The Lapstone, Horton Heath
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.
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CommentPosted by: Tom, Southampton on 12:05pm today
What warm welcome !?! The owners are more interested in socialising with their cronies than greeting new customers. We tried it 4 weeks on the trot looking for a new 'local'and got the same cold shoulder each time. We moved on and so should you !!
What warm welcome !?! The owners are more interested in socialising with their cronies than greeting new customers. We tried it 4 weeks on the trot looking for a new 'local'and got the same cold shoulder each time. We moved on and so should you !!
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