Old Spot

Unassuming and cheery town pub with up to ten real ales and regular beer festivals

The friendly landlord in this smashing town local is always willing to chat about his excellent choice of changing real ales from all over the country. On handpump, these might include Butcombe Blonde and Uley Old Ric with guests like Cottage Blower Bentley, Dorset Jurassic, Fullers London Pride, Sarah Hughes Dark Mild, Otter Bitter, St Austell Black Prince, and Severn Vale Session; they also hold four annual beer festivals a year and stock quite a few malt whiskies, too. There are always plenty of good-humoured locals and the front door opens into a deep pink little room with stools on shiny quarry tiles along its pine boarded bar counter and old enamel beer advertisements on the walls and ceiling; there's a profusion of porcine paraphernalia. A small room on the left leads off from here and the little dark wood floored room to the right has a stone fireplace. A step takes you down to a cosy Victorian tiled snug and (to the right) the meeting room. There are seats in the heated and covered garden.

Bar food includes toasted filled ciabatta sandwiches, ploughman's, a grazing board of meats, cheeses and fish (good for sharing), haddock and chive fishcakes, cottage pie, home-cooked ham with parsley sauce, tagliatelle topped with roast vegetables and goats cheese, pork and apple burger with bacon and parmesan, and chicken fajitas.