The Boathouse - a go-to riverside destination for food and drink lovers

Well a stunning refurbishment inside and out at the end of 2023 – I doubt they got much change out of £1million – has certainly added to the appeal for sure.

The approach from the car park looks very much the same, but inside it shouts charm and character while still looking fresh and new.

First impression: It appears brighter and more welcoming – the décor has been totally refreshed, from the colour scheme through the flooring and furnishings and fittings.

The bar area has changed too, creating a more open plan space.

Perhaps most noticeable are the alterations to the outdoor area – one of the pub’s most appealing attributes overlooking the water.

Off-limits for us on a mid-February late afternoon visit obviously, but once the sun shines anyone who enjoys a little al fresco dining is in for an absolute treat, with a new external bar in place, as well as a heated pergola to keep guests warm when the sun goes down.

So to our family visit. A warm, friendly greeting saw us seated at a comfortable, nicely placed round table (it is nicely set out and is pretty spacious) and introduced to the extensive food menu – It’s a Chef and Brewer branded place that serves all day and covers all tastes – pub classics to some inventive dishes - which appealed to us.

The drinks menu was equally impressive.

The youngest ate from the children’s menu – good value at £6.99. The burgers weren’t huge but the beef was thick and meaty, the chicken strips crisp and tasty. Bothy liked the light, crisp and fluffy chips, too.

My Korean chicken (£16.49) was excellent. A breast that was nicely char-grilled adding to the flavour and beautiful crisp, tasty strips – all smothered in a sweet, sticky only slightly spicy Korean barbecue sauce.

The rice – basmati and wild – was nice and light, the pickled cucumber ribbons refreshing and the ginger-infused kimchi brought a little heat.

The ‘Sriracha & Beyond Burger’ (£14.79) was a great flavour combination – lovely, juicy patty, sriracha (Thai hot sauce) roasted cauliflower and smoked cheese, chips and onion rings with a sriracha mayo for dipping.

Finally, the ‘No Leaf Salad with Halloumi’ (£16.49) was another inspired dish packed with different flavours and textures: grilled halloumi, roasted sriracha cauliflower, broccoli, edamame houmous, golden beetroot, spiced chickpeas, pomegranate and mixed seeds with ciabatta croûtes.

Everyone had room for dessert – which all met with expectations. The youngest, for an extra £1, added a build-yourself cheesecake sundae while the pick was probably the belly-busting ‘Salted Caramel Sundae’ (£6.99) – chocolate and clotted cream ice creams, vanilla cheesecake, chocolate brownie, whipped cream and salted caramel sauce.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​