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Secret Drinker reviews The Reindeer Inn in Grantham




Walking into The Reindeer Inn was like heading into a timewarp.

It wasn’t the look of the place - a finely preserved boozer of a bygone era like I’ve come across many a time on these trips out.

No. It was the atmosphere.

The Reindeer Inn in Grantham
The Reindeer Inn in Grantham

Getting through the front door was the first challenge as drinkers sat around a line of oche jockeys waiting for their next throw in that evening’s darts match.

Next up was getting to the bar as there was a deep-enough queue of people with empty glasses waiting to get served.

Pint in hand, my third trial was finding a seat, something I managed as I passed a large painting of Steve Bull in his Wolves kit and navigated a room full of blokes grumbling about the football match, taking one of just two unused tables at the back of the boozer.

There was a queue at the bar
There was a queue at the bar

It felt like a real effort just to get a drink and sat down. Which was absolutely brilliant.

This is how pubs used to be in the good old days. This is how pubs should be. And to see it like this in midweek was more than welcome.

There was a vibrancy, a sense of life, to the place. A real atmosphere inside - albeit split by laughter in the darts room and grousing around me as Andre Onana failed to deal with a simple ball in the box and the Man United fans watched their side somehow trailing in Lyon.

It was darts night and the place was busy
It was darts night and the place was busy

Too many times for this column I’ve turned up at a new spot and wondered where the life was and miss the times when pubs were thriving like this. When there was a sense of jeopardy - when you weren’t assured a pew, or even reaching one without some random guy nudging half your pint down your knuckles.

Thankfully my pint of Atlantic - a cracking pale ale which seems to be slowly sneaking into more and more local pubs - made it to the table without a spillage and I was able to take in my surroundings.

Read more Secret Drinker reviews here.

The Reindeer is a nice-looking, modern pub. The bar was busy, a couple of old tractor seats hanging from the wall caught my eye and - as seems to be compulsory is all Grantham pubs - there were old photos of the town from days gone by on the walls.

All eyes were on the game
All eyes were on the game

I must admit I needed a double take when I spotted the wallpaper design of choice was pineapples - the international sign of the swinger.

After all, this is Grantham, the area nationally known for the annual adult-only festival of flesh that is the Swingathon.

But on this midweek evening, attention was firmly on the dart board and football.

The pineapple wallpaper was a brave move
The pineapple wallpaper was a brave move
The smoking area
The smoking area

The ladies in the place were more interested in getting their hands on their darts, and blokes nearby only had eyes for Leny Yoro, who had just wiped the grimaces off their faces with an equaliser.

The dark cloud was lifted. “What’s wrong with him? Just play the reserve keeper,” suddenly became “get in!”

There were a few spare seats at the back... and some on the wall too
There were a few spare seats at the back... and some on the wall too
Images of old Grantham seem to be compulsory in the town's boozers
Images of old Grantham seem to be compulsory in the town's boozers

It wasn’t until I got home and checked the score I spotted Lyon snatched a 2-2 draw in the 97th minute.

I imagine the mood in that part of The Reindeer dropped dramatically just before full time. But when I was there, it was nothing but a fun spot to be.

Inside the gents
Inside the gents
A pint of Atlantic. Cracking stuff
A pint of Atlantic. Cracking stuff

THE REINDEER INN, LONDON ROAD, GRANTHAM, NG31 6EX

DECOR: The Reindeer was a nice, comfy, modern pub. Even if the pineapple touch was a tad brave. 3/5

DRINK: I had a pint of Atlantic Pale Ale (ABV 4.5%), which is a lovely drop. 4/5

PRICE: I thought £4.30 was very reasonable. 4/5

ATMOSPHERE: It was great to see the big screens and dart board in use and attracting plenty of punters, who all seemed jolly enough (well, after the equaliser, at least). 4/5

STAFF: No sooner had the the barmaid poured my pint, she had moved on to the next guy in the queue. Rapid. 3/5

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Do you agree with the Secret Drinker or have any suggestions where he should go next? Email secretdrinker@lincsonline.co.uk or comment below.



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