The Barley Mow, Epsom

The beer garden makes a handy entrance if you're approaching this Fuller's pub from the town centre via the footpath off the Upper High Street. 6 hand pumps offered a 3-up choice of Asahi London Pride or one of ESB, leaving two out of action. Kegs included Neck Oil, a Tiny Rebel Pale, Cornish Orchards cider plus a couple of lagers. There were plenty of food options, with orders regularly heading outside, but that wasn't the motivation for my visit. Cool (in temperature) and peaceful inside on a recent warm lunchtime, it's a perfectly reasonable option.

Official site of The Barley Mow - www.barley-mow-epsom.co.uk

Official site of The Barley Mow - www.barley-mow-epsom.co.uk

An attractive cottage style pub down a narrow lane away from the town centre. It looks rather small from the outside, but this is misleading as there are several different areas inside. The main bar area is slightly to the right on entering and has a wooden floor in front of the bar, becoming carpeted elsewhere. Standard seating in here and with one small table having individual pew type seats facing each other. Beyond the bar there is a stone flagged room to the rear right which has an exposed trussed roof, to the left is a small room with a bookcase and beyond to the rear again another more secluded room with a couple of sofas down one end. I sat in the main bar where there was a good fire going on what was a chilly afternoon. A recess to the front has an attractive window with patterned leadwork. There are three TV screens dotted about which were showing Soccer Saturday at low volume but they were not intrusive, besides I could keep up with developments. The pub has an accessible WC. Decor includes the usual old photographs of the area, a few horse related pictures and the odd brass. Walls are partly panelled. The rear garden area looked attractive and would be pleasant in summer. Fullers beers, in good shape. Pride, Jack Frost and ESB on, I went for the ESB and was offered a standard straight glass or the branded stemmed ESB glass. Friendly service from the pleasant barmaid.

A chum told me that this was easily the best pub in Epsom, and on the evidence so far I reckon he’s right. It’s a Fuller’s house, with Discovery, London Pride, and ESB on. On this same chum’s advice, I went for a pint of London Pride, which I have to say was in excellent nick, and decent value for £2.95 a pint. I was in there on Sunday lunchtime, and there were only a handful of punters in attendance by 12.30. There were menus on the tables, and I saw a reserved sign on one of the tables, presumably there for diners who had yet to arrive. The food looked reasonably priced, although some items confusingly had two prices – e.g. London Pride beer-battered cod, chips, and mushy peas for £7.95/£5.50. Presumably the meals come in two sizes, but the menu did not make that clear. The menu also made no mention of Sunday roasts, so I suppose they don’t do them. However, I did hear one diner ask the barmaid to pass his compliments to the chef, so I suppose the quality is probably OK. The pub is tucked away down a side street off one of the main roads, and is much larger than it appears from the outside. You enter into a small corridor, with the main bar area round to the right, and a small library cum games room on the left. The main bar area has a couple of alcoves by the windows, the smaller of the two having a couple of small settles, and the other having a couple of tables and chairs as well as a couple of sofas. This leads to another room at the back on the right, that is quite attractive with its rug covered flagstone floor, beamed arched ceiling, and solid scrubbed tables with normal chairs. There’s a flatscreen TV in this room, but switched off during my visit, although there was another one in the main bar area showing the Pakistan test. At the back is a garden with some picnic tables, plus shelters for the benefit of smokers. This struck me as a sort of country pub in the town. I really liked its intimate and friendly feel, excellently kept Fuller’s ales, and would be delighted to pay a return visit when I’m next in Epsom.