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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
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Detail Pages
The Good Intent, Guildford
Puttenham
Postal town: Guildford
GU3 1AR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about The Good Intent
Situated in the heart of the village, this is an attractive two bar rural pub with a reputation for good ale. You enter directly to the bar, which a partitioning wall divides in two, although the rooms either side are fairly similar simple seating areas, either of which would make a good spot to settle down. The bar has a brick fronted counter beneath a hop-lined canopy, which instantly gives it a proper rural pub feel, whilst the attractive dark wood bar back displays a good collection of tankards and has the pub’s name written across the top. Seating comes in the form of fixed benches under the front windows with basic chairs in support and a few high stools along the bar, thankfully devoid of bar blockers on my visit. The whole place is liberally criss-crossed with dark wooden beams and lintels, which further enhance the traditional feel of the pub. The left-hand side is set at a slightly lower level to the rest of the pub and from back here, you can access a very pleasant beer garden with plenty of benches set out across the initial patio area and then out onto the lawn beyond. There were plenty of colourful flower displays out here which really brightened it up and made it a nice place to rest in, having walked here as part of the North Downs Way, which passes directly outside.
The pub has been in recent editions of the Good Beer Guide and accordingly there were four ales available – Sharps Doom Bar and Solar Wave, an unbranded house beer and Taylor’s Landlord. I took a pint of the latter (£4.90) from a very welcoming barman and found it in very good condition – it certainly didn’t stay in the glass for very long after I’d walked here on a very hot summer’s day.
Perhaps I was just in such urgent need of liquid refreshment that I took so favourably to this place, but I really enjoyed my brief visit and thought it was a great little country pub with friendly staff, well-kept ale, a nice traditional interior and a cracking beer garden. Definitely worth stopping in at if you’re walking the North Downs Way and worth keeping in mind if you happen to be passing through the general area.
Date of visit - 24th June 2024
On 11th December 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Good Intent
A decent village pub with a traditional interior and very busy on a Tuesday lunchtime with most people seated and eating.There are seven handpumps on the bar with five beers on, the regular beers being Harveys Sussex Best, Hogs Back Tea, Timothy Taylor Landlord and guests of Adnams Lighthouse and Robinsons Dizzy Blonde. It did seem a little food orientated here but still very much a pub.
On 11th January 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Good Intent
Picked this one out for a lunch time stop whilst driving through Surrey towards the coast and it did not disappoint. As others have reported this is a great traditional village pub full of character that importantly, seems to have got the balance between wet and dry sales right. As mentioned below a very decent food menu is combined with a decent range of good ales.
The house beers are now Otter Bitter, Sharps Doombar and Timothy Taylor's Landlord, and then Hook Norton Hooky and the Timothy Taylor Tour de France special brew Le Champion were on as the guests.
And the couple we tried were very well kept.
Very good traditional interior as described below with plenty of pub bric-a brac and the left hand area more oriented to dining has a very good collection of historical ash trays from breweries and beers past that kept us going for a time recognising them all. And then an excellent smallish sun trap garden out the back.
Although it looks like the beer policy is not as adventurous or as changing as in previous years, what they do sell is very well kept and combined with the wonderful old-school atmosphere makes this a recommended pub for me.
One small word of warning, the pub has also got a small car park out back, but you have to be driving nothing bigger than the Top Gear reasonably priced family car and be competent in your driving skills and certainly sober to be able to navigate the tight tunnel entrance.
On 23rd June 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
. Wittenden left this review about The Good Intent
I’d been wanting to visit this pub for some years, but freezing pipes and sundry excitements had got in the way.It’s a nice , old fashioned coaching-inn style building in a rural village, a few moments from the main drag on the Hog’s Back. A tight covered way takes you through to the carpark and garden at the back of the pub. Inside, one gets the impression of a long narrow drinking area surrounding the bar.At one end a slightly lower area laid up for dining.Open fire, hops above the bar, a smattering of oak panelling and venerable beams.The old revolutionary in me was secretly pleased to learn that the historical bod on the innsign was none other than Oliver Cromwell.
Perhaps we struck it on an “off” night, but I was not overly impressed by the beer range- no Harveys (that is surprising) and Greene King IPA as a guest beer! On the other hand, the Otter bitter was a very pleasant session beer.Jennings ‘Cocker Hoop’ was well kept,and I managed to resist the allure of Sharp’s ‘Doom Bar’.Unfortunately, my son’s pint of Timothy Taylor’s ‘Landlord’was on the bland side, though this echoes my recent experience of this beer.There seemed to be a goodly offering of fizz, for lovers of such things. Given this pub’s location, I was a bit disappointed not to see some of the wonderful ales brewed in this corner of the southeast, but what was sampled was on top form.
I’m a great fan of whitebait, so was glad to see them on the menu. I followed these with a steak and ale pie-a decent helping, but alas over cooked. I think it would be fair to say that none of us were particularly struck with our meals, but at least the pub is not afflicted by the Surrey fashion for London i.e. small helpings. Service was pleasant, and the locals made space for you to get to the bar,but I failed to identify the landlord, which I always consider a pity.Some particularily fine dogs were wandering about, including a soppy chocolate lab and a rather smart Ridgeback.
We’d like to come back, as it is in some good walking country. Perhaps we will: I’ll pray for adventurous ale.
On 8th February 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 283 recommendations about 282 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nick Davies left this review about The Good Intent
One of the best! Called in for a break on a what is a regular run and wondered why we'd never stopped here before. Will certainly factor it into the itinerary for a longer break next time we're passing. If only it were our local.
On 30th March 2009
- rating: 9
[User has posted 567 recommendations about 559 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about The Good Intent
One moment you're tanking along the A31 on the x65 bus from Guildford (10mins), the next you are strolling through a quintessential english village scene past the local church, fields beyond, and most importantly into this lovely pub. There you find a good range of six well kept ales, those listed by Maldenman featured yesterday and the pumpclips around the bar suggest a good rotation policy. Fairly quiet lunchtime (nb they close 3-6 weekdays) but there was still a local mix chatting, reading, eating, drinking, and that, indeed, is what a pub is about. Hops adorn the bar which has a fairly low beamed ceiling, room to left set up for dining, to the right a small lounge area with lovely wood-burning inglenook and, beyond, a sort of open snug. Blackboard menu offers traditional pub fayre with mains at £7-8, the burger & proper homemade looking chips (£5.50) were going well, resuscitating staff from post xmas party blues; haha, no this is not a delayed review, I think that is stylish decadence. There is a noticeboard made from old wine corks and the wine list ranges from £10-17, plus options by the glass, the red selection looked preferable. The notices include details of GI's cycling club, about to hit the road again thurs eves., and their website shows local walks - very much the community local, great stuff!
ps. I left my bag behind & have to return to retrieve soonest, such hardship!
On 20th February 2008
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Good Intent
Great village pub close to good walking country, with a real dedication to serving a range of good ales. A real log fire burns in the grate, and a hum of conversation dominates, rather than music. Genuinely welcoming and friendly. The house beers are Ringwood Best Bitter, Harvey's Sussex, and TT Landlord; guests were Triple fff Alton's Pride, Hammerpot Red Hunter and Ballard's Nyewood Gold.
Well worth seeking out.
On 18th February 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]