29 Market Street, Tamworth, B79 7LR
Albion Road, Marden, TN12 9DT
Riviera Centre, Torquay
11-13 April 2025
23 Haltwhistle Road, South Woodham Ferrers, CM3 5ZA
Unit 11, Valley Point Industrial Estate, Beddington Farm Road, Beddington, CR0 4WP
Argyle Place, Love Road, Lowestoft, NR32 2NZ
116, Foregate Street, Chester, Chester, CH1 2HH
A friendly local rooted in the community, this Victorian corner pub became Grade II listed in 2022 and has a nationally important historic interior with an interesting three-room layout and 1920s panelling. The landlord and barmen wear traditional collar and tie. There are sports screens in two of the bars. Traditional Irish music is performed on Tuesday nights. The beer garden has many tables under cover and is abloom with flowers in summer. Always carries an awesome range of ciders and perries that are served by gravity dispense from the cellar, which goes a long way towards explaining the pub being one of four finalists for CAMRA's National Cider Pub of the Year competition 2018. SPBW London Pub of the Year 2015. SE London CAMRA Branch Pub of the Year 2015 and again in 2018 and Branch Cider Pub of the Year 2015, 2016 and again in 2018. 5 handpumps in total, split between two of the rooms (4 in public and 1 in saloon). May stay open later in the earlier part of the week - please enquire politely!
Historic Interest
Has been identified by CAMRA as having a nationally important historic pub interior. 1920s wood panelling. Grade II listing awarded in 2022, Historic England listing number 1475999.
Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance
Listed status: II
This pub still has three separate rooms, and numerous fittings from an inter-war refurbishment.
A most appealing Victorian corner local, which was given a "Brewer's Tudor" makeover probably in the 1920s. The exterior tilework of that time has, sadly, been painted over, but doesn’t spoil the enjoyment of the interior. There are still three separate rooms with a public bar on the corner, a saloon to the left and the lounge running across the back of the pub. There was once a small snug at the back of the public bar entered by the now sealed double doors but the partition wall was moved in the 1960s. The fittings are typical of their time – plain and undemonstrative in contrast to earlier Victorian exuberance.
A doorway (with no door) separates the public bar and lounge but they share the same servery. The counter in the lounge is a small affair not much larger than a hatch, and the counters in both rooms have simple fielded panelling. The mirrored bar-back is also quite modest but with Tudor-style arches under the middle tier of shelves. The saloon bar is accessed from the rear room, unusually crossing the staff access between the public bar/rear room and saloon bar serveries. The saloon bar counter and bar-back are similar in style to that in the other servery, but the counter has been extended to the left in a different design and height to the original and looks a little out of place.
All the ceilings have imitation exposed beams on them to create an ‘olde worlde’ effect, and all the rooms have imitation wood panelling on the walls. The fireplaces are pleasing – the one in the lounge with a decorated metal hood with a Guinness mirror above it and the one in the saloon with a grey-blue tiled surround. There are attractive benches in the saloon and lounge.
A most appealing Victorian corner local, which was given a makeover probably in the 1920s. The exterior tilework of that time has, sadly, been painted over, but doesn’t spoil the enjoyment of the interior. There are still three separate rooms with a public bar on the corner, a saloon to the left and a large room running across the back of the pub. There was once a small snug at the back of the public bar entered by the now sealed double doors but the partition wall was moved in the 1960s. The servery has an unusual T-shaped layout designed to create a counter in each of the rooms. The fittings are typical of their time – plain and undemonstrative in contrast to earlier Victorian exuberance.
The counters have plain panelling and the bar-back is also modest but with Tudor arches under the lowest tier of shelves. Unfortunately, an extension to the saloon counter has been made in recent times which is not in sympathy with the original: indeed, it is not even the same height, or of the same material and detracts somewhat from the overall effect. All the ceilings have exposed beams – not the real thing though: they’re just nailed on to create an ‘olde worlde’ effect. Another sign that the refit was done on a low budget is the use of imitation wood panelling in all the rooms. The fireplaces are pleasing – the one in the rear room with a decorated metal hood and the one in the saloon with a grey-blue tiled surround and a tile with an improbable-looking sailing ship. Attractive benches in the saloon and rear room. An unusual feature is the way customers are free to walk across the serving area between the saloon and rear room.
This Pub serves 1 changing beer and 3 regular beers.
Blythe Hill Tavern, Forest Hill
Changing beers typically include: Caledonian - Deuchars IPA , Morland - Old Speckled Hen
Source: National
Sports TV
Live Music
Garden
Family Friendly
Dog Friendly
Events
Function Room
Real Fire
Separate Bar
Smoking
Wi Fi
Real Ale
Real Cider
Real Heritage Pub
Quiet
Love Cask Beer?
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