TENBURY WELLS.

The Peacock is Just East of Tenbury Wells, several miles west of the Newnham Bridge and the A443 to Droitwich. Food is excellent and a bit pricey - this Inn makes most of it's money selling great food. They will serve you in the taproom if you insist, and that's where you will find the locals - ranging from ex-RAF Captains wearing wellies and monocoles to lads that work the hopfields and maybe do a bit of poaching on the side. Beer is Tetley's and Ind Coope Burton. The Peacock has a taproom and restaurant, with the taproom on the west/left side of the building, parts of which date back to the 14th Century. Had a coal fire but changed to wood in '97. Charming very low ceilings with original beams, barmaids give the lads a hard time if they talk Welsh at the bar. Host Barry and barman Mike are very friendly. Food served 7pm - 9:30 or so for dinner. People come from miles around to eat here. Extremely friendly locals, but watch out for PC Williams on the A456! Worth a Diversion. (David Luckhardt)
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This is a small village/town with a high street called naturally after the river Teme. The front looks like an old coaching inn and is not imposing. Inside the well-furnished interior has a dominating fireplace and a single small 'L' shaped bar with overhang shelf opposite the door. The interior decor matches the coaching inn exterior and looks more at home in a stately home setting. The chairs are wooden with padded seats (phew!) and there is carpet of sorts down. The pub is food-oriented and has a large menu with some pretty tasty things on it at reasonable prices, circa £5. It serves meals in its separate restaurant, but you can eat in the bar area too. The emphasis is on quality for both food and beers and that's why they limit themselves to two guest beers (this is an Ansells pub after all). On at the time were Exmoor Gold and Hobson's Best Bitter. The Ship Inn also does comfortable en-suite accommodation with all facilities from between £45 - £55 a double.
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A previous winner of the 'British Food Pub of the Year', the interior of The Fountain is a clever blend of styles which is reflected in the menu. A traditional 'Olde English' country style merges seamlessly with a more contemporary setting with a nautical theme. The menu mirrors this with a range of traditional wholesome fayre integrated with some more exotic dishes with a leaning towards a seafood flavour. Swordfish and marlin are regularly offered alongside pheasant and venison on the daily specials board. During the warmer months, the large beer garden offers the chance of alfresco dining, or maybe just somewhere to enjoy a cool, refreshing drink in the sunshine. Children are welcome at all times (a kids' menu is always available) and the garden boasts a wide range of play equipment including a trampoline! The central feature of the pub is a 1000 gallon aquarium, unique in a pub, which is home to several exotic species including a sting ray, a lipstick tang, an emperor snapper, a lion fish and star attraction 'Dancer' a leopard shark.  Open all day for food too, there are designated non-smoking areas available. Booking a table is necessary. This traditional black & white 17th century farmhouse became a beer & cider house in 1855, and was known as The Hippodrome (meaning racetrack) in recognition of the horse racing which used to take place on Oldwood Common, adjacent to the pub. As a coach house and cider mill it served the drovers with their herds on the way to market in England from the lush feeding grounds of the welsh hills. The pub boasts its own organic herb & vegetable garden, the produce of which is widely used in the award winning menu. The Fountain is home to its own mischievous but friendly ghost, Mr Thombs, a previous landlord who died while saving his dogs from a fire at the pub in 1958.