The Southbrook Inn, Swindon, Wiltshire

The Southbrook is our new local, and a proper old local it is.  When we walked in at 5:30 last Friday it was already packed with several conversational groups distributed along the bar.  A pint and a large (really large) wine later and I stepped up for another round and one of the barflies came around and served us before returning to his post on our side of the bar.

We hadn’t realised that to the right of the Confessional Box that greets you as you enter this ancient, former barn there was a lounge that serves as a dining room.  Such is the magnetic force of the bar for the two of us, I guess; but when a couple of guys retrieved menus I found my way over there to get some for us as we were starving after a day of unpacking items in the new digs.  Turns out the lounge was even more lively than the public bar and I retreated with our menu back to where Jackie awaited.

The food choice was enormous and I settled on the lamb roast for about £6.50 that arrived with mounds of sweet, succulent lamb covered with gravy atop a rosemary and thyme rich dressing and garnished with fresh, local vegetables cooked just enough to retain crisp texture.  While we waited for this feast we met a large number of the regulars who weren’t just friendly but quite welcoming, indeed.  I don’t know if they’ve ever even had a foreigner grace their establishment before, such was the reception.  I am so pleased that this is our local, after the year in Bicester where no one really gave a rats arse (except of course for the fantastic Black Bull over in Launton).

The Southbrook doesn’t have much of a web presence, somehow even avoiding mention in such nearly comprehensive guides as Beer In The Evening.  It is about a mile walk from the train station and down at a dead end of a side street off Ferndale in a roughly 120 year old housing estate so might not be high on anyone’s agenda for a visit but I would recommend it wholeheartedly.

Now, let’s see how long it takes to get barred.