Smugglers Inn, Osmington Mills

This pub has by far the most scenic car park that I've ever seen. It looks directly out to the ocean. But where's the pub? Behind you, in a hollow behind the cliffs, no view at all.

This pub is owner by Hall and Woodhouse so if you like Badger beer you're in luck. Except that when we visited they only had one beer on tap. It was called Lemony Cricket (you know with a hint of lemon). Everthing else was off. I don't fancy lemony beer myself but could have been persuaded to have a pint of lager. Well perhaps I would have been persuaded if they hadn't come up with the novel idea of making you queue up for the bar (not the food) as if you were in the post office. It wasn't that busy when we were there and they had two blokes working behind the bar. Still I stood in line for a few minutes and watched as they called the next person up to the bar. It seemed much slower than the old traditional way of bellying up to the bar. Couldn't be arsed to wait any longer for a beer I didn't really want or to queue like a shopper at tescos. So we let our feet do the talking, paused for another tour of the car park, and left.

7 Jul 2009 13:47

The New Inn, Church Knowle

After drinking at a couple of disappointing pubs in the area (Bankes Arms Inn in Studland are you listening) we found this pub by chance. We stopped on a Saturday lunchtime. They had a beer called Jurrassic on tap but I'm not sure who brews it. The landlord was happy to let me sample it and it was excellent. It seems to mainly be a food pub but they have a great garden with terrific views. We went back in the evening to eat and the food was excellent. as well Full marks to the landlord, a very friendly chap, and to the well looked after pub and excellent beer and food. Would return to this pub if we are back in the area.

7 Jul 2009 13:36

Bankes Arms Hotel, Corfe Castle

My wife and I decided to try this place as it looks quite attractive from the outside and we wanted something to eat. We were visiting the area and after a couple of bad experiences with the local beer, which we found to be mostly badly kept and overly warm , I asked for a sample of the Ringwood Bitter. Big mistake. "We don't do samples" I was told by the imposing lady behind the bar as if I had just dropped a turd in the punchbowl. Of course that's their perogative but having read some of the other reviews of their beer I can understand why they have this rule. We decided not to drink or eat there.

The exceptional pub on our trip was the New Inn in Church Knowle (about 5 minutes from Corfe Castle).

7 Jul 2009 13:29

Bankes Arms Hotel and Country Inn, Studland

I agree with other users who have said the pub is in a great location. That is probably the reason that the owners could care less about service, a sort of "build it and they will come" mentality.

The staff are unfriendly youths of various nationalities. One of them yelled at a bunch of guys (aka customers) in the bar to "Keep the noise down" because he was trying to talk on the phone.

(Note to management (Basil?): Take the phone out of the bar and whetever you do don't shout at the people who have just paid �3.50 for a pint of warm beer..oh and don't mention the war).

We were staying at the attached hotel for the weekend but only drank in the pub on the first night. This was because the aforementioned expensive beer was luke warm. I see other reviewers have complimented the beer so maybe mine was a one off although I did ask for a sample the next night and it was still very warm. They had a good lager, Purbex (named after a washing detergent perhaps?) but it went off on Friday and never came back while we were staying.

They do food as well but we only had a salad and a ploughmans the first night so I have no idea what their cooked food is like (the food we had was OK). The breakfast at the hotel was the worst and most greasy I've ever had if thats any help.

My recommendation would be to stay away unless all you want is a pint of lager after a grueling day on the beach. If you are looking for a decent pub with good food we found one called the New Inn in Church Knowle which is about 15 minutes drive.

The room at the hotel was dirty and things, like the shower head, were broken so I wouldn't recommend staying there either.

7 Jul 2009 12:58