The Kings Head, Holmbury St Mary

Had a couple of pints in here on the afternoon a few saturdays ago. I didn't have a lot of cash on me so was fairly shocked by the beer prices. Selection was good enough, but the beer was a touch too warm for my taste. The beer garden could also do with a serious prune, and though it's no fault of the pub's, the afternoon was further marred by two people failling to keep control of their desperately unruly hounds while I was trying to have a quiet drink.

5 May 2011 15:30

The Royal Oak, Holmbury St Mary

Spent a couple of nights drinking here recently. On the first night they managed to accommodate 18 for dinner though the barman looked like he was going to have a heart attack when we booked the table. Food fine in the main, though two of our party were ill after, but I can't put it down to the food for definite. The beer was decent, and actually better kept than the pub up the road where the selection was better. It is certainly rough around the edges, especially considering the moneyed rural idyll it is a part of. I can sympathise with the people who weren't made to feel welcome, but I was in Surrey as part of a big group of friends so we didn't really experience this. Having said this, on the second night we had a great time with some of the locals, though that had less to do with the pub itself and more to do with a substantial amount of alcohol.

5 May 2011 15:27

The Woodend Tavern, Mossley

Changed ownership and is now Relish. A US-style diner but still with the big garden and children's play area. No real ale on any more, but reports are that the food is decent.

31 May 2010 09:44