The Fleece Inn

You go there to soak up the whole experience and the good, home comfort food perfectly matches the ambience of this 2006 CAMRA Worcestershire Pub of the Year.

The Fleece won't fleece you when it comes to value for money. Generous, reasonably priced portions are the order of the day.

The National Trust pub, built as a longhouse in Chaucer's time, was saved from destruction in 2004 when a fire broke out.

Before I go on, perhaps I should also say that the Fleece is supposed to be haunted - although nothing untoward happened during our visit.

Its ghost is reputed to be Lola Taplin. For years her family kept the historic ale house in the centre of Bretforton and during her spell as landlady she refused to sell anything but beer and spirits. Food - even packets of crisps - was strictly taboo.

It was she who bequeathed the Fleece to the National Trust when she died in 1977 and the Trust, naturally, brought the place up-to-date in terms of providing for diners.

Now, the short-tempered spirit of Lola is said to haunt the bar, occasionally throwing food and other objects around the room - her way, no doubt, of expressing her objections.

But how could she object to a menu packed with wholesome choices, from slow roasted pork belly marinated in plum jerkum topped with apple slices and smoked applewood to pan fried sea bass with caper and anchovy butter?

To start we had oven baked camembert - to share - with cranberry sauce and a crusty baguette (£6).

The portion was huge and would have been plenty for three or four.

The deep fried corn fritters with sweet chilli, soured cream and green leaves (£3.50) was pleasant, but could have been lighter and the cream tasted more like whipped than soured.

The black pudding and sauteed potato on green leaves with croutons and honey dressing (£3.95) went down a treat - simple but delicious.

For the mains I opted for penne pasta with butternut squash, red peppers, olives and parmesan (£6.50). It was disappointingly plain and lacked flavour.

The Fleece burger, with 100 per cent beef homemade 6oz burger and shoestring fries was meaty and not at all greasy with a tasty tomato relish (£5.95 without cheese and £6.50 with).

The traditional local faggots with chive mash, garden peas and red wine gravy (£6.25) was a hearty meal and just what my friend was hoping for.

With our bellies full we decided not to have a pudding.

Overall it was a great dining experience and I would definitely return for more.

THE FLEECE INN, THE CROSS, BRETFORTON Tel: 01386 831173

SERVICE: *** FOOD: *** VALUE: **** AMBIENCE: *****