Oakes Barn, Bury St. Edmunds

A strange place, easily missed entrance and it has a yard alongside a nondescript brick building. Inside the brick bit, which is L shaped, you come to a counter ahead left and in the long arm of the L are tables and chairs arranged down each side, a pew on one side and at the end corner. There's wainscotting with plain white walls above, pictures in various themes enliven the walls. Odd clapboard clad counter with six pulls and two short four way keg fitting plus a solo. The casks are ever changing but I have attached a photo of the beer board for illustrative purposes. I had a pint of Harvey's and couldn’t decide if it was on the turn or meant to taste that way as it was green hopped, I suspect the former which is not good for a GBG 2027 listed pub. Basement toilets.

There’s a flagstone walkway with high tables up either side that run along the side of the Oakes Barn to the entrance near the end of the building. The well decorated bar on the rear wall supports six hand pumps that were drawing Oakham’s JHB and Green Devil, Woodforde’s Wherry, Mauldons Black Adder and Shortts Farm Brewery’s Blondie and Rockabilly. There’re also premium and craft keg options and some real ciders. There are some high tables around the bar and entrance, and towards the front on a well-trodden floor are rows of standard tables and chairs. There are lots of fairy lights and a radio was playing in the background, which was probably the only negative of my recent Tuesday evening visit. The event board lists lots of things from the Wednesday quiz every other Friday to karaoke on the last Sunday of the month as well as poetry and folk music evenings. In the day I think this is more of a café with a lunchtime menu of baguettes, soups and pie and mash. I though the service was very polite and I enjoyed this visit, so I’ll return when next in town.

Official site of Oakes Barn - www.oakesbarnfreehouse.co.uk

Official site of Oakes Barn - www.oakesbarnfreehouse.co.uk

Smallish barn conversion on the edge of the centre, smart but comfortable. Beams exposed in the roof. Good beer and friendly

A slightly weird place to find in the middle of a town, looking as if it would be more at home in some rustic garden centre. However, the older eponymous building, more modern single storey extension and compact courtyard seating area are well done. All six handpumps were working, with a decent selection including the Sir Roger's Porter from Earl Soham Brewery (£3.30).