The Holman Clavel Inn, Culmhead

The Pub that dare not speak its name! (well the historic name board has mysteriously gone missing for months)

Support this place with your custom if you must, but you deserve so much better, whilst it doesn't deserve you, the honest decent drinker, eater whether local or passer by!

This historic, once noble, acclaimed, interestingly named Blackdown hills hostility seems to have finally met its Waterloo under its new (mis) management. Thought to be one of only two pubs in the country owned by a local Parish Council (Otterford in this case), it has been taken over and effectively denied to and destroyed for, much of the surrounding community by the current tenants who seem to care little for locals, tradition, decency or community spirit. Indeed the thinking of some is that they want it more for a home and possibly as a business base for other commercial interests than to run it properly as a decent community asset and public house.

It is strongly recommended that anyone who likes a good choice of draught real ales, a pleasant relaxed and convivial atmosphere and service with a smile from a friendly, smiling and helpful landlady keeps well away from this establishment. Erratic opening hours, an egregious and at times outrageous and intrusive landlady make this a 'pub too far' for most of us locals and thus a place best avoided until things improve.

I have read previous contributions about this pub and following on from Wormeryman, Molluscman and Colin Butler etc and the word is that a group of sincere and concerned locals got together and offered a generous and open olive branch to the landlady to try to get things back onto a reasonable equilibrium, but alas to little avail. The antics of the one local member of the Notty Ash diaspora managed to thwart the peace plan. Seb Pretill our very own Michael Garner aka aka! the leader of Churchinfords very own gang of one had been up to his tricks. It transpires that the aforesaid little sh one ! has peddled his sad mixed up and mixing up wares yet again with the landlady of this once august establishment. So a decent, honest and genuine peace plan of hope, of forgive and forget and of a fresh start was killed off at birth - thanks Seb, for your quite unique contribution to the local community.

Whether its back to South Africa or elsewhere eventually for the current tenant Cuckoos, it's simply the sooner the better for most of the locals. Still it looks like a long wait for the patient as the Parish Council, whilst purporting with bluff and bluster to sympathise and want change , in practice does quite remarkably little. Not our fault guv, jobsworth jobsworth, jobsworth! Well whatever else, this fiasco happened on their watch and under their eyes - so no doubt the local electorate will take full account of this when the time comes and little x's have to be placed in little boxes (I for one can hardly wait to wield my democratic pencil) - well we can but hope well for the future of local democracy if not for the short to medium term future of the once renown watering hole.

Luckily for all there are still several excellent alternative establishments in the area ready to welcome you and serve you well in a pleasant convivial and relaxed atmosphere - alas they are not owned by the community , rather just normal commercial enterprises.

16 Aug 2012 13:36

The Plowden Arms, Shiplake

W

16 Aug 2012 13:22