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Detail Pages
The Exeter Inn, Exeter
Topsham
Postal town: Exeter
EX3 0DY
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Exeter Inn
This is a basic local’s boozer at the 'wrong' end of town to pick up passing tourists. The pub occupies a rather weird narrow thatched building that widens a little to the rear. You enter midway into the pub, with the bar to your right and a narrow seating area back in the direction you just came from. This space is bare boarded, with banquette seating along the front and left walls, and a few tables and chairs to the right, with a small brick fireplace breaking things up a little along this side. Old local photos add a bit of character and liven up the walls, whilst floral pattern curtains add some colour and a dartboard and juke box (turned off) to left provide some entertainment options. This somewhat spartan area gives way to a nice bar space with a red wood panel servery with polished stone top down one side and plush banquette seating with dated floral print upholstery to the left, where a TV screen was showing Exeter's live rugby fixture to a dozen or so interested punters, with the commentary audible. A fireplace on the rear wall has a large plain mirror above, but that was about the extent of the decor here before the room extends into dark space to rear, with some padded benches and an unused TV screen.
The pub has had a push at selling real ale and as such, there were three handpulls in action when I arrived, dispensing Bays Devon Dumpling (£4.00), St Austell Proper Job and Teignworthy Reel Ale, with the final handpull out of action. The friendly Northern landlord had a massive struggle trying to pour the extremely lively Devon Dumpling into a half-pint glass for me, having to juggle the beer between two glasses, with the upshot that I ended up with a second half-pint for free. Despite this drama, the beer was in good nick and I hope the pub can attract a few ale drinkers along to sample it, as those in attendance appeared to mainly be on the lager.
I quite liked this place, which seemed to be a down-to-earth, unpretentious boozer with friendly service and a few decent local ales to try. It’s a stark contrast to the food led pubs in the centre of town, but is nevertheless well presented and worthy of a quick look if you’re able to tear yourself away from the Bridge Inn.
On 4th June 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Exeter Inn
Honest community pub on the edge of town - where the locals drink.
GBG 2022 entry. Large open plan room with long bar. Big TV, with sound pumped through external speakers. It was darts.
Lovely log burner, making for a comfortable Autumn visit. Proper Job in good condition but not quite hitting the heights of the Globe Hotel.... where its probably 30% more expensive.
Friendly land lady.
On 24th November 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Exeter Inn
Popped in for a very swift one before the train, so swift I forgot to make any notes. However I do recall having a chat with the landlord, who proffered me a sample of a lime flavoured beer from the cellar which was rather good of him. My half of St Austell (some sort of IPA?) from one of the four hand pumps was good (NBSS 3+). Always going to feel a tad underwhelming if you do it after the Bridge rather than before but I felt like I got more out of it this time.
January 2014
The ‘other’ GBG pub in Topsham. Open-plan blue and white décor as mentioned by the Soup below but also felt to me like a bit unkempt. The atmosphere generated by the punters was good, felt like a well-used local. Muted football and rugby both on, to a soundtrack of over-loud modern music of no real pedigree. Pool and darts available. Four pumps, featuring two local ales and a cider. My Dartmoor wasn’t up to much at all which put me off trying the other pump. Filled rolls behind the bar for the ravenous. I really didn’t see anything particularly special about this one and felt faintly robbed of 30 extra minutes at the Bridge. Maybe I am missing something here given rave reviews elsewhere? Rated 6
On 22nd April 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Exeter Inn
This pub is the wrong way round in that the narrowest end of it faces on to the main road. The pub consists of two buildings the oldest of which is the front thatched one with the larger more modern building behind. The entrance is through the front of the rear building which houses the bar and sadly two large TV screens. The older front building which is now to the right has pool, darts and yet another TV screen.
It was empty when I arrived after midday on a Saturday
The bar has just four hand pumps which had Teignworthy Beachcomber, St Austell Hybrid IPA & Diablo Red and Bay Topsail. I was also told by the landlord who was dead keen on his beers that they had a cask of Bays Devon Dumpling on gravity in the cellar. I went for the St Austell beers (£3.50) which were both from their experimental microbrewery and both excellent.
Although all the TVs are a pain (at least people were actually watching them) the landlord makes up for it with his enthusiasm for his beers.
On 22nd April 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about The Exeter Inn
15 October 2009
Cottage Deltic Diesel, Bays Devon Dumpling, Yeovil Ruby, Teignworthy Beachcomber. Pool table & 2 dartboards in room to rt of fairly plain bar. Decent soundtrack, slightly loud, probably reflecting the ebullient guv of 6 yrs, down from Middleton for the last 40, who happily gave us beer tasters and advised the groom not to go thru with it the next day! Admittedly it was dark outside, and I didn't really stray from the bar area, but I have no recall of SD's mutiple buildings, or any thatch, sorry. 7 for great guv & good ale.
ps. Ok, maybe I should have checked first - t'internet confirms this is 'one of the few remaining thatched buildings in Topsham', sorry Soupy
On 15th October 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ed davies left this review about Exeter Inn
Stayed overnight and was very impressed with the entire package - a warm welcome as soon as we walked in, 4 ales on handpump, all in excellent condition. No food served (accomodation is for the room only) and the landlord and lady couldn't be more chatty and helpful finding us somewhere to eat with an 18mth baby. Can't recommend highly enough.
On 8th October 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 13 recommendations about 13 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Exeter Inn
A thatched, cream rendered, multi building pub.
The interior is open plan in blue and white decor, with darts and pool, a large TV that wasnt on and no background music. Lots of memorabilia dotted about. The service was really friendly and had a chat to the landlord, as well as a couple of the locals. The clientele was mixed.
The beer; apart from the tap tosh, there was Hidden Brewery's Old Sarum (that was OK), Teignworthy Beachcomber, which was excellent and Bays Devon Dumpling and Exe Brewery's Exmoor Fox, both of which i didnt try.
Class place, a must visit. Places like this make me pleased i turned to drink in later life.
On 7th September 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]