20 February,
I lived at Stourhead 1985-2000 and occasionally do a piece on pubs under the pen name Egon Toast for the parish magazine.  Today I submitted the following.:

The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe

There is a decent bar scene but not really to Red Lion people.  The food is good (not posh) and well priced – and the pub is open seven days a week and all day.  At weekends there is a London contingent – unusual in Somerset but ‘media types’ not uncommon.  The pub has the sort of buzz that reflects a good looking experienced young owner with two kids.  He is ex of the Stapleton Arms, Buckhorn Weston & Queens Arms, Corton Denham and tough London postings.

The Beckford Arms, Fonthill Gifford

Charlie Luxton & Dan Brod are business partners who own and run this excellent pub that was burnt down in July 2010 but rose again from the ashes and re-opened exactly one year later.  They are both ex of Babington House, the product of England’s most successful hotelier/restaurateur Nick Jones, who is also an investor, as well as founder of the Soho House chain in London, New York & L.A. and other highly rated hotels and restaurants in London.  The trade keep their eye on him because he never seems to put a foot wrong and is ever the pioneer.  Kirsty Young, ex of the BBC News, now Desert Island Discs is his wife.  It’s life in the fast lane.

Top class everything allied to a youthful, stylish informality going on ‘grunge’ is the hallmark of this school of public service.  Often it can seem like the ‘Sloany Pony’ but without the inconvenience and expense of going to the Metrop – in lovely country in fact.  It also has a good choice of well-kept ales and a cheerful bar scene in a nice space and overall, the best food.

In short, I rate it the one to beat for many miles around.  If you are too blotto to drive home, the bedrooms are tops and more of them since the re-build.

Compasses, Chicksgrove

For years this has been ‘Wiltshire Pub of the Year’ in ‘Wiltshire Life’.  The location is well off the beaten track which makes it nice to sit out in good weather.  Inside it is a long windowless space with only two tables near daylight but the staff are young, attractive, friendly and competent with food and drink to match.  I like ‘Plain Ales’ and they usually have one.  It is hard to beat when you dismount from your bike and sit outside with very good food and beer, knowing you can just sit there and let it all happen.