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Detail Pages
The Five Bells, Newbury
Wickham
Postal town: Newbury
RG20 8HH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Five Bells
Taking public transport here was quite an interesting experience. But the Five Bells was definitely not worthy of the cost and effort incurred getting there.
CAMRA's website mentions 8 real ales and 8 real ciders. In the event, there were just 2 real ales and no real ciders, other than in bottles.
The ales were White Show Pony & Indigenous Billy No Mates. Cotswold Cider Company No Brainer & Side Burns were in bottles. The latter was at least something new for me.
The pub itself is a lovely building externally, with its beautiful thatch. The interior has been refurbished and is not as inspiring. We sat in the pleasant garden to the rear and were joined by a fair few others.
An interesting variation of track and trace was employed here. You needed to text your details to a certain number, which then came back with an automated reply. I've not seen this elsewhere.
In summary, a nice country pub. But with pretty high expectations set, I was very disappointed.
On 4th August 2020
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Five Bells
A stop-off at the end of a long and grueling midsummer’s ramble. Enjoyed the sizeable back garden for the first time. A decent half of Innformal Innocence and a couple of interesting ciders to round things off. I’ll admit that whilst the ale quality is rarely stellar, it’s usually good enough. But I do wonder if sometimes they might be better off dropping a couple at quieter times.
November 2015
Nine ales and eight ciders on my latest visit and obviously I did thirds (it’s kind of expected by my drinking chums here). Also was a good way to sample the new in-house (Innformal) brewery wares. Plumped for Informal Sanfrinncisco, Innformal Hop Inn and Binghams Macchiato Stout. Decent-to-good condition across the three, though I wasn’t that taken with their own brews I must admit. There also seems to have an expansion in the fridge range too. Loyalty card available for their two pubs (the other is the John O’ Gaunt in Hungerford) buy 9 pints of ale or cider in a month and get one free and there’s also apparently 5% of ale for CAMRA members according WhatPub (I didn’t spot this advertised here though). Latest Private Eye snippets in the gents still going strong. Also shut-the-box available to play. Voted CAMRA Central Southern region Pub of the Year 2014 and I can see why. Rated 8
December 2013
A real find via perusing the GBG. A chocolate-box thatched 17th century exterior, the interior has at some point been opened-out and blandised a bit which is a shame but it is a rarity to find untouched interiors these days I suppose. Décor in brief: wood flooring, half-brick walls and a tidy rear beer garden. There is beer delight in this place with nine rotating ales across most styles and strengths, available in thirds and trays (why don’t more ale pubs do this?) with tasting notes at the front of most pumps. Other tipples included four ciders and plenty of bottled Belgian stuff. So good I visited twice in a month and in that time most of the beers I sampled (10+) were in good shape, just a couple a little below-par. There’s a lot of work been put in here to make it a destination – from the selection of daily papers, lit fire, Wi-Fi and fortnightly collection of the latest funnies from Private Eye in the gents. Food available. Jazz, blues and folk music advertised for Sundays. CAMRA literature to peruse. Well-worth seeking out and I intend to cadge a lift out here as often as possible in the coming months. Perhaps the only downside is that it has been pretty quiet both visits. Rated 8
On 1st July 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about The Five Bells At Wickham
Nice 17th century thatched pub a mile from the M4. Sadly knocked through into one large room at some point but now tastefully refurbished and retains many original features including welcome open fires on a freezing day. A large selection of mainly local beers to choose from, indeed the West Berks example that I tried was in excellent shape. Food is prepared on the premises and there's accommodation. An excellent pit stop.
On 23rd March 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 567 recommendations about 559 pubs]