The Fleece Inn, Hillesley

Take that recommendation with a generous pinch of salt: spiralling into wilful decline, what was once a beacon on Glos's pub map is now a damp, underheated and badly mismanaged hole. Surly new landlord charges for extra plates for children, offers no wine list and told us he wasn't sure if we could have coffee because three people had ordered the same and he didn't have enough cups. Word is locally that the new brewery owners are deliberately running it down so they can present dud accounts and get planning permission for change of use, thereby cashing in. A real tragedy as with intelligent input this could return to its old crowd-pulling status.

31 Dec 2006 16:01