The Bell at Aldworth is like a time capsule. You walk in and it just feels old. The stone flagged floor is worn by countless patrons, the wooden beams look like they were once part of a sailing ship, there's no bar as such, just a kiosk through which beer is served. No music, no TV, not even a reliable phone signal. On a winter's night you struggle to get in and have to squeeze past people standing or sitting in the limited floorspace - it feels homely and cosy. The male toilets are outside, in an open-topped annex to the building, known affectionately as 'the planetarium'. The pub garden is delightful and backs on to the village cricket pitch (although this is screened by planting). Opposite the front of the pub is the old village well, covered by a wood structure with a tiled roof. The whole setting makes you feel warm and cosy regardless of the weather. And it is always busy.
The beer is excellent too, all hand-drawn. They used to have a beer brewed only for them by the nearby West Berkshire Brewery (called Old Tyler) but they now have their own micro-brewery on-site. The food offer is just rolls with stuff in: cheese, ham, salt beef. The fillings are often enormous and accompanied by a pot of mustard or relish.
