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From The Times

April 9, 2005

The Priory Inn, Tetbury, Gloucestershire

It's a shame cosiness went out of fashion, says Sally Shalam, who suffers from a design white-out

Tetbury is an impossibly picturesque Cotswold market town, a short canter from Highgrove and a promising location for Charles and Camilla-spotting. Equally promising is the website of this refurbished inn: warm images of food, wine and accommodation, and descriptions such as “simple but very stylish” and “calming and comfortable”. Which is why my first reaction as I arrive is a feeling of disappointment.

The man has got here first, he’s lounging on the bed in a room of dazzling whiteness, channel-hopping of course.

“I’ve bashed myself twice already,” he complains, pointing at a dark square table beside the TV and tea-tray unit. A chocolate brown chair beside it appears to have a light sprinkling of dandruff.

In the glare of the bathroom, I fail to find anywhere to hang a towel, but do spot three bottles of fragrant bathtime goodies. Fresh white bedding and a fabulous mattress promise a good night’s sleep but the overall impression is clinical, and a couple of bold modern paintings fail to dispel it.

We enter the restaurant, a barn-like extension with lofty beamed ceiling and a central brick fireplace complete with crackling logs. There’s a long bar through brick arches off to the left. Whatever our expectations are of Cotswold cuteness, we’re out of step with the locals, who clearly haven’t been alienated by the refurb.

Staff are as warm and pleasant as the Moles beer, though attracting attention takes a while. Scanning the menus, we go for pan-fried salmon on buttered sesame cabbage with horseradish cream, and pizzas from the wood-fired oven. “I hate these foamy cuckoo-spit sauces,” says my companion, when his salmon turns up. Well I don’t — and the flavours are great. The pizzas are good, and we try to share a chocolate mousse for pud but such is its oozing richness, admit defeat halfway through.

We’re back on form by breakfast, though — an exemplary full English. It’s all a far cry from pub offerings of yore, but what a shame cosiness went out of fashion too.

Bottom line: B&B in a twin or double room £89.

Sampling the fare: Dinner for two with wine £47.85.

Need to know: The Priory Inn, London Road, Tetbury, Gloucestershire (01666 502251, www.theprioryinn.co.uk).

Room: 5 out of 10.

Food: 7 out of 10.

Service: 6 out of 10.