Comment | Read Comments (1)

STEP inside this charming Hampshire village pub and it is easy to be bowled over by the warm welcome.

"No strangers here, just future friends," is the message emblazoned across an oak beam as customers walk up to the bar.

Keith and Karen Gaskell have just celebrated their third anniversary as mine hosts at The Lapstone and in a short time they have already made it the heart of the community.

When the Daily Echo popped in a coffee morning was in full swing. It is a regular Tuesday event when anyone can just pop in for a chat.

Karen said: "When we took over the pub we always set out to involve the community."

Recently the pub forged a link with the Fair Oak Cricket Club and Karen said they would welcome more clubs and societies.

The Lapstone is steeped in history and the oldest part of the building, the bar area, was originally two cottages, dating back to about 1740.

It has been a hostelry in one form or another for well over 100 years.

For most of that time it was known as The Rising Sun.

The dip in which the pub lies has been known as Lapstone Bottom for centuries but it was relatively recent times that the name of the pub was changed to The Lapstone.

The pub prides itself on its home-made food and in its publicity the pub says: "Every order is freshly prepared. We do not do fast food - we do good food as fast as possible."

Food is available from midday to 2.45pm and 5.30pm to 8.30pm Monday to Thursday and midday to 2.45pm and 5.30pm to 9pm Friday and Saturday.

There is a Sunday roast, plus specials board, from midday to 5pm.

And there is an extra incentive for regular diners with a Lapstone Loyalty Card.

Complete the card with ten stamps and choose a free meal from the Lapstone loyalty meals on the menu.

Just log onto the pub's website and you will see what a hive of activity the pub is with a wide range of events including a quiz night on Tuesday, starting at 9pm, karaoke nights on Thursday and Saturday night live entertainment.

And on Monday night there is a jamming session which is an informal music night.

The pub has a substantial back garden with two different marquees, tailor-made for all occasions.

There is also a weather protected patio and area for smokers.

The Lapstone has become a popular setting for many family gatherings, including wedding receptions, christenings and birthdays.

12:22pm Friday 11th April 2008

Print

Email this

Comment

Add your comment

Name:
Email: *
Location:
**
	e.g. 123-123
Comment: Please note: All HTML tags will be ignored. Format Text:
By posting a comment, I confirm that I have read and agree to the terms of use. Comments are not moderated but we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention and we may delete inappropriate postings. Please treat other people with respect. You must not post anything that is abusive, indecent, unlawful or defamatory. Remember, you are personally liable for what you post on this site. If you wish to complain about a comment, contact us here.
* Your email address will not be displayed ** To avoid register now or login