The Kings Arms, Taunton

Facebook page of The Kings Arms - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Kings Arms - www.greatukpubs.co.uk

Facebook page of The Kings Arms - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Kings Arms - www.greatukpubs.co.uk

An Edwardian red brick building on the site – and in the style – of a coaching inn which used to occupy this site before it burned down in Victorian times. The building is rather grand, and it has the town’s crest and motto emblazoned in the brickwork at the front. There is a small car park at the front. Inside is rather less impressive – a single irregular bar with a vague L-shape at the front, narrowing to a wedge-shape and losing WiFi signal strength as you move rearwards. The bar contains a pool table and a red phone box which appears to serve no purpose other than to provide aesthetic contract to the gloomy blue carpet. The bar opens out at the back onto a paved terrace from which clouds of smoke drifted into the bar. There were various tables, laid for diners. It wasn’t a welcoming pub – we experienced hostile looks from the locals, probably because we only had 5 fingers on each hand so looked a bit out of place. The barmaid was decidedly unengaging, certainly not smiling. They do host live music, which is hopefully more tolerable than the depressing dirges emanating from the old hifi system standing in for the broken jukebox. Two ales on draft, Doombar and Tribute, neither great, but both drinkable. It’s not the best pub in this part of town by a long shot.