The Boot, Cirencester

Facebook page of The Boot - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Boot - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Boot - www.thebootbarnsley.co.uk

Official site of The Boot - www.thebootbarnsley.co.uk

We were disappointed with this pub set in the village of Barnsley. It seemingly belongs to the large local hotel and spa, but has its own accommodation too. Whilst there, a couple appeared in the bar having left their children upstairs with a nanny employed by the pub, which gives an idea to the clientele. The Village Pub was fairly empty when we arrived on a winter Tuesday evening. But we were still asked if we had booked. We replied that we hadn't and that we'd only like a drink and were then told that all tables were booked, but we were welcome to take a stool at the bar. I assume therefore that we would have been turned away, had the stools been occupied, despite the pub remaining fairly empty throughout our visit. A blackboard behind the bar listed the real ales, but the list bore now resemblance to what was actually being dispensed, i.e. Wye Valley Butty Bach & Stroud Tom Long. I had a half of the latter, which was pretty insipid. Together with a gin, it set me back over £9, making me wonder if I'd been charged for a pint. But then I noticed a drinks menu listing some spirits in the £7-£8 range and concluded that £9+ was indeed the going rate in this Cotswold village. Primarily a restaurant rather than a pub, the title of this establishment is a little misleading. But I guess it pulls in the hotel guests looking for a quintessential English village pub experience.

This is an upmarket food led pub in the Gloucester village of Barnsley. It is a fine period solid stone building of some age with a pleasant courtyard garden out the back. Most people come here to eat and that was primarily also the reason we visited on an August Monday lunchtime. Internally there are three areas with one either side of the central bar room and all have a collection of tables set for dining. The small bar area had two ales from Wye Valley in the form of the usual HPA and Butty Bach and my pint of HPA was perfectly fine. The food was very good, albeit a bit on the pricey side and two meals with drinks would normally have come to £40. But fortunately for us the pub was part of the government Covid discount scheme which knocked £20 off.. We experienced very good service levels and you could do a lot worse for a lunch stop if you are on the road.