Salisbury Pub Explorations

Despite lots of trips to Wiltshire, I've somehow never made it to Salisbury before.

So I decided to remedy this with a Monday visit at the beginning of August.

Salisbury pub explorations started a few miles outside Salisbury, as I picked a village pub from the Beer Guide for lunch.
Partly because 4pm seemed to be the most popular Monday opening time in the city, giving me some time to spare.

Fox and Goose (Blandford Road, Coombe Bissett, SP5 4LE - web)

Entry to the Fox & Goose was via the rear door, where rope barriers blocked the way, with a line for those with bookings and one for those turning up on speck.

I waited patiently, but with no-one at the welcome desk, I let myself in and inadvertently skipped the instructions, sanitizing, and track 'n' trace.  Sorry.

Despite my breaking ALL the rules here, the staff were lovely.  The foamy best bitter from Sixpenny Brewery was exactly what I wanted as a lunchtime pint, and the home-made lasagna was tasty, filling and good value.  All in all, a pleasant roadside village pub.

Right. Time to hit central Salisbury, which has one particularly famous pub, which I figured I'd do first.

The Haunch of Venison (1 Minster Street, Salibury, SP1 1TB - web)

It didn't disappoint.

With records dating it back to at least 1320, the timbers within are apparently from the 15th century.  It's had a couple of make-overs throughout the years, but these haven't affected the character one bit.

Just look at the cracking bar, with pewter top and ales served from hand pumps on the back wall.

'Live eels' - just what I was looking for.

I contemplated the Courage 'Best', wondering if this could be the surprise beer of the selection, but instead plumped for a Hopback 'GFB', and took this to a bench seat by the fireplace in the front bar, also known as the House of Commons.

Interior shot spoiled by my rucksack.

Later I wandered up the few steps to a second room - the House of Lords - which is also wood paneled, but darker. That's where you'll find the mummified hand preserved in an old bread oven to the side of the fire.  A cheesy tourist attraction.  Which of course, I was quickly snapping pictures of - I am 100% the cheesy tourist.

Mummified hand in corner, closely watched by Churchill.

What with Covid and Monday opening, I was a little restricted in Salisbury. Sadly both the Wyndham Arms and Rai'dor were still shut; the Pheasant has Monday's off; and even Wetherspoons was closed for a refurb.  So I picked somewhere based on it looking nice and 'olde worlde', heading to the New Inn on the High Street.

The New Inn (41-43 New Street, Salisbury, SP1 2PH - web)

Just inside the front door, I found myself in a small queue at the bar.  
The couple in front were getting restless, becoming more agitated when two chaps went out through the in door.
"They're leaving because they didn't get served," the couple informed the barman, "Will WE get served?"

Badger.  It took a while.

They were promised they would, provided they filled in the (overly detailed) track and trace form.
They then harangued the young barman into bucking his system by pouring their drinks whilst they filled in the form. 
The usual procedure was form filling - shown to table - staff return to take drinks orders - drinks delivered.

I figured I'd obediently follow the pub routine.
Which got me shown to a rubbish table in the courtyard, miles away from anyone else, and then promptly forgotten.  Bah!

Was it worth it for a pint of very average Badger 'Best Bitter'? (I was remembered eventually).  I drank it in a fraction of the time that it took me to get seated and order it.

Sadly, I didn't really get to see much of the interior of the New Inn, which is a pity as it looked quite appealing.   

Onwards...

Village Freehouse (33 Witton Road, Salisbury, SP2 7EF)
The Village was great.
Okay, so I'm not really keen on the modern-style lighting and decor at the bar - purple-lit wooden crates attached to wall to make up the rear bar display. Or the enormo TV showing the snooker.

But what made it great was a busy crowd of cheery Monday evening drinkers.
I got a friendly welcome and was seated at the end of a large table with one of the Village's regulars, who got chatting away with me, then involved me in conversation with everyone else present.

Real ales on offer were Butts 'Blackguard Porter', 3 Piers 'Last Chance Saloon', a pale ale from Lancashire, and Box Steam 'De-Rail Ale'.
The porter had an odd taste to it, perhaps nearing the end of the barrel; the Last Chance Saloon was a glorious pale ale.

It was just a few minutes back around the corner, for a quick visit to Deacons, which was looking good with the sun shining on it.

Deacons (118 Fisherton Street, Salisbury, SP2 7QT - web)
19 out of 20 reviews on TripAdvisor gave Deacons 5-stars.  
Everyone liked it except Yorksman1987 who described the place going quiet when he walked in.
Hmmm... if the locals were going to go quiet and stare at anyone, it was this scruffy, slightly tipsy, out-of-town pub ticker, stumbling through the door.

But no such exciting hostility.  I got a nice welcome with a big smile.  There was no space in the small front bar, so I was shown through to a table in the larger back bar, where I enjoyed a well-kept pint of Hopback 'Summer Lightning'.

I made my way back through the centre and beneath the A36 on a finely-kept underpass. 

Not a real pub.

A short way along the finely-named Rampart Road, was my final pub of the evening...
The Winchester Gate (113-117 Rampart Road, Salisbury, SP1 1JA)

Police van not waiting outside to intercept me.
Not this time.

The pub is named after the old eastern tollgate.
It's just the kind of place I like - a wet-led pub, with a pretty basic, lived-in feel, gig posters on the wall and decent music in the background.
From a choice of three ales, I took my Lister's 'Tail Wagger' into the pleasant tiered back garden.  Then decided it was rather dull sat in a quiet garden on my own, so retreated back to the main room where it wasn't much more exciting, but at least there was some background music.

It's all happening at the Winchester Gate.

So, not an epic pub crawl, but a satisfying handful of new ticks on a quiet Monday afternoon and evening.
I headed back to my room for the night at Sarum College - under £50 for B&B and one of the best views I've enjoyed from anywhere I've stayed...

Good night Salisbury.