Bell Inn Wylye near Salisbury

[an_ecumenical_matter]

When Hidden brewery were going, and going well for that matter, this was their brewery tap. I remember reading on the dark side that Jim (trainman?) had a debacle here.

Any takers??? http://www.fleurets.com/propertyimages/pdf/W-93009.pdf

[trainman]

For those who wondered what I wrote...

Booked in to meet family (Briz branch) for lunch Monday, then stay overnight with dogs. Arrived early & went in to ask where we could give dogs a spin before lunch, explaining we were staying the night. Young barman says "Aaah, got some bad news for you, problem with the plumbing, haven't got a room for you". They ummed & aahed about the failure to notify us of this by phone (no number/wrong number bullshit) but, since we'd driven from London specifically to sample this pub, and were meeting another party there, this was a worthless defence. The chef came out, in filthy whites, to suggest an alternative couple of pubs nearby (&, to be fair, suggested the absent 'owners' would pick up the room tab), but I was not prepared to rearrange a family meet at an unknown (unresearched) venue. I ordered a pint (of Pint) while I went to get the dogs and a pub guide from the car. I returned to find the pumpclip reversed, leaving just Bays Dumpling available from 6/7 handpumps. That's right - not a single Hidden beer available in a pub owned by Hidden Brewery; pathetic!! The building looks lovely and the bar area has a rustic charm but, without any direction (even the previously excellent website has been abandoned), the pub is destined to fail.
Fyi, we managed to get a short-notice booking, incl dogs, at Hindon�s Lamb, & diverted the Briz contingent there for lunch.

trainman - 30 Dec 2009 10:54

[Brewguru]

This pub was still open last Thursday, for sure. It has undergone numerous management changes since Hidden went belly up. Losing Hidden was probably a blessing but it has struggled in the current economic climate. It is still being run as a freehouse with sitting tenant keeping it open. A shame as these genuine country freehouses are the only types of pub that should survive as they serve their local communities, but £27 k to run it per year?
:(