The William IV, Albury

I stopped off here early Friday evening in October and have to agree with some of the other comments about the 'regulars'. There were a group very loud middle-aged men monopolising the bar area, with several apparently swinging from chains attached to the low ceiling, presumably to make it difficult to shift them out of the way. The bar staff were friendly enough and seemed almost apologetic about antics of the customers, and the beer was well kept, but I found the whole experience irritating, and more like dropping in on a private club than a welcoming village bar. Given the nice interior it has the potential to be a lovely pub, but they really need to sort out the noisy clique who gather there.

29 Nov 2009 12:16

The Kings Head, Holmbury St Mary

Have visited the Kings Head several times over the past month on Sundays whilst walking in the Surrey Hills, and have been very impressed. This small pub has a very genuine feel to it, and is clearly popular with walkers, mountain bikers and locals. The surroundings are very convivial, with 3 separate areas (public bar with flat screen TV and billiards, small lounge bar, and larger restaurant area towards the rear), and the team behind the bar are always attentive and working hard to ensure smooth service. The food seems to be cooked to a high standard, with quality local ingredients - I enjoyed some excellent sausages supplied by a butcher in Loxwood - and the beer is always in great condition (Pilgrims, Shere Drop). This is such a great find that I have been planning routes all around the area just so that I can enjoy a lunch stop here. We shoud treasure pubs like this in Surrey, they are seldom found.

26 Nov 2009 09:24