The Grasshopper, Parkstone, Poole

Currently owned by Hall and Woodhouse, this large Edwardian hotel building now trades as a pub and restaurant, one half of the building dedicated to each function. It was been well renovated, and has managed to avoid the usual H&W colour scheme. The bar area is open and airy, comfortable and welcoming. There is supposedly a dress code, but no comment was made about our cycling attire. There is a large car park, a decent sized garden, a paved terrace at the front offering roadside seating and good disabled access. It has an impressive entrance hall with a grand staircase leading to the first floor where there is an art gallery. The floors are wooden, the walls are adorned with a collection of prints and photos. They run weekly quiz nights, and there is a gaming machine. The full range of Badger beers was available in bottles, and there were three on draft. I had Ruby Rustler which, apart from being badly kept and somewhat disappointing, was drastically over-priced, more so than any other pub in the area that I have tried. It's a good place to come for a business lunch or an informal evening meal, but its beer quality and excessive prices mean I won't be hopping in for a pint any time soon.