The Kilvert's Hotel, Hay on Wye

A nice stone build in the main square, with dormer windows, front beer patio and rear beer garden.

The interior has a restaurant, which i didn't visit and a pub, which of course, i did. The pub part is one room, with a small bar in the corner. The decor is white, with beamed ceiling and supports, wood panel, along with a stone fireplace at one end and a marble-effect? one at the other. The decoration is a mixture of paintings, caricature/cartoon and the lamented but stunning Audrey Hepburn - oh, and a guitar. There were a collection of wine bottles and an array of real ale beer mats/pump clips. There was a big screen TV, not on.

The service was excellent, "especially the older woman", the clientele mixed and sadly for a miserable person like me, the place was full both at lunch and evening when i popped back. It seems popular with the locals as a couple of the book sellers were in, that i had chatted to, when i returned.

I didn't eat here, but i wish i had. No idea of the quality, but the portions looked decent and nothing can be worse than the Hay Cafe, where i paid �11 for a couple of lamb burgers that were burnt and no thicker than one of the beer mats on the wall here.

Beer; usual tap things, with an excellent Butty Bach,a decent Arkells Moonlight and Brecon Brewery's Kilvert's Gold and an untried Bass on handpull.

I cant really pick much fault in the place, other than its too small for a misery like me - and i probably never bothered before as it is a hotel, rather than pub. I returned to this pub for my last of the trip simply as it was the best - if this place did a MILD, it would be hard to beat.

11 Oct 2009 21:15

The Royal Exchange, Bloxwich

Update:This pub has been taken over so i have given it a few weeks before trying it again.

This is a detached pub, in two buildings, white rendered with black paintwork, with a beer patio at the front and a garden at the back. (The outdoor bar-football and pool table have now gone).

The interior has two rooms. The bar has a white wall and wood panel decor, with lots of old bottles, empty and full, looking tiredly out at the punters. There are two TVs, near next to each other, that had French football on when i visited. The background music was a bit on the loud side and too charty. The lounge has had a bit of a tidy-up, not that it was too bad. The seats have been re-covered and the room has a nice fire place, old prints and has a white and wood decor. Background music was the same as in the bar. Service was fine and the clientele mixed.

Beer; usual tap stuff, with Highgate MILD, which was decent as ever. There was not so good a choice of handpull beers as before; there being Davenports IPA, Pedigree and Tetley Cask Bitter.

The place looks a little better, the beer seems as good, though not such a good selection, the music is awful and didnt try the food. All in all, its still a place to visit in Blocko. Time will tell

17 Sep 2009 15:09

The Volunteer Inn, Lyme Regis

This is a terraced pub , with a pebble dashed exterior, with black paint work and an outside bog.

The interior had two rooms; the lounge was dark and seemingly closed, which was strange considereing the bar was rammed full to the point that i only had a half and necked it quickly, being a miserable person that doesnt like ordering from behind people and having to stand in an awkward space just to drink. The decor was a brick and stone look, which looked clean enough to me, with some brass ornaments. Service was fine and a mixed clientele.

Beer; usual tap stuff, with St Austell Tribute, Yeovil Stargazer and Sharpe's Own, which was very good and made up for the muck i had at the Rock Point Inn.

I would love to try it again, assuming i could breathe. The bar was central, so why that rammed when half the pub is empty?

16 Sep 2009 18:02