please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Good selection of beers styles represented on the pumps and a friendly welcome. Beers tried were Downton Quadhop and Sambrooks Porter. The jukebox got a tad annoying with auto-tuned b*llocks played a bit too loudly, but that was the choice of a group of early twenty-somethings who must have put a lot of money in because it didn’t relent.
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A great find and a super place for wiling away a few hours deciding which train to get. There’s a community feel and local beers along with the odd great guest (this time, it was from Great Heck). Cranberries fans had raided the jukebox in the week of Dolores O’Riordan’s passing.
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Usually our last pub on a crawl before heading for the station.
A pub with some character although it seems to be diminishing as a lot of the railway clutter has been removed in recent years...to be honest I preferred it as it was, it now could be in danger of becoming just another scruffy boozer for middle aged men.
Beer is usually ok and the staff will take it off sale if turned, CAMRA discount available though the bar can be hard to access as regulars sit in front of the pumps and some don't appreciate visitors wanting to peruse the pumps.
Still a favourite, but probably trading on nostalgia these days...
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This has just won the CAMRA Pub of the Year award for the area. A little puzzling, since there are so many good contenders in the area that are better appointed, but I suspect that it was the beer alone might have been the deciding issue. CAMRA judges don't always look about and see how shabby a place has become. Certainly worth a visit, but Pub of the Year?
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A pub with a little character on the edge of Salisbury city centre. Locals were congregated around the bar, with a cosy small room to the one side, near the gents. Beers were Irving Weel Malc & Downton Quadhop & Dark Delight. Northumberland Snow Star was being pulled through. Sadly I was driving and couldn't take advantage of the ales. Nevertheless, a nice little pub, worth the walk to.
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We haven't been here for a few years but the beer choice was excellent including a black beer from Old School Brewery in Carnforth which pleased me no end. Plenty of choice for the paler beer drinkers. Reading the other recent visitors notes it's worth saying that the second pint of Blackboard tasted a lot fresher than the first so maybe there are some issues there that need addressing. Having said that my wife's two beers were fine. The place looks as though it's had a coat of paint since last we were there.
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Have been to this pub on many occasions over the years and unfortunately the last three times (this year 2012) the beers we have had were not good at all.I do hope it improves as I used to look forward to going there.
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5 real ales on but very disappointing pint of Downton Brewery Quadhop which was far too warm and tasted off. In fairness the Barman did change it without a fuss but beer was lousy!
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Best pub near the train station and best range of ales in Salisbury. Old -fashioned and friendly.
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Pub has been cleaned up a bit internally since my last visit which is very welcome with a new Manager who seems pleasant so things have improved. Still a fabulous beer range but my beer was a bit too warm and my friend's cider was flat so not really a good visit.
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Its been about 3 years since last visited the Village and it seems to have become a little less manky and sticky in that time. The famous 'wall of mould' seems to have gone along with a lot of the rail cranks photos. Good selection of beer on, usual selection of locals and beer enthusiasts in residence, no sign of Uncle Joe though. Still worth missing a train for.
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having seen this pub go through the mill over the past few years it is now lovely to see that it is finally catching up with the times.it is i believe one of only 5 pubs that still shows all major sporting events with sky in the salisbury area , it still serves a fantastic range of ales but now with the redecoration taking place and a major revamp on lagers and ciders it has now become a place for all walks of life (not just camra and railway buffs) definatatly will be wasting alot of time in this watering hole
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Since my last visit Adie Leonard, the manager, has redecorated most of the pub and has completed a refurbishment of the toilets and the basement bar.
Beers consist of Timothy Taylor Landlord and Downton Quadhop as regulars plus a further three guest beers plus a cask cider at the back of the bar. He also has other ciders and a range of lagers.
Looking up!
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The upgrading is very clearly underway with walls being stripped & the cellar bar revitalised. Gents toilet is way better than I have ever seen it. No change in the beer (thank goodness). It is good to see an old favorite getting the care it deserves.
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The Village has a new bar manager (Adie) who will be running the pub from now on and the landlord only working behind the bar on Fridays and Sundays. Redecoration and refurbishment are in the pipeline so hopefully there will be an improvement in the decor soon.
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I hear from a local that a severe makeover of the toilets is planned. still has a good range of beers and soice.
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Another pub less than five minutes from the station if you feel inclined to grab a quick pint before catching your train. Five pumps serving among others Downton Quadhop, Poachers Black Crow Stout and Andwell King John. I sampled all three of these - the Quadhop was good, the stout had an incredibly bitter aftertaste and the King John was a bit bland.
The pub itself is in dire need of a makeover. I found it a bit manky to be honest. Not one I'd rush back to.
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I haven't been to this pub for a very long time as I now live in Southampton but in its hey day of the mid 1990s it was extraordinarily busy, atmospheric pub, full of character with some interesting railway memorabilia..
Unfortunately, the first thing to hit be when I walked in last week was the reek of damp, it was pretty bad.
The d�cor is unchanged which means that it now is really, really tired and although the beer choice was good (from memory, 5 on hand pull, and one on gravity) the Timothy Taylor Landlord was past its best.
Rightly, The Village is probably not the best place to go for fashion tips but I was slightly amused to note the middle aged bar man who finished his shift was wearing a shirt and tie with blue jeans was replaced by middle aged bar man who finished his shift was wearing a shirt and tie with blue jeans!
Trading on past glories, this pub is seriously over rated.
It scores just 3/10 for me not just because the pub is no longer competitive in the market it wants (and should be in) i.e. a nice, real ale led pub.
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This place really is in need of a major makeover. It is now beyond scruffy, its downright dirty and unhygienic, the gents loo should should be condemned.
The beer may well be fine but the unpleasant odour of the place and the scruffiness make it a no-no for me and friends.
There are far better pubs in Salisbury. (Wyndham Arms, Winchester Gate to name 2)
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This place really gets my goat. It shabby, dirty and serves only mediocre beer!! The place hasn't been decorated in years and the gents is a disgrace!! The only people that keep sing its praises are the local saddo members of Salisbury 'CAMRA'. And as for the landlord - philistine, that's the best way to describe him. Do yourselves a favor, keep walking to the Haunch of Venison!!!
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Still appallingly shabby (and the toilets still emit an unappealing hum on a warm night), but the quality of the beer remains.
Some nights now staffed by a dryly amusing Martin Clunes lookalike.....
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Smallish corner bar with a good selection of ales on offer. I plumped for a pint of Plain (Salisbury Plain I'm guessing) which was in good form. A decent enough bar and plenty of beers to try but I didn't feel like lingering there too long.
anonymous - 11 Apr 2010 11:32 |
For the first time ever, I had a couple of less than perfect pints. They were still better than virtually every where else in Salisbury but well below the usual high standards for this place. Also, the prices are getting a wee bit on the high side, particularly compared with Deacons just down the road.
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Brilliant pub. Friendly and knowledgable young lady behind the bar gave us good advice on the beers. I love the so-called junk on the walls - it is fascinating. Helpful locals told us a short cut back to the station. One of Salisbury's top pubs as far as we were concerned. This, Deacon's and the Winchester made up for a disastrous experience at the Haunch of Venison.
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No sign of the landlord on recent visits,a young lad was at the helm on both ocassions. The Downton Quadhop was excellent,though the pub does need a bit of a hosing.
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Very tatty but friendly and top notch beer which earns it the GBG listing, 8/10
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This was pub No 13 of a long, hot summer�s day pub crawling so things were beginning to get a bit hazy by the time we arrived at the Village. With its reputation for Ales it was always going to be on our list of must do pubs but its proximity to the station meant that we deliberately left it until last which probably wasn;�t a good idea. No-one would ever claim it to be the most impressive place from an aesthetic point of view; the interior is quite small with a quite ordinary main bar and a smaller bar area to one side. The walls a bit of a mess of posters and bits of junk but what it lacks in the very mundane interior it did more than make up for with the ales and the welcoming, chatty customer base. I noted 5 handpumps but we were too engrossed in conversation with a local artist who took us a on trip through his wonderful sketch book that I didn�t actually note what the ales were. This was the only pub of the day we had more than 1 pint in and we ended up catching a later train than planned which probably says all you need to know.
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Used to go in this pub a lot when there were some trains worth travelling on to Salisbury, but found myself with a hour to spare last week and was delighted to see that it hadn't changed at all, Joe was behind the bar presiding over the locals, the beers were great and the loco air horns still in position for calling last orders. Long may it continue, its not plush, and the toilets are tiny, but unlike other posters below I visit a pub for the beer not to carry out a visual inspection of the bods. The wall of crank phots was also still much in evidence!
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One of the more unappealing pubs in the area. A bit run down if the truth be told and does not come across as the most friendly of pubs. Funny names for beer though.
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Salisbury's mecca for real ale lovers and the odd train spotter. Five or six ales on handpump at all times, usually in tiptop condition. My wife hates this place but I love it, having said that, it wasn't a total delight on this first visit in over two years. Firstly the self inflicted problem of a pint of one of the most foul beers I have ever tasted, in good condition not off or stale just a very very bad recipe, the moral being if a taster is on offer sometimes it's good to try before you buy. Secondly the barman would not have been out of place in a Wetherspoons. I do hope this is temporary clitch.
anonymous - 16 Feb 2009 11:34 |
Went in there whilst in Salisbury for the Winter Beer Festival. Usual selection of excellent ales, including Taylor's Landlord, albeit a bit pricey. Dare I say it however that the Village now has some competition for the best real ale pub in town from the Winchester Gate on the other side of town?
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Why this obsession with toilets? I go to pubs to drink beer, not compare the qualities of porcelain and stainless steel fittings.
I've never had a bad pint here in many years, the landlord and his staff are always friendly and they'll always let you have a taster if you ask.
This is a proper locals' pub, and thoroughyl deserves its good repuation and previous POTY awards.
Keep it up, Joe!
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Great basic old-fashioned pub handy for the 'back' entrance to the station. Interesting selection of beers well kept. No food but you're welcome to bring your own. Juke box but there's a radio station playing so I'm not sure what would happen if you put money in. And a no-mobile-phones rule! Now, that's rare in a pub...
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This pub was our starter for ten on a recent Salisbury pub crawl and we were happy with the experience. The toilets didn't appear to hum too badly but maybe that's because we were there so early. I was not put off by the rather basic feel to the pub.
The beers were interesting and they are happy for you to try a taster before committing to one - so you shouldn't ever get saddled with one you don't like.
We stayed longer than originally intended and would probably go back when next drinking in Salisbury.
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A pub that appears to have a long standing within the rail enthusiast fraternity. Having visited in April 08, past comments about the interior quality of the pub (and the toilets) have not been heeded by the owners nor addressed.
There was an imaginative selection of 5 beers on hand-pump, Quadhop, Landlord as staple brews plus 3 guests. I tried a beer by Slater's and found quality was so-so, it certainly appeared to be a case of more emphasis on range than quality.
I left after one pint, finding the pub neither relaxing nor the place where would want to spend the night taking in beer. Whilst the pub is within easy walking distance of the station and the beer range is commendable - I would not hesitate to drink elsewhere.
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Popped in here on a Saturday afternoon in Mid April after seeing the good ratings on here and the promising looking beer selection visible through the window from the outside.
Upon entering the building was overcome by the stench of sweat and disinfectant. It was so pungent I immediately wanted to leave but ordered a pint and sat near the door. Big mistake. My beer was obviously on the turn and after 3 sips found something rather disgusting with the consistency of overcooked pasta in my mouth. I hope it was sediment but I don't want to give it too much thought. I promptly left leaving over 3/4 pint.
The comments about the toilets are all true too. Best avoided.
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had a really good time in here, very pleasent barmaid, and locals the beer was superb, will be back soon
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Five handpumps, four serving Sat eve, Middlewood Mild, Bowman Eldorado, Downton Quadhop, TT Landlord. A real local vibe around the bar and front tv area (where the England rugby team were further cementing Anglo-French relations, haha) and possibly because it was relatively busy it gave the layout a strange look, with the tv placed to the right of an intrusive descending stairwell. No matter, we were quickly served and all managed to get views to the rugby around the bar pillar or to the side. Smaller quieter bar to the rear en route to some pretty awful loos that are crying out for a refurb or at least a good scrub. One other tiny windowless room to the right which may be ok for a quiet read but not if you�re claustrophobic. Beers were good & we stayed for more, although there was a short moment of concern when one pint turned up murky (end of barrel) and something of a communal bar inspectorate passed judgement on it, before it was changed without problem.
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I visit this pub whenever I visit Salisbury which is roughly once every two years. The pub does not change which is a good thing, in that it is friendly and the beer is excellent. It is also a bad thing, because this pub desperately needs some attention to the decor. My wife spent ten minutes telling me how awful the Ladies was. I have to say that the Gents is growing some rather unpleasant culture down the walls as well. Perhaps in another two years there might be some improvement. Or, perhaps not.
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Wonderful beer. The Cheriton Stout was especially nice.Good no-nonsense local, handy for the station. There was a weird drunk bloke called Steve talking to the juke box.
anonymous - 13 Nov 2007 15:05 |
With out doubt the best choice of real ales in Salisbury. Downton Brewery�s Quadhop is a standard (& excellent) as is TT Landlord plus 3 others on regular turnover. Not impressive from the outside and while the inside could do with a bit of smartening I would hate to see the ambience change too much. Well worth the trip for anyone with a likeing for good beer
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Fine freehouse with a good range of local ales plus Tim Taylors landlord. A bit shabby maybe but it adds to the character, lots of railway memorabilia for those who like such things. Rather cramped and "intimate" gents toilets! Real ale carry outs advertised but sadly no containers available last night so our train journey home was unlubricated.
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Popped in on Sunday and had a great pint of O'Hanlon's Dry Stout. TT Landlord on for those with a taste for that beer - but it's �2.95 a pint!!!
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great pub great staff and most important great beer
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Absolutely splendid pub. Not pretense just great beer, lively conversation and genuine atmosphere. The ale selection constantly changes but usually features one or two local brews, Downton Brewery (qv Hopback) beers are particularly popular.
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THE classic urban freehouse. Superb ale and a true delight - particularly after experiencing the Kings Head (Wetherspoons).
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This is a shabby old place, but throughout is stamped Landlord Joe's personality and peccadilloes (woebetide you receiving or making a mobile phone call!) and his love of good beer and railways. I can take or leave the railway paraphernalia (one wall of the pub is given over to an unvarying pictorial display of sixties and seventies British Rail diesel locomotives), but I can't stop going back for the beer (I'm a big Timothy Taylor's fan)and the convivial atmosphere (The Village is definitely 'home' for Salisbury's bohemians and oddballs). There's usually 'Private Eye' in the magazine rack, too, which tells you something about what type of pub this is!
There's a low-alcohol beer festival in late summer (all beers under 4%) which is worth checking out, although it does involve braving the cellar bar and it's damp mustiness.
Pubs like this have largely disappeared, and if you like me lament their demise make sure you patronise this one. For beer and for friendliness the best pub in Salisbury. Don't miss it!
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Can't really add much to what has already been said. Great ales, great company and great staff. Wonderful pub.
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What a fabulous pub The Village is. The thing that always strikes me about it is it never takes more than a couple of minutes to strike up conversation with a regular, even if you make no effort! The range of beer clips has me salivating as soon as I'm through the door and I've never had anything other than a perfectly-kept pint here. Once there I don't want to leave. Simply a great place for conversation and ale. If you like those two things and are ever near Salisbury, don't miss out!
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This is a super pub. If you like railways and real ale you'll love it! Very cosy on a chilly evening, we stayed longer than intended and got the last feasible train back towards London. I think there were six ales on handpump including porters and stouts. The landlord was very hospitable and made us feel like regulars, and the manner in which he gently but firmly dealt with an unwanted arrival who staggered through the door clearly the worse for wear was a masterclass in tact and diplomacy. Clearly a great bloke who has found his true vocation in life!
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Super pub, great staff and probably sell the best kept beer in town. very friendly sort of place to have a chat over a few good beers, have never had a bad pint there and dont i ever will always stop off there for a couple whenever I am in town.
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Excellent pub, handy for the station.
Well worth a trip to for the ales.
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The ale cannot be faulted in Joe's pub. And he provides a chalk board for you to suggest future guest ales (he takes note, too!)
A little slice of history. Not many pubs like this nowadays, more's the pity.
Try it - you won't be disappointed.
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The real ales change every week with TT Landlord & Bellringer as perennials & at least 3 others. All well kept.
Reference shelves of Railway books provide browsing & settle queries. A novelty is the extensive knowledge of local takeaways with a byo policy to allow them to be eaten in.
Book club, Chess club, Quiz & crib teams or just sit drink & philosophise.
Derek - 26 Oct 2004 16:59 |
Joe Morris has run this pub for many years. He has established a true mecca for real ale lovers. The Village has a great community feel, and some real original traits. Try it!
Steve Korbey - 14 May 2004 18:27 |
A great local serving excellent real ales inc. a 2.9% session beer with TASTE! Railway memorabillia abounds.
Nigel - 25 Mar 2004 16:49 |
