Secret Drinker reviews Smith’s in Bourne
I may have learned a valuable lesson in the Great British understatement.
Whether it’s describing this summer’s weather as ‘disappointing’, suggesting the ongoing A16 roadworks are a ‘bit of a nuisance’ or arguing the Conservatives have had ‘better Thursdays’, we tend to have a penchant for the under-dramatic on these shores.
Which leads me to Smith’s.
I’ve been wanting to go for a drink here for quite some time, ever since a friend recommended this - I quote - ‘nice little pub’.
Once I even wandered by, peered through the window and saw the seats were all full and continued my amble.
So when I headed through the door of this Bourne boozer I was glad to see one of the four tables was free.
An elegant bar and four tables surrounded by pew seats greeted me and I was instantly taken aback with how pleasant this diminutive spot was.
It wasn’t until I’d ordered my drink and spotted someone pop through from a back room that I realised there was more.
More being the second understatement of this week’s column, because I soon discovered this place is deceptively huge.
A second bar area and a row of stools greeted me, before I noticed a further room, and another, then an upstairs bit, a further upstairs room, a snug, another area, and a bit more.
I’m pretty sure this place has more rooms than the Ritz.
Think of the front bar as the wardrobe and the rest as Narnia. This is the Duracell Bunny of pubs, it just keeps going.
And just as I thought I’d seen the whole place I spotted the door leading outside to the enormous beer garden where - if you have the energy left to reach the bottom of these regimented benches - you’ll find a cracking outside bar and magnificently large kids’ play area.
Yeah, we’ve all seen pubs with a swing and slide shaped like an ape before but this was a different level.
The ingenuity of creating a pub where both child and adult can play happily for a summer’s afternoon (without having to lob an endless supply of quids into a pool table or Noddy ride-on car) brought a big, relieved smile to my face. I’m pretty sure its done the same to many a parched parent over the years too.
Taking in the scale of the place, and realising how a the giant climbing frame could keep a young ‘un happy for hours without the need to demand yet more crisps, for the first time in my life I momentarily had some degree of sympathy for David Cameron once famously managing to leave one of his kids in a pub. But then I remembered this was David Cameron and that sympathy quickly drained away.
Talking of politicians, my visit to Smith’s came hours after the general election results had been finalised, the first day of Bourne’s life within new constituency boundaries.
And I’m sure it will be no surprise for you to hear that talk of Gareth Davies’ re-election to parliament was on absolutely nobody’s lips.
It’s almost as if - away from the hype, scaremongering and nonsensical posturing that comes with those daily doses of politics rammed down our gullets - life goes on and most of us just care more for those small wins, like a good chat and a nice drink.
In its previous guise, Smith’s was a grocery business for more than 150 years until 1998, later becoming a pub in 2002.
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It was nice to see a lot of the place’s former history - the Victorian facade a prime example - kept alive, integrated and celebrated in this beautiful building which offers a real rustic charm.
The grocer’s sadly succumbed to the might of the supermarkets so it was also nice to see a pub - another industry battling the big boys for prices, see the sad demise of the nearby Jubilee Garage - being used, even on this quiet Friday afternoon.
There were toddlers enjoying the play area and plenty of groups of people enjoying a drink inside, with hidden laughter echoing through the building, probably from yet another part of this labyrinth building I missed.
I can only presume that on a busy evening it’s safest to buy three drinks and bring a map, torch and some Kendal mint cake when attempting to meet pals in the place.
But then again - and I’m reverting to the Great British understatement here - there are plenty of worse places to get lost in.
SMITH’S, 25 NORTH STREET, BOURNE, PE10 9AE
DECOR: From the Victorian facade to the the large kids’ play area, the many unique cosy rooms to the cracking beer garden, there’s a lot going on and a lot to catch the eye. 4/5
DRINK: I went for Inferno (4.0%), a blonde ale from the nearby Oakham brewery, a great pint. 4/5
PRICE: The drink was bang on a fiver. 3/5
ATMOSPHERE: Even for a quiet afternoon there were plenty of groups enjoying a get together. 3/5
STAFF: The barmaid was very smiley and very efficient, but I didn’t see much of her as I was busy getting lost in the place. 3/5
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