The Bull, Chippenham

Located slightly off the beaten track, but well worth making the effort to track down, this is a lovely old pub that whilst it does perhaps have quite a strong emphasis on food with many tables reserved, it is by no means a gastro-pub and is certainly still a very pleasant spot to just stop for a pint. Internally there are a number of separate rooms, and it’s unfortunate that the first one that you enter probably has the least character of the lot with cream plasterworks and some pale green wood panelling on the lower part of the walls. I note though that the pub is shortly closed for a couple of weeks for refurbishment, so this may of course change. Elsewhere it is almost entirely exposed stone walls, with flagstone floors and a couple of massive stone fire-places, one with a wood burning stove and the other with an open log fire. A number of old black and white photographs of the locale were dotted round the walls. To the left was a room more geared up for dining, and this was perhaps a little more contemporary with a wood strip floor and wood panelling on the wall at the far end, although the rest was still exposed stonework. Beers on tap were Wadworth’s 6X and IPA along with Otter Ale. Ciders were well represented with Stowford Press, Thatcher’s Gold, Thatcher’s Haze and Rosie’s Pig.

Official site of the Bull at Hinton, contains menu and wine list - www.thebullathinton.co.uk

Official site of the Bull at Hinton, contains menu and wine list - www.thebullathinton.co.uk