice external garden space with bench seating overlooking the green to the front but is a bit of a confusing layout internally. There are two main areas either side of a square central serving bar making the space an L shape. But rather than entering in the middle, you enter at the end of one of the legs and have to walk round the central serving area to get to the other internal space. But this is easier said than done when there are a few locals in, as they tend to stand up the bar and thus form a barrier between the two internal sections. And as they also monopolise the bar stools around the bar forming a barrier between you and the beer dispensers, initially a friendly welcome is not something you feel. However this is clearly down to the poor bar space layout and the locals did move out the way long enough for me to see the rabbits when they finally realised I was there, and the barman was extremely pleasant. The space on the far side of the entrance did look a bit plain, but cannot really give an informed judgement as I didn’t bother to fight my way through the locals to have a good look. But instead took my pint back into the first section and sat in a sofa opposite a very impressive open fireplace which, if anything was too commanding for the space it was in. And then there is a separate dining room section which initially I didn’t realise was there as it is tucked well away from the main bar in a section opposite the side entrance. It is still Brakspears branded from the pub sign and the four ale pumps were dispensing Brakspears Bitter, Oxford Gold and Pride of the River and also Ringwood 49 from the Marston’s stable. I went for the Pride of the River, which was a mistake as it really wasn’t that good. The Potters Arms clearly functions as more of a village local than the other offering in Winchmore Hill and long may it remain to do so. But come the day, when I decide to retreat from the metropolis and look for a piece of rural old England with a quaint characterful village pub, The Potters Arms won’t be to the forefront of my thoughts.