I came to the Hoop and Grapes late on a Tuesday evening, the week before Christmas, hoping to get food more than anything else.

The pub was busy, but in a good way. It felt lively without being uncomfortable. We quickly realised we would not get a table in the main bar area, but luckily there is a separate dining room at the back with a few spare tables.

I am not usually a fan of dedicated dining areas in pubs, but I also understand that they are often what keeps places like this going. In this case, it was easy to forgive.