Kings Arms Hotel, Christchurch

A well-situated Georgian town hotel, recently reopened after a substantial overhaul. There is a very tiny car park at the front, but it's usually blocked by the tiny-brained locals' parking. The right hand bar as you enter is now a restaurant, quite packed but which serves reasonable food at higher-than-average prices. The wine list is unexciting and a bit populist. The bar, imaginatively renamed 'The Bar', is furnished in a modern minimalist style and has an over-loud sound system which precludes civilised conversation, although for most of the cash-rich, culture-poor clientele this isn't a great loss. Cocktails and bland New World wines are the mainstay, while the beer selection is Perroni plus one ale on handpump. The ale was Ringwood's Rye Pale Ale, which was slightly flat but otherwise quite drinkable. The staff were young and foreign, and they were all friendly and professional. Worth an early evening meal, but it does get very busy and appears to be the current 'in' place in Christchurch.