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Old Courthouse

This grand two-storey pub has a real air of elegance with its large rooms with plush armchairs, built-in bookshelves and ornate chandeliers. That's not surprising, considering it was originally an Italianate-style courthouse. On the ground floor, what was the waiting room is now a big bar with cushioned wooden dining chairs around dark tables on rugs or parquet flooring, a central group of high chairs around equally high tables, a long, green leather, button-back banquette stretching down one wall, armchairs in front of open fires and lots of pictures; background music and board games. Friendly young staff serve St Austell Brunning & Price Traditional Bitter plus guests from breweries such as Cotswold Lion, Goffs, Hop Shed, Prescott, Purity and Wye Valley on handpump, 26 wines by the glass, 60 rums, 70 malt whiskies and a marvellous 144 gins. Leading off here are two small dining rooms with more open fires: one with blue décor and tartan-upholstered chairs and the other with lots of horse-racing prints and a dark red button-back leather wall banquette. At the top of the stairs, you pass under a vast chandelier to get to the handsome main courtroom. The raised, panelled seating area, largely unaltered, is surrounded by paintings of judges and looks down on a dining room with elegant marble pillars, leather chairs and wall seats, more paintings and a second bar counter. Throughout are the group's trademark bookshelves, house plants and church candles. Outside, a few tables and chairs are set out on the front pavement.