please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Having walked out of the Sun without buying anything (a 2009 reviewer on this site summed up the place correctly), we were hoping that the Pear Tree would prove a better option and so it proved. However, whilst it might be the longest surviving Hook Norton Brewery pub (1869), it has modern flagstone and wooden floors and bar counter yet no hand dryers in the toilets. 5 Hook Norton handpulls but the 3 ales I tried (Tower Ale, Hooky and Old Hooky) were all distinctly average despite the proximity to the brewery and I left with a slight feeling of disappointment.
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With Tim Gilkes, formerly landlord of the Chequers in Fenny Stratford, newly installed, this already excellent pub is surely going to be regarded as a classic. Tim's legendary cheese nights are in action as well as a quiz while the range of Hook Norton beers, delivered by dray horse from the nearby brewery are in sparkling condition. Essential.
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A friendly village pub, which in these difficult times survives through being the tap room to the Hook Norton brewery. A warm welcome and with all the current Hook Norton range on handpumps, a good preview for a visit to the brewery. Strongly recommended.
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A must visit for beer fans.
The original brewhouse for the Hook Norton range until they moved to a purpose built brewery up the lane. Also must be checked out.
6 of the Hook Norton range on and a cocktail menu showing you how to mix and match to come up with more options.
Nice open fire. Pub Food - and as you would expect, superb beer.
Some photos at my walking blog - http://bit.ly/1OHAKJw
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Went to the Pear Tree after a tour of the brewery - the pub is very much company-owned and Hook Norton throughout. Pleasant staff, good selection of well-kept beer and a typical 'pub grub' style lunch. Prices a tiny bit higher than one might expect. Absolutely nothing wrong with the place, a good proper pub, but I wouldn't describe it as excellent or brilliant.
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The Pear Tree was somwhat more bustling yesterday than the photo above would have you believe. But it was the annual Hook Norton Beer Festival, which was taking place at the brewery just up the hill. Many people seemed to be flitting their way between the festival and the pub and were quite merry. At the pub, people had spilled out to the front, where there was a food stall and into the car park and the garden at the back. Drinks were being dispensed in plastic glasses, possibly because the pub had run out of real glasses. The pub serves as the brewery tap for Hook Norton. So it was unsurprising to see only their beers on - Hooky, Old Hooky, Lion & Haymaker. I would imagine that on a quiet evening or in fact any time, other than the day of the beer festival, this pub would make a lovely retreat from the rest of the world. But yesterday seemed a bit too chaotic for my liking. Probably worth a try though to sample Hook Norton's ales at their finest.
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6 handpumps dispensing 5 Hook Norton beers on Monday lunchtime when we visited. As you'd expect from a pub 100 yards from the brewery, the quality was excellent. Friendly staff and locals. Only gripe was the constant swarm of wasps around the outdoor seating area.
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Having read these reviews I wonder if i was in the same pub... staff on duty were very friendly and helpful but of the 6 real ale pumps only one had Hookey and another had Bombadier and the rest were off. So much for being the brewery tap. And a good lick of paint and some attention to the furnishings wouldnt go amiss. No suprise there was very very little custom whilst I was there. Surely the brewery need to get a grip?
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Lovely pub, especially on a cold, wet day sitting in front of the log fire with a nice beer!
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The Pear Tree Inn is an old fashioned, no nonsense sort of pub. As it is spitting distance from the Hook Norton brewery there is a good selection of the local brews which have always been well kept when we've been. When they have a live band in it's crowded but good fun.
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best pub in hook norton the beer is fantastic
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Popped in here after a spot of walking and thought the pub was pretty decent to be honest. The beers were in fine fettle and there's a pleasing selection of crisps. A good pub!
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Had the misfortune to stay in the Pear Tree Inn. One of the worst places I've stayed in. No food on our first evening. Sat at breakfast the next moring for about half an hour only to be told there wasn't any. Needless to say we eat out the whole weekend. Dirty grubby place. Never going back.
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Went in on a summer Saturday afternoon. Nice atmosphere with the Hook Norton brewery dray and shire horses outside. Sampled a couple of the Hook Norton ales: well kept as they should be with the brewery 100 yds down the lane.
Didn't see anything of the dog (see comments below). Barmaid seemed OK.
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I popped in for a pint and a quick bite to eat. On seeing the food quality and sensing the poor hygene standards I settled for a packet of crisps. Unfortunately the beer was in very poor condition - isn't this supposed to be the brewery tap? The barmaid was extremely rude when I pointed out that the beer had been served in a dirty glass. This pub is a terrible advert for Hook Norton - surely the brewery is aware of the poor beer quality and unpleasant bar staff. No wonder it has been removed from the Good Beer Guide. Unbelievable.
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Visited this pub on the Friday before August Bank Holiday about 6.15. It was quite busy, menus were on tables and food was advertised on board outside. However, after ordering a drink, we chose from the menu but were then told at the bar that they weren't serving until 7pm. The barmaid then went round removing the menus. They obviously didn't want our custom so we went and had a gorgeous meal at the Gate down the road.
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Good selection of Hooky beers, which there should be as this is the closest pub to the brewery!
Foods Ok if you like microwave meals or frozen food.
Shame about the garden, has real potential as is of a good size and location. Landlord is a pleasent chap, however a female member of staff was quite rude and didn't want to serve as to busy watching the box.
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After a long walk we arrived at the Pear Tree at 1:30 knowing that they served lunch till 2:00. I asked at the bar for a menu to be told that they were not taking any more orders as they were "too busy". That despite the fact that we were unfortunate enough to be staying their that night. No wonder people holiday abroad if you are faced with this miserable approach to cutomer care in this country. We returned several hours later to be shown to our room - a pokey and unclean affair that smelt of dog's urine - there were dog hairs everywhere. I'd put up with this if they at least sold a good pint. They don't. God knows how diffifult it is with the brewery just around the corner. The breakfast the following morning was disgusting, and I mean disgusting, complete with smelly dog jumping up at the table. All in all bloody awful.
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I popped in here this weekend and the beer was spot on. Also the MD of the brewery was having a pint in there so it can't be as bad as some make out. Well worth a visit as long as you have an obliging driver.
anonymous - 5 May 2008 14:55 |
The 'Pear Tree' has been on my list of targets for a year or more. My vist, on Sunday evening, was short, the weather was bad and my cold worse. Nonetheless I was impresessed by both the range and the quality of beer. The Hook Norton Dark Mild was a pleasure and the Double Stout was too die for. Both beers, and another I saw pulled, were in tip top condition, clear, nice head, more southern than northern and the temperature right. I look forward to my next pint there, whenever that might be.
No food Sunday evenings so can't comment but the lady behind the bar was helpful and the locals friendly.
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Brewert Tap ... Yes! The beer is not as it should be, cloudy and on sale far past it's best. In my humble opinion he would do well to have fewer beers kept in top condition than what he does at present. Poor standards of clenliness with the landlords dog in and out of the cellar. Try the beer at the visitor centre, you'll see far more Hook Norton personnel enjoying the beer here and not because it's free to them!
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Oh Dear, came on a Monday night in October. No food, no other customers, and the temporary bar staff wanted to watch to Soaps on the TV screen. A top-class pub keeps up standards 7 days a week. What a disappointment.
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After buying beer at the brewery,stopped for a swift half. Excellent pub+excellent beer. Food looked good but not tried. Lots of Hook Norton personnel so must be good.
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This genuine village pub is the unofficial Brewery Tap for Hook Norton. Always the full available range and mostly in very good nick. Combine with a trip around the Brewery or a visit to the visitor centre. Excellent atmosphere and hosts a legendary beer festival in July.
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This what a pub should be like, wonderful pub very friendly.
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Traditional typical Cotswold village pub - the Hook Norton brewery tap. Highly recommended. If you have time, visit the museum in the nearby Brewery Visitor Centre as well.
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Full range of Hooky beers. Friendly for a single female - invited into the locals' conversations after minutes. Reliable food - very good steak and ale pie: lots of meat and I could actually taste the beer in it. The sort of pub that's VERY difficult to leave on a Sunday afternoon !!!
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Made a worthwhile detour for the Hook Norton Dark MILD while on our way to Abingdon a few weeks back. This out of the way pub is excellent full of character and olde world charm, with a gaffer who knows his stuff. Had a good conversation about the scarcity of MILD in Oxfordshire. Plenty of Hook Norton dark MILD in Banbury, none in Kidlington or Abingdon, Greene King XX MILD in Appleton and out to Wantage for Maggs Magnificent MILD. Is there any MILD in Oxford?
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Had a session here on the dark and bitter after a nice walk in the countryside up to the Rollright stones. Great beer and B and B is good too. Charming place Hook Norton.
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Small, cosy with great beer
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Nearest pub to the Hook Norton brewery which carries the full range of beers. Garden with children's area which also hosts the annual charity beer festival in July. Good bar food and well-kept beers. Recent (9/2004) change of landlord but seems none the worse for it.
Mike Richardson - 8 Oct 2004 13:03 |
