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Image posted by Aqualung .
Submitted on Wednesday, 4th January 2017
With picture contributions to 1729 other pubs
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Detail Pages
Ye Olde Cider Bar, Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot
TQ12 2LD
Served areas
Reviews of Ye Olde Cider Bar (Average Rating: 9 of 10) see review guidelines
Graham Coombs left this review about Ye Olde Cider Bar
Still as thoroughly and comprehensively described in previous review (which only missed the pool table right down the back). In fact it doesn't change very much at all, thank goodness. Just to add a bit more for the uninitiated: the big barrels carry the three Sam's ciders, while a stack of polypins (known here as bibs) have a wider selection of guest ciders and a few perries. They are happy to do samples, so you can find one you like, which is quite important with ciders as there can be a huge variance between them, even from the same producer. So give it a try, and find out why I never seem to get to the other pubs in Newton Abbot! My only regret is that the superb pasties they used to sell are no more - just rolls now.
On 29th July 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Ye Olde Cider Bar
A Devon institution, this is one of no more than three or four bespoke cider houses still operating in the UK. The pub has a fabulous old-fashioned interior, with a bare concrete floor, plentiful dark beams and a fine servery to the left upon entry. The bar’s counter front is very striking, giving the impression of having been made from old cider barrels, and a quick look behind the bar reveals several such intact barrels, some of which are huge, from which the drinks are taken. The beams above the bar have been liberally lined with countless pint pots and tankards, with the collection spilling out above the standing area directly opposite the bar. On the opposite wall, there are a couple of wide seating booths , each with a couple of tables inside and hard bench seating around the perimeter. One booth has been decorated with a large mural on the back wall and has a set of old cider jugs on shelves above. There’s another small seating area to the front left, before the bar appears, with similar bench seating, broken by a lit fireplace with a nice clock above and what appeared to be a dartboard to one side. The pub runs a long way to the rear, passing a cider press, to follow a narrow room with fixed benches down both sides, although tables have only been set out along the right-hand wall. The walls here have been decorated with a great collection of photos showing the pub’s staff and customers down the years, seemingly posing outside the pub for their annual beano. Some of these photos date back to pre-war days, whilst others were only a few years old, but they’re all worth having a quick browse through. There’s a surprisingly large courtyard garden out the back, with picnic benches and a large shelter to one side. A cold motown soundtrack played in the background during my visit and various beer mats and posters suggested that the pub shows live sport on the two TV screens near the bar, but they were thankfully both turned off on this visit.
A blackboard next to the bar listed eleven ciders straight from the barrel and four more on keg, as well as a few specialist products such as mead and fruit wines. With next to no idea about what to order, I relied on the recommendation from Aqualung’s review below, and plumped for the Sam’s Dry, which turned out to be excellent. The old-school landlady was very friendly and there was a good atmosphere early on a Thursday evening, from a keen bunch of regulars who filled the booths opposite the bar.
Having never encountered a cider house like this in the past, this was a very special visit that will definitely remain in the memory for some time to come. I thought this was a very pleasant old pub with loads of interesting features and of course, some great cider, much of which is very strong and would no doubt wreck havoc on your plans if you spent too long here. A must-do for anyone visiting Newton Abbot - who needs beer anyway?
On 12th March 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Ye Olde Cider Bar
I first came here over thirty years ago after finding out about it from the first Real Cider Directory (aka the New Testament). I didn't really recognise it inside which may be due to cider induced memory management violations. The large wooden casks behind the bar were familiar but it looked much more like a normal pub with people playing darts at the front and it being generally fairly busy. I also don't really remember the building stretching back for such a long way.
I had time to try three of the ciders. The main ones on offer seemed to be Sam's ciders of which I tried the Dry (£2.40) then the quaintly named Thatcher's Diesel (£2.60) and the even more quaintly named Black Rat (£2.60) from Moles Brewery. The Sam's Dry was an excellent filtered dry Devon Cider, the Diesel was an alarmingly orange cloudy one while the Black Rat was just cloudy. All were pleasant enough ciders. The prices here show what a rip off the craft places that sell cider are and even to a lesser extent Wetherspoons.
I remember when coming here for the first time thinking it wasn't as good as the Monkey House or the nearby and now closed Plough at Elmley Castle but there is a better range here. If you're in Newton Abbot it's a "must visit" and happily it seems to be thriving.
On 22nd June 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
View more reviews of Ye Olde Cider Bar (6)
No known official website for this pub.
- Facebook - Ye Olde Cider Bar
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Ye Olde Cider Bar - whatpub.com
- Historic Pub Interiors - pubheritage.camra.org.uk
Torre, 5.62 miles, 1 hr 48 min walk (show)
Teignmouth, 6.7 miles, 2 hr 9 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 06 August 2014 by Quinno _
- Bar Billiards : Yes last updated 04 August 2014 by Quinno _
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 22 June 2016 by Aqualung .
- Beer Garden : Yes - more a smoking area - last updated 04 August 2014 by Quinno _
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 04 August 2014 by Quinno _
- Car Park : No last updated 06 August 2014 by Quinno _
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 22 June 2016 by Aqualung .
- Darts : Yes last updated 22 June 2016 by Aqualung .
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 22 June 2016 by Aqualung .
- Function Room : No last updated 22 June 2016 by Aqualung .
- Hot Food : No last updated 04 August 2014 by Quinno _
- Jukebox : No last updated 06 August 2014 by Quinno _
- Karaoke : No last updated 06 August 2014 by Quinno _
- Live Music : Yes last updated 12 March 2022 by Pub SignMan
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 12 March 2022 by Pub SignMan
- Micropub : No last updated 22 June 2016 by Aqualung .
- Pinball : No last updated 04 August 2014 by Quinno _
- Pool Table : Yes last updated 29 July 2023 by Graham Coombs
- Quiz Night : No last updated 29 July 2023 by Graham Coombs
- Real Ale : No last updated 04 August 2014 by Quinno _
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 04 August 2014 by Quinno _
- WiFi : Yes last updated 12 March 2022 by Pub SignMan
