Ginger Viking, Blandford Forum

Housed on the first floor of one of Blandford’s historic high street buildings, this awful new bar feels like the bastard love-child of a Scout hut and a cheap vodka lounge. It is reached through a wide, pleasant hall and a flight of stairs with a bearskin hanging on the wall. The single room was the full height of the building’s upper story, reaching up into the roof rafters and lit by windows in the ceiling. There was a back door that looked like it led to a smoking terrace. The staff were fairly rude and unpleasant. There was a mix of tables and seating arrangements, but clearly a game of musical chairs was being played out but with the music at a pitch we humans couldn’t hear, meaning the regulars got to sit down whenever a seat appeared but we didn’t. The food just looked awful, but then it wasn’t aimed at normal people so maybe it was OK for its intended demography. There was no real ale and no bottled beer, so we settled for Eight Arch craft beer which was overchilled (presumably to make the Neanderthal at the bar feel at home) and tasteless, and retailed at £6.00 a pint. There was nothing here any self-respecting Norseman would find worth drinking – their main effort goes into naff cocktails and prosecco – so I really have no inclination to return.