please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This fantastic pub has recently won local CAMRA rural pub of the year and pub of the season. Much deserved awards for Simon and his team. Definately the best pub in the area. Excellent food, unsurpassed real ales and great atmosphere - what more could you want?
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Outstanding, best pub in the area by (and for) miles. Good range of delicious well-kept beers, always very friendly staff (a friendly landlord who actually likes beer is a rare treasure these days) - having seen it nearly die on its arse thanks to brewery neglect etc. a few years ago, it's great to see such a revival of its fortunes. Always a pleasure to drop in, they even have a Vinyl Night on Sundays where you can take records along and play them, genius.
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Fantastic - Could not fault this pub - food was reasonably price for excellent quality. Four of us has a range of meals and all were outstanding. The Summer Lightning was spot on too, shame i couldn't stay longer and sample the rest of the range of beers. Don't change a thing, just right.
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Great pub, good ambiance and food excellent value for money. Food is well presented and good size portions. Thoroughly recommend. Not a gastro pub, just good well cooked traditional food (with a twist). Worth a visit
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Really great atmosphere, very welcoming, good food - child friendly and most importantly the first pub we have walked
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Pleasant roadside pub in a small village. The clientele were a mixture of locals, ramblers and people there to watch the live football, which being shown inobtrusively on a TV. The beer range was fairly good - Isle of Purbeck Studland Bay Wrecked, Flack Manor Double Drop, Butcombe Bitter & Hopback Summer Lightning. I was also happy to notice a blackboard listing a real cider (Dorset Dabinett - possibly from Marshwood Vale) and a perry (Bee Sting) on the side of the bar. Both are dispensed from the cellar.
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Eight of us went to eat at The Woodpecker last night and i have to say it was excellent... Love the decor the menu wasnt to big that there was a prob choosing, the service was excellent and the food was brilliant. Im a bit fussy and only like proper cooked food as opposed to prepacked food and this pub ticked all the right boxes for us.. all of us liked everything we were served and huge portions- reccommend the deep fried brie!!!! so top marks from a fussy one.. we will be back for sure.. Well done to The Woodpecker
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Our little walking group were enjoying the lovely countryside of the Stour valley & our day got even better when we stopped at the Woodpecker at Spetisbury for lunch. I can only echo the previous reviews, great staff, very attentive landlord who is really doing a great job. Good range of well kept real ales, I tried the 6p Handley, lovely pint. And the food, certainly the best quality we have ever enjoyed at the price. You will find it hard to fault this pub, from the real local atmosphere to the tasteful decor. Even the gents toilets are worth a mention & thats something I never comment on. Well worth a visit. My rating, an 8.5
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Its good to see a village pub undergoing a real revival!. The new landlord is doing a great job!. Well kept beer and I've heard good reports about the food although not eaten there yet myself. A couple of dodgy characters get in now and then.. set traps i say!. but still well worth a visit. The place being previously named after the local MP?. I certainly don't recall a pub called the " Arsehole Arms " !
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Knew this pub well when it was the Drax Arms,named after the wealthy Dorset family of that name which includes Richard Drax the pompous tory MP which is why they changed the name, I guess, rather than the power station.
I'm glad to learn that it is florishing.
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After a long time in the doldrums this pub has blossomed under the current landlord, Simon. It's now a great place to spend time. Excellent choice of real ales, you never know what you'll get. The food is great too. Love it!
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My wife and I visit this pub fairly often. A choice of four real ales which are all really well kept. A friendly landlord and a bar billiards table! Who could ask for more ?
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