Out & About Spring 2019

Pop inn The Cottage Inn, Bucklebury, is a traditionally-run pub that has just won a CAMRA Community Pub of the Year Award for the fifth time, we went along to discover its secret FOOD & DRINK The Cottage Inn, 26 Broad Lane,

The couple were thrown in at the deep end when they first arrived as Gary explains: “A few months after we took over, Kate Middleton got engaged to Prince William, that really kicked things off and the interest in the pub and the village was second-to-none. “It felt like the world had descended on us. There were live broadcasts from the pub and we knew then that if we could cope with that, we could cope with anything.” The accolades for the pub’s community spirit are clearly merited – the day we were there, a group of people had arrived in the car park. “Oh they are former police who meet here every year and have lunch together after a walk.” The pub also welcomes other walking groups, cyclists and the classic car club on the last Saturday of every month, to name but a few. The Tour de Berkshire, a charity cycle ride fundraising for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, sets off from The Cottage Inn and there were more than 300 cyclists taking part last year. Gary also organises events, such as the large fireworks display in the paddock at the back of the pub, where children can run around freely and play in a safe area. Gary recently installed some wooden play equipment and there is an enclosed area housing goats, chickens and rabbits, which has proved especially popular. The pub hosts a quiz night on the first Wednesday of the month and there are many other themed nights. “We recently held a Burns Night, because our chef Phil is Scottish, and it went down really well.” With a selection of local ales – including Good Old Boy – and artisan gins – ginger and rhubarb is particularly popular – it is easy to see why people are drawn to The Cottage Inn.

Upper Bucklebury, Reading, RG7 6QJ

Phone: (01635) 864544 Open Tuesday to Sunday Serves lunch & supper Kiddies corner at the back - large paddock with play area and enclosure for hens, rabbits and goats. T he walls on one side of The Cottage Inn bar are plastered with football shirts from various clubs, with one corner particularly dedicated to West Ham (landlord Gary’s team) and, in the other corner, a large television – a cosy spot for locals to come in and enjoy the big match over a pint. On the other side of the bar is the dining area with room for around 30 covers, a welcoming fire and a myriad phrases and sayings adorning the walls to keep visitors entertained. “We took over the pub about eight years ago,” explains Gary. He and his wife Mandy, who died last year, came back from a seven-year stint in Spain and Gary was immediately employed on a building site. “It felt like I’d never been away and I was just doing the same old thing. So we looked around and Mandy suggested running a pub. She was the driving force behind everything we have set up here. “When we arrived in Bucklebury, we sent around flyers asking people what they wanted from the pub and the overwhelming response was ‘a traditional local, with pub grub’. Clearly, despite have no background in the trade, Gary and Mandy hit on the right formula, because the pub has consistently won awards for its community spirit, has a five-star rating on Trip Advisor and a five-star hygiene rating.

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