CATTHORPE.

The Cherry tree is the best pub in Catthorpe, mainly because it serves guest ales from the Dowbridge brewery just down the road, but also because it has a good selection of guest ales on rotation - usually only one at a time though. Very much a locals pub, it is a meeting place for villagers to gossip and discus the latest news. The pub is just round a bend into the village, not far off the M1. A car park to the left rear is quite big, but can be difficult to get into as the gap is narrow - be warned. You can enter the pub from the front or rear. Entering from the car park you are into a corridor with a seating room to your right. They have a TV here, usually on, it is also a room for children and has a slinging cheese game? The bar area to the left has a long bar and a narrow room. There is a real fire here at one end to keep you warm in winter, though it doesn't get a chance to warm the far end due to the pub being popular. Seating is at padded benches with round tables and some stools/chairs on a dark pub carpet. At the far end are larger tables as there is more room here and you can access this area either from the front entrance or down the corridor to the rear which also leads you to the basic and chilly toilets. Regular beers tend to be from the majors - Ansells, Bass - but they do have guests from Hook Norton and either the local Dowbridge brewery or slightly further afield, such as Frankton Bagby on this occasion. There is no food served here at present, but plenty of lively conversation and though a locals pub, they do not stare at you if you are not local. Outside there is a beer garden for the summer and there are lovely views across the fields into Warwickshire. Although the pub has no piped music, there are on occasion live bands here. Well worth a stop if you are traveling on the M1 and are in need of refreshment.