Country pubs have a particular charm and the very best transcend a mere local in to something worth travelling for. So we have done — usually these are within an hour or two of London, these spots are all notable for a particularly romantic setting, a menu that punches above its weight, a wine list that rivals the best of those in town and beers on draught little seen beyond the lesser-known bars of the home counties. Sometimes, we’ve travelled further, finding places to stay in overnight too.
From Seasalter to Somerset, these are the Going Out team’s best Country Pubs of 2024. Ever encountered Bramley hand wash? It is, they say, the new Aesop. It’s also the work of the Beckford Group, a growing enterprise with bucolic pubs throughout the West Country.
Among its jewels is the Lord Poulett Arms in the village of Hinton St George, Somerset , three hours from London (bit far? Rooms start at just £100 per night) and 35 minutes from Lyme Regis. Beckford pubs are kept as country pubs should be: a little shabby, cast in dark wood, candlelit, and joyfully beery. Food menus focus on regional produce and so expect Cornish mussels, roast cod and Devonshire steaks; service feels warm and local.
Plenty of wines on offer, too, and a cheeseboard that celebrates — you guessed it — the West Country. Perfect for a jolly Christmas getaway. High Street, Hinton Saint George, TA17 8SE, lordpoulettarms.
com In the dainty village of Kelmscott, in the Cotswolds, sits the Plough Inn, a dim.
