Howard's Hideaway

The events and lively atmosphere make each visit fun, and Linz, joss and mark are a great mix of entertaining and efficient. You might even end up playing bloc party with the landladies! As a woman on my own, I feel safe popping in and enjoy chatting with people in the friendly crowd. It's a wonderful pub to spend time in, easily the best in the village. Highly recommend!

On 6th May, while staying at Ccc site, I walked my two dogs along the stream into Hayfield village and stopped in for a drink. A large Sauvignon was £9.95, and the barmaid could have been a bit friendlier. The entrance was filthy, covered in leaves and crap. Cleanliness and presentation matter, and I've stayed in several 4 and 5-star B&Bs, so I know. The dining room looked nice and the menu prices seemed reasonable. I'm with a group at the caravan site, and they've booked us into Sportsman Pub, where the prices look a lot higher.

We were exhausted after a local hike, but came back to live music and a very hospitable staff. The pub food was tasty and affordable: I had the southern fried chicken burger, and the Mrs had the cowboy burger. We slept upstairs and didn't hear a thing from the pub below, just other guests heading to their rooms. The pub downstairs felt quite fresh, though it was December, and our room was cosy with a sizeable radiator. The bed was a little smaller than ours at home but comfortable enough for at least 7 good hours of sleep. In the morning, another friendly staff member welcomed us downstairs for a scrumptious cooked breakfast, then we headed off. No complaints from us. We'd gladly return if we're in the area, and would recommend it to hikers looking for a place to stay, or anyone after a pint and some grub.

The pub has a great atmosphere, and the staff were all friendly and seemed happy to be there. We had a lovely, clean room with a big, really comfy bed, and the breakfast was delicious. We stayed at the George recently for one night while visiting family in Hayfield. We'll definitely book the George again next time.