There are pubs around the country that are forever England. Places crooked with age, with quipping landlords who keep a watchful eye. Places of sausage rolls, shaggy dogs, and copper pots bent and buckled on the walls.
Despite regular news of pub closures, these exist in their hundreds. They are places of comfort and solace. Drive to any corner of any county and there will be a boozer ready and willing for memories to be made, for quiet pints to be drunk slowly or in one, for groups to huddle around the pool table. For our weekly Country Pub of the Week column, we head out in search of them, leaving London to drink at those we think justify an expedition. Those featured on the page are the notable ones; maybe the food is particularly good, the staff especially friendly, or the setting notably picturesque. We did this last year (our round up is here) and it was too much fun not to continue with.
