We'd heard that the Bull in Wargrave was under new management so we went to check it out.
This Brakspear's pub in the centre of the village was pretty full when we got there at 8pm on a Saturday. It looked like most of the other punters were also having dinner, which we took to be a good sign.

There was a welcoming log fire blazing away in one of the two enormous hearths. (Just as well the other one wasn't lit as I was practically sitting in it!) There is a good sized bar in the centre of the pub, but our drinks order was taken at the table and we were soon enjoying a decent, fairly priced Rioja.

Refreshingly, the menu is based on such traditional favourites as fish and chips, Cumberland sausages with mash, lasagne, lamb shank and steak. There is also a specials board, which when we were there featured wholetail scampi, lamb hotpot and tagliatelle carbonara.
My husband was enthusiastic about the plum sauce dressing on his duck salad starter, and I loved the rustic ciabatta bread that came with my chicken liver paté.

This was when the group alongside us, a table of 10 thirty somethings, started shrieking as they passed around an iPhone, looking at its screen. Being their closest neighbours we were next to see what all the fuss was about: one of them had taken a photo of the group with the huge inglenook fireplace in the background, and a female ghostly apparition was clearly visible to one side against the brickwork! (Sadly we don't have a copy to show you.)
Landlord Gerry Brennan soon emerged from the kitchen to investigate, announced that the pub did indeed have stories of being haunted by the ghost of a young girl, and prompty disappeared with the iPhone in search of wife Michelle to show her the picture.

For a good ten minutes the story was going around the pub about the ghost in the photo… that is, until the iPhone owner confessed that he had used an application which enables you to superimpose various forms of translucent "ghost" to photos! Clever, but disappointing...
After all the excitement, we turned our attention to the main courses. The hotpot was nicely done, served in its own little dish with hot juices bubbling up through the sliced potato. Fresh seasonal vegetables were served alongside. My cod was perfectly cooked in a crispy batter, with freshly made chunky chips, tartare sauce and traditional mushy peas.

We shared a slice of Baileys cheesecake for dessert, which was as tasty as you would hope, yet not too sweet.
Eventually we wound up at the bar for a chat with Gerry. We learnt that he had worked in many different pubs in the area. Importantly, he had previously managed the Bull for 8 years, had been living in the village for 13 years where they were now raising their two young sons, and was delighted to return to the Bull as tenant landlord in November 2009.

What struck us most was the friendly atmosphere in the pub. Gerry and Michelle have succeeded in cementing the Bull's position at the heart of the local community, and the downtoearth menu of good, freshly cooked food seems popular with all. Interestingly, the Bull benefited from excellent local support during the weeks of snow, becoming especially popular at lunchtime with local businesses. We'll certainly be back soon.