The Wickets, Wellington

Rating: **** The Wickets Inn on Holyhead Road, Wellington was empty and boarded up for so long that locals were expecting it to be bulldozed to make way for housing.

Yet happily the boards have come down and its doors have been thrown open to reveal a stylish, contemporary and friendly pub. New owners Julie and Eddy Malia spent 12 months transforming the old pub. Previously they had run The Pheasant Inn at Admaston for someone else. The Wickets Inn is the first pub they have owned.

They opened its doors just a few weeks before Christmas, and when I and boyfriend Simon visited on a Friday night its lounge bar was heaving. The dining area was booked up weeks in advance.

I had not booked and therefore there was unfortunately no table free for us at about 7.30pm. After deciding to stay for a drink or two before moving on somewhere else we were delighted later to be asked if we still wanted to dine, as some tables had become free. We had been enjoying a drink as well as the surroundings in the busy pub. Its clean, stylish and uncluttered interior was pleasant and warm, creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere but, as it was dark, cold and wet outside I felt it would have been made perfect by lighting what looked like two newly installed fires.

The menu at The Wickets is traditional and comprehensive and includes children’s meals plus a specials board. It also does Sunday lunch from £6.99 for one course, but you are advised to book.

We did not have long to wait for our order to be taken by a friendly member of staff. In fact, all the staff were friendly, welcoming and smiling - perfect ingredients to attract returning punters.

For starters I ordered pan fried mushrooms in a wholegrain mustard sauce on toasted bruschetta (£2.95). Simon decided on lightly grilled black pudding and bacon with cheese (£2.95). For our main courses I chose whole grilled trout in lemon and almond butter (£9.95) and Simon ordered a 16oz T-bone steak (£12.95). All main courses come with a salad garnish, choice of chips or new potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

It did not take too long for our starters to arrive. Simon’s black pudding was very good and calorie-packed. The black pudding was hot and wrapped in bacon and melted cheese. It rapidly disappeared.

My mushrooms were large and roughly cut and came with an ample amount of mustard sauce which had been poured over the mushrooms laying on generous triangular slices of cut bruschetta. This was a good value starter that had a gentle, though flavour-packed, sauce.

Our plates were soon cleared and again we did not have too long a wait for our main courses.

I was impressed with the size of our plates. Now this was value for money. Simon had a big T-bone and my trout had a very generous pile of almonds on top. Both dishes came with an enormous amount of fat, golden, hot, tasty chips. Our vegetables were served in a separate dish. There was broccoli, carrots and peas and again they had not stinted on the portion and the vegetables were fresh, hot and tasty. Our salad garnishes were also fresh and tempting.

I had so many chips that they over-faced me in the end. I concentrated on the main event - my trout - and I was very pleased with it. It was fresh, well cooked, hot, attractive and the flesh was creamy and came away from the bones at a slight touch of the fork. I also enjoyed all those almonds and the butter sauce.

Simon’s T-bone was good and his dish was another to get the thumbs up that night. The meat was tender and he soon tucked in.

Neither of us could face a pudding but I would make a good guess that they would be home-made and you would again have a decently-sized portion. We finished with a pleasant cup of coffee at £1.80 for two. The staff didn’t even mind giving Simon a refill after we’d had our bill.

We were impressed with the menu, service, welcome and surroundings. The place couldn’t be faulted and even its car park looked as if it had had a make-over. If The New Wickets continues as it has begun, it’s in for a successful future.

ADDRESS

The Wickets, 240 Holyhead Road, Wellington,

01952 246991

MENU SAMPLEStarters

Farmhouse pate with hot toast (£1.95); battered deep fried Camembert with red currant sauce (£2.95); homemade soup (£1.95).

Main courses

Braised steak, Guinness and mushroom pie (£7.95); The Wicket mixed grill (£12.95); 10oz jumbo battered haddock with mushy peas and lemon wedge (£7.95).

Desserts

Home-made Danish cheesecake (£3.50); treacle roly poly (£2.75); passion cake (£2.75); profiteroles (£2.75).

ATMOSPHERE

Warm and genuinely welcoming.

SERVICE

Friendly, polite and enthusiastic.

DISABLED FACILITIES

Disabled toilets and access and also disabled parking right outside the door.

SMOKING POLICY

No smoking throughout.

by Cathy Stanworth