Save our unmessed-with pubs!

From the outside, it appeared derelict – not an uncommon thing to find when visiting an unknown establishment based solely on a listing in an old copy of ‘The Good Pub Guide’. But a chap walking past with his labrador reassured us: ‘She usually opens at noon.’ When we returned an hour later it was immediately plain that the pub was still in use – you could hear music coming from inside. This turned out to be from a five-piece acoustic string band who were seated by the fire, playing ‘I’ve Just Seen a Face’. 

The Three Kings, in the village of Hanley Castle, near Malvern in Worcestershire, dates back to the 15th century and has been owned by the same family since the early 20th. She was a formidable presence behind the bar – when asked what wines she had, she gave the classic no-nonsense reply: ‘Red or white’.