The Hoop

Every inch the traditional country pub, this 15th-century free house on Stock's village green offers a warm welcome, authentic pub interiors and a pleasing absence of music and fruit machines. There's an emphasis on food here, with menus offering gutsy dishes such as crispy pig's head with apple and celery followed by the chef's beef, mushroom and real ale pie, with baked Alaska for dessert. The annual beer festival (early June) has been going from strength to strength for over 30 years; you'll have over 100 real ales to choose from, not to mention fruit beers, perries and more.