Archive for the ‘Devon’ Category
The Odd Wheel, Wembury has Reopened
Aug 11th, 2010 |
I was on holiday in Wembury, Devon last week and I’m pleased to announce that Wembury’s only pub – the Odd Wheel was reopened in late July 2010.
You may have seen from previous posts that the pub closed in the autumn of 2009 and was for sale for many months. It appears that the owner of the Elburton Hotel in nearby Elburton recently acquired the Odd Wheel and has reopened it after a major refurb.
The focus of the pub is much more on food now but real ales are still available – including the tasty Guzzale from the local Summerskills Brewery. The other beers available last week were Sharp’s Doom Bar and Courage Best. I’m told that the real ale selection will vary once the pub has become more established.
My view is that the new Odd Wheel is better than the old version. It’s lost its quirkiness and 70s decor but now seems to be as popular and as welcoming as ever. The food is excellent and good value.
I’ll be updating my Odd Wheel pub review page very shortly.
Odd Wheel Wembury Update
Jul 14th, 2010 |
You may have read on my review of the Odd Wheel at Wembury in Devon that the pub was closed and was listed as for sale by a company called Bettesworths.
I’ve just noticed that the marker on the Bettesworths website has moved from ‘Under Offer’ to ‘Sold’. Does anyone out there have any more information? Is it going to reopen?
This used to be a great pub with a superb selection of real ales and good food. It would be a great shame if it was closed for good.
The Double Locks, Exeter
Sep 18th, 2009 |
We popped in to the Double Locks on the canal near Exeter for lunch on the way down to our recent holiday Wembury. It’s an old favourite of mine and I’ve been coming here sporadically for 30 years.
The pub building itself hasn’t changed in that time, but what was originally a free house selling mainly Wadworths 6X became a Smiles pub in the late 90s and then a Young’s pub after the demise of the Bristol brewery.
Although a Young’s pub the beer selection does still feature some local Devon beers – notably from O’Hanlons and Branscombe Vale. Many of these are served on gravity from barrels racked up behind the bar and I’ve no proof but I bet they all outsell the Young’s own beers. The beers are all well looked after and my usual favourite is the O’Hanlons Yellowhammer (although that had run out).
The canal-side location for the Double Locks is superb in good weather and the pub is best approached on foot or by bike. By car the pub is tricky to find and then you have to drive across an extremely narrow bridge over the canal to get onto the towpath and then on to the car park.
My curse on the residents of Exeter is that is always rains when I visit the Double Locks so we have to eat and drink inside. Whilst I love the place, not all members of my family agree and liken the inside to a bus station waiting room. It’s not helped matters that sometimes the food has been a bit average in the past. This summer however it was pretty good. I still may struggle to keep everyone onside next summer.
I’ve just noticed that the Double Locks is no longer in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. I’m wondering if that’s because the competition in the area has got better – I hadn’t noticed any drop in beer quality on my (admittedly infrequent) visits.
You can see some more pictures of the Double Locks here.
Holiday Pubs in Devon
Sep 15th, 2009 |
Last month I took a family holiday in Devon which prevented me from attending the Great British Beer Festival. However I wasn’t too disappointed as I visited a couple of good pubs when in the area and another old favourite on the way there.
The Odd Wheel, Wembury
Highlight of the week was the Odd Wheel in Wembury, near Plymouth. The farm where we were staying was just up the road and my nightly pilgrimmage down the road with a takeaway container didn’t take too long – unless of course I stopped for a drink whilst I was there.
The Odd Wheel is going through a period of transition from its previous incarnation as a 70s timewarp, but the new managers are keen to ensure that people have a good time whilst there. They’re also keen to carry on the Odd Wheel’s tradition of selling good quality west country beers. Whilst there I tried the following: Skinners Heligan Honey, Skinners Ginger Tosser, South Hams Devon Pride, Dartmoor Jail and Dartmoor IPA, plus one or two others that I don’t remember. Whilst I was there they also were selling Courage Best (why?), and Sharps Doom Bar made a swift appearance on the quiz night but went very quickly.
There are no handpumps on the bar – all the beers are served straight from the barrel in the cellar.
Certainly I felt like I’d been to a beer festival at the end of the week, but I was able to sip beer overlooking the Atlantic. Superb, and I can’t wait until next summer.
The Mussel Inn, Down Thomas
Also in the Wembury area, the Mussel Inn in is the tiny village of Down Thomas. My wife and I popped out here for an evening meal leaving the girls behind to be minded at the farm.
It’s definitely geared up as a restaurant but they are happy for people to just drink as well. The St Austell Tribute here was very good. The food was not bad either – although slightly let down by the desserts.