The Murrell Arms, Barnham

Unfortunately, it's because of people like "equitablyaboveboard", who make such offensive and erroneous comments, that we have lost most of England's real local pubs and have to endure artificial, plastic "olde worlde" establishments, which are occasionally utilised by uninteresting, namby pamby, limp wristed, accountants, solicitors, architects and the like! Real people still live in our world and, in my over 40 years experience of the Murrell, it is a delight to be welcomed into a real pub with a mix of real people, all of whom intermingle and enjoy one anothers company, regardless of education, wealth or background! If you don't put on "airs and graces", enjoy conversation, want to meet and talk to interesting people, many of whom may still work in traditional country occupations, and enjoy original English country pubs filled with strange, dusty old artifacts (and some dusty old locals!), then the Murrell is for you. If you are a "Hooray Henry" who wants a sterilised, unreal, architects visualisation of what a bar should be, filled with other faceless people then maybe you should give it a wide berth!

22 Mar 2010 10:24

Hampshire Hog, Clanfield

Now renamed by Fullers as the "Hamshire Hog"; probably so that it doesn't get confused with any of the "Lodge" range of pub-hotels now that they've built a small hotel on the side.
It's a bit hidden away but now looks very nice both inside and out and the hotel rooms, whilst not that large, are finished to a high standard - there are local rumours that the new building was not allowed to properly dry out and that there has been major damp/mould problem in many of the rooms.
The bar/eating areas are clean and typical "recently refurbished olde worlde pub, but beer is well kept and the leather sofa in front of the log fire are wonderful if you can grab them.
On our last visit to eat there was a major staff problem and different dishes of food were taking very different times to produce - quality was iffy (all this when two besuited men were to be seen standing in the kitchen, talking, but otherwise doing absolutely nothing to resolve the problem). We will not be rushing back for food until we are reassured that the kitchen is working efficiently - several other groups at tables adjacent to ours were similarly very disappointed!
I believe that Fullers senior management now hold their local meetings here, so maybe this is a sign that things are improving.

20 Dec 2009 14:06

The Ship and Bell, Horndean

If you are a "Billy-no-friends" this is the pub for you! Dismal and lacking in atmosphere; often difficult to locate serving staff.
Even the Fullers/Gales senior management now hold their local meetings in the "Hampshire Hog" (really The Hog's Lodge!) up in Clanfield.
Come on Fullers-either knock it down and build new or give it a massive makeover, as you have done with several of your other pubs in Hampshire. A bit of staff training wouldn't go amiss either!

20 Dec 2009 13:46