This is where it all began for Peter Creed and Tom Noest – friendly childhood chaps who now run a growing empire of brilliant pubs. And while they’ve since opened five more (including their most recent, The Hawthorn in London), The Bell still hits all the right notes. On New Year’s Day, the bacon sarnies and Bloody Marys are life-saving, but the menu delights year-round – fish and chips, duck confit, big burgers and pizza too. It’s consistent and full of cool countryside chatter.  

Just across the road from its sister, the Double Red Duke, The Mason's Arms is from the same group. At the Mason’s (as the locals call it), modern menus are swapped for nostalgic classics: prawn cocktail, haddock Monte Carlo, and Black Velvets (Guinness with Champagne) served in silver tankards. There’s real spirit here – especially on 'chops and hops' nights, where lamb chops and cold beers rule the pass, followed by piping-hot crumble scooped straight from the dish. 

Housed in a stone building that looks every inch the Cotswold definition, The Stump is anything but old-fashioned. Inside, it’s all about wood-fired pizzas, craft beer, and a young, lively crowd who spill in from Cirencester and Cheltenham nearby. The playlist is always good too, and so is the food – especially the Honey Pot with salami, peppers, and a drizzle of honey. Add a side of death sauce if you dare, then cool off with a pint or two from DEYA Brewing Company.