Six Bells

Deservedly popular own-brew pub

The friendly atmosphere, good-value fresh food and superb beers make a compelling case for seeking out this town pub; you can arrange a tour of the brewery, and they have a beer festival on the second full weekend in July. The excellent beers brewed by the landlord include Big Nevs (most people's favourite), Cloud Nine, Goldings Best and a seasonal brew; there is also a wide range of country wines, and farm cider in summer. The no-frills bar is really quite small, with an assortment of well worn furniture and old local photographs and prints. The second, bigger room has bare boards, some stripped stone, a roaring woodburner in the inglenook, plenty of sociable locals on the benches around plain tables, and lots of board games (you may find people absorbed in Scrabble or darts). The service is very friendly. It can be packed here at the weekend.

Good value tasty bar food includes lunchtime soup, sandwiches, ploughman's and quiche, and in the evening there is sausages and mash, a fish dish, a couple of vegetarian options such as cheese and leek sausage, and pork tenderloin with mustard and cider sauce; indulgent puddings such as sherry trifle. Booking is strongly advised for Friday and Saturday evenings.