Hampshire Child Friendly Pubs

[Jeff Le Taxi]

With the summer holidays fast approaching, can anyone reccomend any child friendly pubs in the Hampshire area?

 

pubs enjoyed so far,

 

Ship inn, Owslebury

Farmers Home, Durley

Jolly Farmer, Warsash

Brigadier Gerard, Horton Heath

Queens Head, Twyford

 

Kids getting bored of these, any new ones for us to try?

[for_heaven's_Saint]

Brewery Bar- Botley. It's got a play area, trampoline etc as well as a nice outdoor area for adults to sit and even a couple of real ales.

[Jillyanne]

Fox & Hounds, Fair Oak I think.

[swannymere]

Hunters Inn - Swanmore Quite alot of play equipment for the kids.

[Jeff Le Taxi]

Brewery Bar- Botley. It's got a play area' date=' trampoline etc as well as a nice outdoor area for adults to sit and even a couple of real ales.[/quote']

 

never realised they had a childrens play bit, thanks will give that a try.

[Jeff Le Taxi]

Fox & Hounds, Fair Oak I think.

 

is that on the main road?

[RedAndWhite91]

The Cricketers in Alresford. Got a trampoline and stuff.

[angelman]

Red Lion at Boldre is quite a nice pub. Got a big field attached to the beer garden that they can go run about in. They do say on their www that it is mainly for adults, but I took my kids there for lunch and it was fine. Good beer on tap. Food wasn't bad either http://www.theredlionboldre.co.uk/node/1

[Jeff Le Taxi]

Red Lion at Boldre is quite a nice pub. Got a big field attached to the beer garden that they can go run about in. They do say on their www that it is mainly for adults, but I took my kids there for lunch and it was fine. Good beer on tap. Food wasn't bad either http://www.theredlionboldre.co.uk/node/1

 

it is our view that good behaviour in children should be encouraged. Therefore please kepp your children seated safely at your table.

 

Hahahahahahahahahahaha

[angelman]

It wasn't quite like that when I had the kids there. Was a nice day so was already outside, but I do agree that it isn't the most welcoming sentence

 

OH and one big black mark - their ice cream is Italian when IMO New Forest Ice Cream is (some of) the best you can get.

[for_heaven's_Saint]

never realised they had a childrens play bit, thanks will give that a try.

 

I think it's pretty new, probably done a few months ago. It's got a proper bark area with swing climbing frame slide etc as well as one of those big trampolines with netting around it so they can't fall off!

[Jeff Le Taxi]

It wasn't quite like that when I had the kids there. Was a nice day so was already outside, but I do agree that it isn't the most welcoming sentence

 

OH and one big black mark - their ice cream is Italian when IMO New Forest Ice Cream is (some of) the best you can get.

 

BASTARD Diabetes, used to LOVE New Forest ice cream!

[Chin Strain]

Fox & Hounds, Fair Oak I think.

 

Thought that was closed - now The Fox bistro or something similar. F&H went bust in Nov 08

[cleaver]

child + friendly + pubs . Is not a sentence . surely you've got maccy dees and playshacks to keep kids occupied. Leave the pubs for us adults . Failing that, leave them in the car ( with the window down a tad ) with a bottle of coke and a packet of bovril crisps!! Never hurt us in the day.

[Jeff Le Taxi]

child + friendly + pubs . Is not a sentence . surely you've got maccy dees and playshacks to keep kids occupied. Leave the pubs for us adults . Failing that, leave them in the car ( with the window down a tad ) with a bottle of coke and a packet of bovril crisps!! Never hurt us in the day.

 

Bah humbug (-;

[Guest Dark Sotonic Mills]

Bah humbug (-;

 

Jeff, you're better off finding a Social Club with facilities for children. For example, the Worthy's club in Winchester has laptops, books, TV/DVDs, table tennis and pool that kids can play; plus it has about 15 acres of parkland out the back with a play area (owned by the council) and a bouncy castle free to use at the weekends. Entertainment/disco/dance every weekend plus SKY Sports and ESPN. Drinks are cheap and the membership £5 as a trial until October,

[hamster]

Fox and Hounds has a new marquee out the back and sells great ales, didnlt know they catered for kids though.

btw, we saw COAST theer on St Paddy's day and it was good.

 

Kid friendly pubs that we like:

Plough, Bursledon - play/smoking area and horses in a field plus cheap food with decent portions.

 

West Meon Hut (iirc) was very good and has a gert big wooden castle/walkway structure in the garden. It's on the A272/A32 crossroads. Nice drive along the A272 too, one of my favourute drives fwiw.

 

Big Cheese - not bad, good prices but a wee bit 'flat pack' as per the Plough.

 

2 on the road to Lyndhurst at Ashurst Bridge; The Forest Inn and the Happy Cheese are nice for grown ups and again a nice drive although one has a really good play area dn one just a garden.

 

If you can find it, The Gamekeeper is very very nice and has a smallish but nice garden where kids tend to be of the well behaved variety (that's why we don't frequent it), chefs there tend to be very good in my experiance.

 

Although I am not a regular, if you want plenty room and a fenced in play area and good parking you could try The Stoneham Arms (bassett green road). Not for one second knocking it but I'd say it's a' acquired taste' pub.

 

hth

[Jeff Le Taxi]

Thanks Hammy, gonna try the West Meon Hut, and where is The Gamekeeper?

[Give it to Ron]

Forest Inn has shut down.

If you are out Romsey way try The Malthouse - great carvery and big play area for the kids - football goals as well.

[Right sider]

Mill house in Netley, has ball park area indoors.

[SNSUN]

child + friendly + pubs . Is not a sentence . surely you've got maccy dees and playshacks to keep kids occupied. Leave the pubs for us adults . Failing that, leave them in the car ( with the window down a tad ) with a bottle of coke and a packet of bovril crisps!! Never hurt us in the day.

 

Ha! That's what my parents used to do with me and my sister. Gits.

[hamster]

and where is The Gamekeeper?

 

SO40 7GH

if you find and like it please don't tell too many people.

 

hope you liked 'The Hut'

[Huntingdon]

Forest Inn has shut down.

 

I heard that and was absolutely stunned

 

Whenever I used to go in there it was really busy

[Michelle]

Sir Walter Tyrrell, down Rufus Stone way. Went today, big play area and garden, donkeys in the adjacent fields. Laaaavely.

[Durleyfos]

The Lapstone in Horton Heath has a large timber play area for the smaller kids and an outside cider bar for the bigger kids!

[angelman]

Took the kids to the High Corner Inn at Linwood (Ringwood) way and that seemed to go OK. Seem to recall that they had a good play area for the small ones. Food was average, and like a lot of pubs around, they seem to have done it up in an Olde Worlde style and failed miserably. Nice walk from there if you like to walk off your pint.

[hamster]

An absolutely brilliant place for kids to run around and wear themselves out is Moors valey Country park, turn left at the roundabout on the A31 just past Ringwood (signposted 3 legged cross)

 

Tree-top walks, big wooden play things including a giant snake that they can crawl through, massive spider and web and a little train ride around the lake. Good fenced in play area and if you want to spend a few quid you can hire bikes and trailers. Visitor centre has s the odd decent exhibition too.

 

Only down is that you have to pay to park but probably worth it for the fun that can be had.

 

iirc they also have one of those 'Go-Ape' thingies too.

[scotty]

Took the kids to the High Corner Inn at Linwood (Ringwood) way and that seemed to go OK. Seem to recall that they had a good play area for the small ones. Food was average, and like a lot of pubs around, they seem to have done it up in an Olde Worlde style and failed miserably. Nice walk from there if you like to walk off your pint.

 

If you happen to have dogs as well, the Red Shoot near the High Corner Inn is the most dog-friendly pub I've ever been in. The bar staff bring a water bowl for the mutt, and theres a bowl of doggie biscuits on the bar. Unlike a lot of boozers where dogs are made clearly unwelcome.

[hamster]

Dog friendly pubs might make a good subject. Some seem to spout crap about food and dogs being illegal, but I'm pretty sure it's not. ime the really best pubs allow dogs in without exception. Boat Inn at Stoke Bruerne being one of the best pubs in the world, and to prove the point The Navvy across the bridge is great for kids, sells a decent range of beer and food yet no dog policy makes it only an 8/10 for us, maybe even a 7 as they don't have northampton skitttles either..

[Jeff Le Taxi]

I think it's pretty new' date=' probably done a few months ago. It's got a proper bark area with swing climbing frame slide etc as well as one of those big trampolines with netting around it so they can't fall off![/quote']

 

Tried the Brewery Bar today, not bad, pretty friendly welcoming kind of place... only one problem, they've stopped doing food and as we were all hungry we only stayed for half an hour or so before decamping to the Queens Head nr Marwell Zoo, which we found cheap and cheerful but not great for the kids.

[Foxstone]

Fox & Hounds, Fair Oak I think.

 

My local

WElcomes kids but not geared up for them particularly.

Great pub though

[JustMike]

bit further out but... The lamb Inn - nomansland. Some of the best food i have tasted, as a huge garden and as its right in the newforest my kids love it

[GenevaSaint]

The Alise Lisle in, north of Ringwood.

[Jillyanne]

The Anchor at Eling Tide Mill, you can have a drink and the kids can go 'crabbing'. Also a pub at Mudeford where the kids can go crabbing, can't remember the name but they do good food.

[Saint_Ash]

The Alise Lisle in, north of Ringwood.

 

Some excellent pubs mentioned.

 

The Alice Lisle though is worth the 20-30 minute drive, massive garden with a large kids play area and also has an avary. Is also a Fullers pub so has some decent ales on.

 

The Ship Inn at Owlesbury is excellent with 2 trampolines, a large play area, a bouncy castle etc but the drinks here are extremely expensive. Looking at nearly 4 quid a pint and £1.50 for a blackcurrant and soda, considering soda should be free I think there's something wrong here, (15p for a b/c and soda at a Wetherspoon).

[Jeff Le Taxi]

Some excellent pubs mentioned.

 

The Alice Lisle though is worth the 20-30 minute drive, massive garden with a large kids play area and also has an avary. Is also a Fullers pub so has some decent ales on.

 

The Ship Inn at Owlesbury is excellent with 2 trampolines, a large play area, a bouncy castle etc but the drinks here are extremely expensive. Looking at nearly 4 quid a pint and £1.50 for a blackcurrant and soda, considering soda should be free I think there's something wrong here, (15p for a b/c and soda at a Wetherspoon).

 

Know what you mean about The Ship! food is ridiculously priced too, although their sunday roast is world class! kids iced lollies are cheap though, they do rocket lollies for 35p, wish the Stella was the same price! Is this Alice Lisle comparable to the Ship?

[for_heaven's_Saint]

Tried the Brewery Bar today, not bad, pretty friendly welcoming kind of place... only one problem, they've stopped doing food and as we were all hungry we only stayed for half an hour or so before decamping to the Queens Head nr Marwell Zoo, which we found cheap and cheerful but not great for the kids.

 

Ah right, sorry I didn't realise they no longer do food, never really eat in there to be fair.

[sperm_john]

Brushmakers Inn - Upham, good food, traditional ales, good atmosphere, and the pubs full of saints fans but the landlords a skate so makes for great banter, make sure you wear your saints shirt when you go in =)

[Saint_Ash]

Know what you mean about The Ship! food is ridiculously priced too, although their sunday roast is world class! kids iced lollies are cheap though, they do rocket lollies for 35p, wish the Stella was the same price! Is this Alice Lisle comparable to the Ship?

 

There are no trampolines or bouncy castles but the play area is decent. Large climbing frame structure and a little wooded train for the younger kids to play on and next to that is the avary with a load of ****atiels. The food is nice and reasonably priced aswell. There's also a second in the garden for smokers that children aren't allowed in. Oh yeah and there's always horses, ponies and Donkeys around the outside of the pub (not in the garden though). We prefer the Alice Lisle to the Ship to be honest.

[Huntingdon]

I'm surprised to hear the Red Lion in Totton is closing next week

 

Apparantely, it's been sold to developers

 

I think it's a fairly attractive building, shame to see it bulldozed for flats

[Give it to Ron]

I am not ...I went in there recently and it was terrible - empty.

Beer was awful and the barman tried to rip me off with the price of the drinks.

Never been the same since Fat Harry had it.

 

The Four Horsheshoes used to be great as well when he had it great BBQ - big garden now just nothing to do for the kids.

[Seany S]

The Alise Lisle in, north of Ringwood.

 

This.

 

Great play area, a bird aviary, good food. Regular customers include fake blood controversy egg chaser Dean Richards and our very own Matty.

[SnailOB]

The Mill House in Lyndhurst

Romsey Road, Lyndhurst, Hampshire SO43 7AR

 

Taken from the 'pub explorer' website :

The Mill House is a very attractive old traditional pub situated on the main road in Lyndhurst within the beautiful setting of the New Forest. We are a very busy pub, well known for our good pub food and midweek served in the restaurant area with individual menus for our older and younger visitors. The Pirate Pete's Playden is ideal for the children while you relax. Why not come and try out an appetising meal or stay in the hotel accommodation here whilst taking in the delights of the surrounding countryside?

 

Haven't been there for a little while myself but when last there we didn't have any complaints to make.

 

Main attraction has to be Lyndhurst / New Forest itself, nice place to waste half a day walking around with the kids. At the bottom of Lyndhurst 'high street' you also have the Ferrari / Maserati garage, my young boy has always enjoyed looking around there.

[hamster]

The Mill House in Lyndhurst

Romsey Road, Lyndhurst, Hampshire SO43 7AR

 

Taken from the 'pub explorer' website :

The Mill House is a very attractive old traditional pub situated on the main road in Lyndhurst within the beautiful setting of the New Forest. We are a very busy pub, well known for our good pub food and midweek served in the restaurant area with individual menus for our older and younger visitors. The Pirate Pete's Playden is ideal for the children while you relax. Why not come and try out an appetising meal or stay in the hotel accommodation here whilst taking in the delights of the surrounding countryside?

 

Haven't been there for a little while myself but when last there we didn't have any complaints to make.

 

Main attraction has to be Lyndhurst / New Forest itself, nice place to waste half a day walking around with the kids. At the bottom of Lyndhurst 'high street' you also have the Ferrari / Maserati garage, my young boy has always enjoyed looking around there.

 

The amount of times we have sat in a traffic queue and considered popping in...must do it one day.

 

Whilst in that area one can visit Minstead Church Cemetary where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is buried he of Sherlock Holmes fame, I'm sure someone once told me that he was buried upright for some reason.