The Horse & Jockey Inn, Radstock

A small village pub just off the beaten track but easily accessible.  There are a couple of parking spaces at the front and more at the back, and there is a long, shaded outside seating area at the back with wooden benches in a very regimented row.  Inside, there is a small locals’ bar at one end, while the main bar the other side is formed from 2 conjoined rooms on different levels.  The building is quite old, as evinced by the exposed timbers, open stone hearth (with more modern woodburner) and stone walls.  The flooring is a mix of parquet in the older areas and stone tiles in the higher level bar area.  The landlady was very welcoming, the locals less so, and it got very busy very quickly when a couple of loud families came in to eat.  The food is reasonably priced pub grub, and it’s popular, so booking is advisable.  Two ales on, Parkway Funky Monkey and Butcombe Original.  The beers weren’t in the best condition, but they were still drinkable.  It’s probably a great local, and I’d like to try it again to see the beer quality was an aberration.