The Plough Inn, Ashby-De-La-Zouch

A comfortable three roomed pub with a small patio area out the back. The pub consists of a room to the right with a Victorian cast iron fireplace with coloured patterned tiles inset, a small snug on the left and the bar area at the rear. Four handpumps with three in use, Castle Rock Harvest Pale, Bass and Pedigree.

A back street pub near the site of the former horse fair, according to a nearby historical plaque, the Plough has the feel of a village local within a stone's throw of the busy high street. There's a nice tiled fireplace in the room to the right in front of the bar, and there's another plainer room around to the left which was very pleasant. A couple of GBG stickers in the door hinted that real ale would be available, though they dated back more than ten years. There are three hand pumps on the bar, one with Pedigree, one empty (though it was quite busy on my Saturday afternoon visit) and the other serving Salopian Shropshire Gold, which was in good condition and was a very pleasant beer, apart from the aftertaste of lychees. This would be the pick of the Ashby pubs on my recent visit.