The Bell

The Bell is famous for being a no-frills place that retains the look and style of rural pubs half a century or more ago. It is stark, almost brutal, in its lack of décor, with none-too-comfortable junkshop tables and chairs, a battered wood-burning stove standing in one small room & a more impressive hearth in another. But this unspoilt atmosphere is precisely the attraction, with early-evening drinkers preferring to stand, clustered around the glass hatch that serves as a bar. Fittingly, the food is dead simple. Crusty rolls are filled with thick, generous slices of sweet, homecooked ham, with Colman’s mustard and Branston pickle on the side, or there could be great chunks of Stilton or Cheddar, either filling rolls or as a ploughman’s. On the drinks side, there are well-priced real ales from the local West Berkshire Brewery or Arkells BBB, & wines are equally inexpensive. The large beer garden is an added draw in summer.