The Stag Inn, High Wycombe

Set back from the road which runs through Flackwell Heath and located at the western end of the village, this has a part-stone facade and styles itself 'pub and kitchen' although it was pleasingly pubby on my early Friday evening visit. Entering from the front, the bar area is down a couple of steps with a high table in an alcove to the right and sofa and armchair seating in an open oblong area opposite the bar which extends to the front bay window. This also, annoyingly, had a TV tuned to 'The Hits Radio' which was predictably too loud. The bar itself is roughly staple-shaped, serving the open-plan bar and restaurant area, the latter of which itself is also oblong and contained mostly round tables and chairs and extends to patio doors at the rear leading to a cosy beer garden with superb views of the valley overlooking Bourne End. Just the one ale - Rebellion IPA - with clips for Fuller's London Pride and Mortimer's Orchard Cider reversed. I quite liked this place which had some nice, rustic pubby touches, but the unnecessary radio and lack of ale choice means it scores lower than perhaps it should have deserved.