My Weekend at the Hook & Hatchet

On Saturday night I was invited to an engagement party at the Hook & Hatchet in Hucking, I knew from working with them that they had facilities for camping/glamping, so I packed by tent and duvet into the car and made my way over.

I arrived at 6pm for the private function and after saying hello to everyone, and offering my congratulations to the happy couple, I made my way out to their lovely beer garden.

To my pleasant surprise, there was a band performing on the roof, I always love a bit of live music to really get you in that Saturday night mood.

The staff were lovely and the selection of finger foods they laid out for the function were great and washed down nicely with a few pints of draught.

I got talking to some members of staff and they were telling me about all the events they hold throughout the week. Every second Monday they hold a bingo night from 7.30 with cash prizes!

On Tuesdays they hold ‘Two-Wheeled Tuesday’ where if you turn up on two wheels from 5pm, you get a free bowl of curry whilst enjoying a drink, I hear this attracts a lot of motorcyclists and I think it’s a great idea.

On a Wednesday they host ‘Waggy Wednesdays’ for all the dog owners, where if you bring your pup along with you, you can get a free soft drink with your meal. This is one of their most popular events and attracts loads of dog owners each week, who use it as a great opportunity to let their dogs socialise with other dogs. On the first Wednesday of each month between June and September, they even bring in dog trainers to help you train your pups. I thought this was fantastic, and don’t know why more pubs don’t do something similar! They even sell doggy ice-cream all week which is a great way to keep them cool in the hot weather.

The first Thursday of every month is open-mic night. If you’re a budding musician, comedian, or poet, you’re invited to perform on stage and show the punters what you can do, I think encouraging young and upcoming talent is important as it helps them build confidence and show off their skills.

Friday is traditional English ‘Fish Friday’ with plenty of fish dishes on the menu including classic fish ‘n chips, with takeaway available for just £12.50 – not bad at all!

The third Saturday of each month is a music quiz, in traditional pub quiz style, and again there is a cash prize so why wouldn’t you want to enter? In times like these, a bit of extra cash can never go amiss!

Another thing about the Hook & Hatchet that I thought was great was that they have a space to tie up horses just outside by the window, so any horse riders can come in for a pint and something to eat and keep an eye on their noble steeds through the window, or while enjoying a drink or something to eat in the outside seating area or garden. I can’t say I’ve heard of a horse-friendly pub before, but I think it's great that they accommodate for all types here.

After a few drinks and a belly full of food, I knew it was time to lay down my head for the night. I unpacked my camping supplies from the car and took them over to the hillside camping area with a nice view. I saw that they also had options for glamping with bell tents for hire, these are organised by ‘Victoria Lily Events’. Once my tent was up, I laid straight down and drifted off to sleep, it had been a long night.

When I arose in the morning, I thought I'd go for a nice walk around the Hucking Estate which borders the pubs grounds, I didn’t walk too far but it was lovely, the birds were chirping and the sun was shining, a great way to wake up.

Afterwards I treated myself to a cooked breakfast, their big breakfast caught my fancy. 2 rashes of bacon, 2 sausages, beans, mushrooms, 2 hash browns, 2 fried eggs, toasted bloomer bread and a free coffee, tea, or orange juice. Great value for £8.50! I thought why not push the boat out a bit, I swapped by fried eggs for poached, and hashbrowns for extra mushrooms, and I chose orange juice for my drink. When the food arrived, I have to say it looked amazing, with my knife and fork ready I scoffed down the whole lot leaving just a solidary bean and some brown sauce for their delicious local sausages. I have to say it hit the spot!

I had a fantastic evening, and morning at the Hook & Hatchet and I would definitely recommend anyone to check them out, great food, great beer, lovely staff, events all the time and camping facilities – what more could you want?