The Farmers Arms

Zoe and her team made us feel right at home, with warm, attentive and genuinely caring hospitality in the bar and restaurant. We had an excellent dinner with local cider, and the place has a welcoming atmosphere. We stayed as two couples on the 6th and 7th of September at The Farmers Arms, Taunton. There was plenty of free parking, and our traditional rooms had lots of character while still being comfortable, spotless, and equipped with what we needed. I travel all over the world regularly, and I’d call this a real gem for its comfort, tradition, and West Country hospitality. We’ll be back.

The food was tasty, well priced, and served in generous portions. There was a good choice of draft cider and beer at the bar, too. My room was reasonably priced and included a very nice Full English breakfast with thick tiger bread toast, plus tea and coffee. Everyone was friendly and helpful, from check-in through the bar and restaurant to checkout. I’d come back if I’m in the area.

The best part of breakfast was Lynn and jasmine, who worked hard to help and gave excellent customer service. If you’re after a light yogurt and fruit breakfast, though, you may be disappointed. We booked one night on our way to Cornwall. The staff and locals were very friendly, and Donna showed us to our room. It was okay for a night, but given the £100 price, it needed a refresh, even allowing for the building being from the 1800s. After driving four hours, we’d hoped for dinner, but were told the kitchen had closed early because it wasn’t busy, on a Saturday night. The pub is remote and there’s no outside or road lighting, so we drove a few miles to another pub to eat in driving rain and high winds. Around 9:45 pm, my husband went to the car in pitch darkness. Two Alsatian-type dogs came at him, barking, growling and butting him. He froze, and after five minutes they lost interest. It was totally unacceptable in a public place, especially since we learned the dogs belonged to the pub. What if it had been a small child or a dog?

We won’t be visiting again. In November 2025, our group of walkers arrived at noon, after being told in person the day before that the pub would be open then. They hadn’t answered phone calls or an email, so we’d gone to check face to face. At the door, a woman eventually held up three fingers through the window, but never came out to talk to us. We took it to mean she’d open up in three minutes, based on what we’d been told the previous day. We waited another 20 minutes in the freezing cold. The two big Alsatians barked at the door, so staff knew we were still there, but nobody came out to say it wasn’t going to open. Very poor and unreliable.