I hope you appreciate that pubs can be good despite average beer, or dreary despite exceptional ale.
These four ticks in West Wilts were a mix of all that makes pub visiting our national pastime (after whippet racing), but the Lock Inn Cafe tested the patience.
Bradford-on-Avon really is the Skipton of the South-West. A pretty place scarred by cars, without a classic recommendable pub.
And every year a brand new Guide pub completely different to the previous one that mysteriously drops into oblivion.
In 2022, it’s a canalside cafe.
With canoes on the wall.
And tables in boats.
But never mind that, what are the adverts like ?
Bicycles and soap. I’d have liked adverts for Bass and Palmers, but we were directed to a table by a waitress because “table service”.
“I just want a pint please !“
“Please sit down and I’ll bring you a menu“
“I just want a pint though !“
I really, really, HATE table service. But you knew that.
“Behave” said Mrs RM.
The soundtrack was Michael Buble and “Abracadabra“, the mark-up on halves was outrageous (a half was £3.25, a pint £4.95), the beer was fantastic.
It wasn’t Proper Job, it was Bath Gem, a cool, foamy NBSS 3.5. Beer of the trip.
“Shall we go for a walk in the drizzle along the canal footpath, Mrs RM ?”
“No”.
retiredmartin 
Yes I had a similar experience there last year. And the local Kettlesmith beer was over a fiver. And they made us sit outside. Nice location though.
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Yes, treat it as a nice cafe with added bonus of good beer and you feel completely different about it.
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Perhaps they’re giving you the option of faking suicide?
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More proof that you don’t have to be a pub to make it into the guide. What’s next, the local off-license because it has a good range of bottled beers?
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I’ve seen that, Morten. There was an off-licence in Bristol which made the GBG for years because it sold a good range of bottle-conditioned beers.
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The same was true for many years of Binns department store in Darlington.
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Ha-Ha!
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The off license that my wife and I ran from 2001 to 2007, featured in the GBG for the last couple of years we were there. The Cask & Glass in Tonbridge, which is still trading, served a range of cask beers, in take-out containers, for customers to enjoy at home.
Despite the accolade of a place in the guide, I remain undecided as to validity of such entries – although when all is said and done, the GBG is a good BEER guide,as opposed to a good PUB guide!
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I think I read somewhere that the Village Tavern at Outwoods was in the Good Beer Guide twice in one year.
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Yes, in different counties, I think.
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“I think I read somewhere that the Village Tavern at Outwoods was in the Good Beer Guide twice in one year.”
I know you’ve read it somewhere, because I’ve read it somewhere too. If I’m not suffering from a bad case of deja vu, it was you that wrote about it (somewhere).
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SH,
I think that’s what’s known as short term memory loss, not uncommon at my age, remembering what Marstons beers I drank and how much they cost in the Village Tavern during 1976 but not remembering what I wrote a fortnight ago !
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