Manor Inn, Brixham

This lovely traditional pub which was built in 1868 and is now owned by a consortium of villagers going by the name of Gooseberry Inns. The interior has two rooms, a small public bar at the front and a larger room across the back which is split into a sports area and a dining area. The public bar is very traditional with a shallow curved wood bar counter across most of the back wall, a large inglenook fire place decorated with brass plaques and kettles dominating the left stone wall and a small log burning stove in the right hand stone wall with a glass cabinet full of various pottery built into the wall above, timber beams, carpeted floor, old maps and paintings on the walls. A short corridor to the left of the bar counter leads to the second room, the left hand side of this room is a games area with a central pool table, football table, dart board on the left hand wall and a large pull down projector screen for live sporting events. The right of the back room is set out for dining with cloths and cutlery on the tables, there is a tiny dark wood bar counter served from the front public bar in the front right corner of the dining area, a piano near the counter, a central double sided stone fire place with a second log burning stove and old photos of the pub and local area on the walls. Fenced off patio area and car park on the right of the pub, hand full of picnic tables on the pavement at the front of the pub either side of the entrance. Regular ales are currently Sharp’s Doom Bar, St Austell Dartmoor Best Bitter and Otter Ale with two changing guest beers which were Butcombe Bitter and Bays Gold on this occasion (GBG 2011 and Cask Marque). I sampled the Dartmoor and the Butcombe which were well kept in my opinion. The owners encourage the locals to suggest guest beers which add to the community feel of the pub. A great traditional village pub, I found the front public bar to be just my kind of drinking environment and very comfortable although we did eat in the dining room at the back as well. The food was good and the portions generous. No children allowed in the front public bar but families are welcome in the games/dining room. This pub is a little out of the way and I’m not sure what public transport is available but it does have four B&B rooms. I would happily visit again if in the area.

A lovely pub, although rather spoiled as all the tables were reserved (although many were empty) for diners, meaning you had to stand up to enjoy your pint. Surely some tables could be left in the bars for drinkers? Well kept beers on offer (Otter Ale, to name one)but our evening was spoiled by an inedible steak. These things happen, so don't let that put you off! With somewhere to sit to have a drink and a non-tough steak, I would have scored 10/10.

Official site of the Manor Inn with current beer list - www.manorinngalmpton.co.uk

Official site of the Manor Inn with current beer list - www.manorinngalmpton.co.uk