Bird in Hand, Henley Town, Henley-On-Thames

A nice traditional pub on the way out of town, with a good and changing selection of ales (note the pump clips on the ceiling). An unassuming front bar with a larger room behind, all with old-school furnishings. Garden at the back too. We were a little bemused by the oche facing a flatscreen TV, until we noticed a hinged cover to carry a dartboard! Appears to be popular with the locals but note it does not stay open all afternoon. Beers on today were Braks Gravity, West Berks Good Old Boy, XT no.4, Windsor Guardsman and London Pride.

Well away from the tourist hoards that infect other parts of town,this is a charming little local with a long standing and friendly couple who run it,and many years service in The Good Beer Guide.Mid terrace,the entrance opens into an L shaped single room with the bar in one corner.Everything internally is traditional,with a seating bench running along most of the wall opposite the bar,and some interesting framed pictures about past like in Henley.There were two flatscreen but turned off,this doesn't look like a sports bar.Food is just bar snacks such as pork pies,pasties,scotch eggs and my sausage roll was tasty and good value. On the bar there are 5 handpumps serving on my trip Brakspears Bitter,Hooky Mild,London Pride,Sharp's Own and a very decent Church End Goats Milk.With a few national brewers being featured you could say the choice was unexciting,but it was good to see a mild,and the condition of everything the crew tried was spot on.Closes midweek at 2.30pm ,but we were not rushed out,I liked this pub a lot and relative to the other pubs in town ,this is at the top of the local real ale scene.I would pop back when next around.