The Market Hotel, Alton

Called in whilst waiting for the Ten Tun Taphouse, opposite to open. It's two roomed and modernised though now looking a little ragged around the edges here and there. The only cask beer was Courage Best but plenty of options for the lager drinker. It was all rather uninteresting, I'll try to get my timing better next time.

A grand old building in a lovely location which had a fairly radical makeover a few years back, done by the licensees wife (so you get an idea!). Internally, two rooms either side of the porch entrance. The left has a fire, brown squared bar top, stripped floorboards, reclaimed wood wall cladding and some bare brick. The large table by the bay window overlooking the old market square is a super spot. More loungey in the right-hand room, quite upmarket with more reclaimed wood and curtained dividers. All very modern and feminine, but quite well done I thought. Three ales, Black Sheep, TT Landlord (decent) and Marstons New World. Desmond loved his lemonade, ‘one of the best in a long time’. Friendly landlord, pleased to see us and quite chatty, unlike the hipster chump at the George (I imagine they are competing for similar customers?). Whilst I’m not exactly going to say it’s a must-do, I certainly had a decent 15 minutes in here.

Modernised in a mixed, or confused, style with cream paint inappropriately used, there are bare boards and exposed brick in the two rooms in contrast to a reasonable and quite inviting exterior. There are three pulls in each bar but the quality was dreadful and the service not much better, I wasn't much impressed by the unfortunate 30 something customers either. Not at all to my taste and obviously I wont be back.