Saved from closure by film producer Tim Bevan and his artist wife, Amy Gadney, this honeyed-stone 17th-century village pub reopened in the summer of 2020, beautifully refurbished, ready to rock. From Thermidor Thursdays to tapas nights and talks, it is the beating heart of the village. The beamed bar has a log-burner, a wealth of artworks. Rustic-chic bedrooms have real pizzazz. Akeman is ‘perfect’, with ‘a four-poster, a shelf of novels, decent coffee’, a small carafe of ruby port, a huge bathroom. Locally sourced menus include classics, small plates and imaginative dishes such as nduja-stuffed chicken Caesar and chargrilled Cajun cauliflower steak (‘for once, the vegetarian offer was as good as the meat’). ‘Breakfast is just as delicious.’ (Avril Campbell)