Rose & Crown, Sherborne

A recently renovated village pub which still smells of fresh paint, the business taken over by a new, enthusiastic landlord this year following a succession of business failures (the pub, not the new landlord). There is a good sized car park from which you can enter the pub through a neatly arranged garden, part grassed and part concreted, with plenty of bench seating. Leaving the car park afterwards can be hazardous due to drivers speeding through the village. Once inside there is a long bar with a flagged floor, exposed timbers and a wood burner, next to which is a large, echoey games room with a wooden floor and pool table. There is also a skittle alley, but this was locked when we visited, and a restaurant area at the back. Food was of the basic pub grub variety plus good value Sunday lunches. The staff were very amenable, while it was clear they made the villagers’ requirements a priority (in a good way), though some of the locals were a bit hostile. There is a basic wine selection while on the bar were 7 handpumps serving Twisted Cider’s Misty, Exmoor XPA, Lynn’s Figgy Mild and Yeovil’s Summerset. The beers were in excellent condition, beautifully kept and offered in a choice of glass. A very good place to stop for lunch or a few pints, I’d include on a motorised crawl, but be aware that it doesn’t open Mondays.