please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This is an attractive pub somewhat off the beaten track, and I don't imagine it really sees anything in terms of passing trade. In may ways it's the quintessential village local, and it was good to see it busy with a varied mix of clientele on a recent Sunday afternoon visit. Unusually the "front" of the pub (i.e.; the side facing the road) is in fact the back, having no doors and looking perhaps slightly drab. Around the other side it's much more pleasant though, with picnic tables on the lawn and wooden trellis work.
The pub is a slightly staggered U-shape, and divided in to a couple of different areas although they all flow in to one another. The bar counter is just inside the door, and here there are a couple of chunky pine farmhouse tables. There is a parquet wood floor and plenty of beams on the low ceiling as well as a brick fire-place off to one side, and this housed a wood burning stove. Various ornaments and pictures of foxes were dotted around as befits the pub's name and there was also a signed Bristol rugby shirt.
Around the corner is a carpeted area with green bench seating along the back wall, and smallish tables and chairs with wine bottle candles on. This is perhaps more intended for dining, although it appeared that the lunch service had finished by the time we were there. Beyond this is a small snug with a tiled floor and some exposed stone wall. There are no TV's in the pub which makes a pleasant change, although one of the punters was getting his football fix by having his Ipad perched on a bar stool!
Good choice of beers on tap with Doom Bar, Bass, Butcombe, Tribute, Dartmoor Best and Bath's Gem. Ciders were also well represented with Thatcher's Gold, Ashton Press and Moles Black Rat.
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Was suitably impressed with the Fox. It's set well back off the lane and I didn't see any signage. So you'd have to know it was there. It was pretty busy on our Sunday afternoon visit. Some people had clearly been dining. Butcombe Adam Henson's Rare Breed, Bass, Fullers London Pride, Butcombe Bitter, Great Western Hambrook Ale & Sharps Doom Bar were all on. Moles Black Rat cider is dispensed directly from the cask behind the bar.
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Having used The Fox Inn for a number of years and being of told of an arrival of a new chef, i thought i would try the food. After fighting my way to get to the bar past the locals i finally managed to order my food. Whilst paying for my food, to my horror i saw a big hairy dog looking out of the kitchen at me which was immediately a complete put off!!! After a long wait for the food my partner and I found it EXPENSIVE AVERAGE FOOD. Being a frequent pub diner i have found many other local establishments alot better quality and value for money i.e The Ship and THE MASONS ARMS!
Ps. The pub reminded me of the restaurant in Faulty towers and the landlord played it very well.
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Great food and a lovely pub! our meals were really good and reasonably priced. A nice old pub but a bit difficult to find. will definately be going again soon!
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Popped in as I was told the pub was improving and some friends told us they had a lovely meal. What a disappointment, my food was very poor but my wife said hers was acceptable.The queue to get served was ridiculous.The young woman at the bar thought she was doing you some kind of favor serving you.
Still pretty dodgy
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Realaleandy, you make the comment "An overly local pub ......" I think that you are confusing a very popular pub with one that is dominated with `locals`.
I use this pub regularly - I am a regular ( who does not stand / sit at the bar ! ).
I have no doubt that some of the regular customers are `locals` but looking at the size of Old Down I would say that the number of customers in the Fox often exceeds the population !
I find myself often waiting to be served but find both the Bass & food well worth the wait.
I know there are many pubs near by that I can go to that have tumble weed blowing through them where I would not have to wait to be served but I choose not to drink at them.
I think its `horses for courses` but I am a happy `regular` at the Fox and would advise any one in the area to give it a try - if they can find it !
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An overly local pub to the extent that it was difficult to get to the crowded bar (once everyone had stopped staring...)
Inside the pub is presented nicely with wooden beams and a modern extension dining area to the rear; outside is a good beer garden. There is a good range of real ales (Doombar, Bath Ales and Moles) and also ciders, one of which is served from the barrel.
Less positive, the food was served so quickly that it was obviously cooked via microwave. While it was satisfactory, the meal was not what you might expect from what appears to be a cosy village pub. Pudding was prepared in a similar electronic fashion although it must be said that it was better than the main course.
Finally, the locals should be commended for their work in maintaining the barricade at the bar throughout the evening such that even paying at the end presented an obstacle.
In all a pub that is worth a visit once if you wish to eat. Otherwise visit to drink but you'll need to work out a 'getting served' strategy early on...
5/10. Would be 4 but the ales on offer add extra value.
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Went there today lunchtime food very good and hot only waited 10 mins for food clean tidy good service.Beer good range.The remarks about being a smokey pub as eveyone knows do not not apply.
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What a great looking pub but I would leave it at that as when you go through the doors all I got was Dodgy Beer and a dodgy attitude definatly worth a look but just from the outside
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Have to agree with a couple of the posts earlier..... the beer has really gone down hill and as for the food, I have eaten there 2 in last month (first time I thought that it was me being fussy) but gave it the benefit of the doubt and ate there again. Sorry but I wont give it a 3 go. Has the cook changed?
This really used to be a great favorite pub of mine but has lost it's way over the last few months.
Billy
anonymous - 30 Nov 2007 16:16 |
the selection and quality of all drinks in this pub is top class with butcome bitter, butcome gold, moles, bass, flowers ipa, sharps doom bar, bass smoth, black rat sparkly & still, stella, becks vier, gunniess and fosters. for a pub of its size that is a great selection that would be hard to beat. its a better selection than most larger pubs in the area. as for the food getting smaller you must be mad. im a big person and whenever i eat there there is always food left on my plate its just to much. what is with this "in the clik" rubish. top class bar staff. never had any probs with them. i was new there years ago and was treated as you would expect to be in a top class pub. if you are polite to them they will be the same back. a warm welcome is always receved to customers who are polite.
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its a shame you people dont know a good pub when you see one. best pub around. why better than any pub in filton. the food is as good as ever. your eys must be getting bigger. 5* pub
anonymous - 30 Sep 2007 00:07 |
Always a favourite pub of mine but lately the food has definately started to go down the portion-control route & taking a lot longer to get to you....Shame !
anonymous - 27 Sep 2007 09:00 |
This pub has been a Good Beer Guide stalwart for as long as I can remember, it has now been removed from the 2008 GBG which is to be publicly launched on 12/9/07. I have my copy in front of me and can confirm this.
Why?
Because of consistent poor beer quality over a period of almost 12 months is why as a number of people, myself included, have stated here. So don't shoot the messenger, maybe question the landlord Phil perhaps?
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No, what a horrible place. staff could not be bothered to serve me, more interested in what I think was the cook???? it put me off eating there anyway, talking about horses. will not be returning, when we eventually got served the ale was nothing to rave on about. The other ratings are obviously "in the click"
Will not be returning, not the place it used to be.
Simon & Jackie - Filton
anonymous - 6 Sep 2007 20:22 |
I totally agree with the last two posts. I went to the Fox on Monday evening and had a lovely meal. I don't drink beer myself however, my husband is an expert! and always compliments the good beer as do all our friends. I have been visiting this pub for years and although it can get busy (because it is so popular) the service is always good and the staff friendly. Our friends, who emigrated to America 10 years ago would not dream of coming home without visiting the Fox at least once. I have never found the Fox smokey and can't believe the other posts are talking about the same place!!!
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I agree totally with the comments made by bwathern regarding the Fox Inn & was completely taken aback to read any adverse comments at all about it from others. We have been very regular customers of this pub now for over 2 years & were made very welcome from our very first visit. The food is always excellent & reasonably priced, service very friendly & as for the beers I believe they have a very good choice & have never been anywhere else in this area where they are kept as well, I have never had a bad pint in all the time of going there. The popularity of this pub speaks for itself & I would suggest either booking a table yourself or leaving your visit until after 9pm when they stop serving food if that bugs you....
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i strongly disagree with what you have to say about this great pub. it is not often that it is smokey. the food is the best around. the range of drinks is amazing compared to other local pubs and no im not the landlord. this pub is by far the best around and will receve my custom for years to come. i have been drinking in this pub for over 4 years and i still remember the welcome i got it was great. you say tables were reserved with noone on them but tell me would you like it if you were sitting at a table and you were asked to move because some one made a reservation? it is a very populer pub and if it was like you said then it would be dead and there would be no reserved tables. i have never knowen of any one who dislickes the fox you two are on your own.
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Yes anon, I now agree to exactly what you are saying - it really has gone downhill over the last year or so sadly. Reserved tables throughout the whole pub on a Friday evening = Go away drinkers we do not want you unless you are eating here! Stood up for over half an hour whilst I looked at two empty tables with reserved signs on them lay to waste. As you say, the beer quality was drab so I too switched to drinking Black Rat cider. Won't be getting my hard earned cash anytime soon that's for sure.
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Visited this pub again at weekend. No change still smokey, the beer was not of a fantastic quality and I quickly change to the black rat cider just to be safe. Thought that I may have been a little harsh after my last visit here but no if you are not in the click then don't go there.
anonymous - 15 Jan 2007 20:52 |
Smokey pub very clicky, boring range of ales, but bar staff were friendly, food average, it was a busy day and felt we waited for hours for our food. Not sure I would return
anonymous - 19 Apr 2006 14:33 |
Great low celling country pub that's hard to find unless you are local so just ask. Well kept but rather boring range of real ales usually including Bass, Moles Best, Doom Bar, IPA. Moles Black Rat real cider also on tap.
Great food at a fair price and a nice sized garden at the rear. Overall you can't go wrong but such a shame about the beer range when you could be drinking something that would make your eyes light up instead!
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