The Village Inn, Biggar

Thankerton’s only pub shares a modern, brick built, one storey building with its only shop. The village sits at the bottom of Tinto Hill, a well known Lanarkshire weekend hillwalking venue, and the Village Inn is the nearest thirst quenching watering hole, assuming you can find it. Located on the east side of the village, over the railway bridge, it’s hidden away in the tiny council estate, rather than on the main road and bus route. It fits a lot into a restricted space. There is a distinct bar and lounge, which share the same serving area, and a walled beer garden/smoking area. The bar has a pool table and the lounge has a flat screen TV and a coal fire. There were only two draught beers available, Carling Lager and a little known, but very palatable, heavy called McLachlan’s Ale, plus a cider. Others were available, of course, in bottles and cans, but this is one of the few pubs I know in Britain which doesn’t sell draught Guinness.