WHEN I last visited the Three Hammers at Chiswell Green on an indifferent August day last year it was about to close for major refurbishment so was, understandably, not particularly prepossessing.

On Tuesday, an even more indifferent day of relentless rain and twilight at lunchtime, I returned to find a transformation.

Still split into at least six different areas and rooms, the new-look Three Hammers shows what a difference skilled lighting makes. From the slightly dated, gloomy interior has sprung a place of warmth and welcome.

Gone are the bookshelves that used to make wags say you needed your library ticket to get in. These remnants of a style fashionable in pubs about 15 years ago have made way for contemporary pottery as ornaments and huge plants in pots.

There are deep leather armchairs and winged fabric armchairs, new round tables and the dark partitioning has been repainted in cream giving a light, spacious feel.

My husband, who joined me for a pint of Greene King IPA (rather disappointing the character of what I know to be a full, hoppy beer seemed somehow lacking and at £1.15 a half it should lack for nothing), described the newly painted walls as a "one coat job."

One coat perhaps, but no lack of different colours salmon pink, pale mustard, vibrant purple but it seems to work; your surroundings feel harmonious.

The new menu has plenty of choice and is reasonably priced. The dearest dish ribeye steak at £9.25 for 12-oz accompanied by chips, onion rings, peas, tomato and mushrooms compared very favourably with a similar sized ribeye I paid nearly £12 for at a Beefeaters in Plymouth a few days earlier where you got salad but had to pay extra for mushrooms or onion rings.

Smaller portions are an excellent idea £4.30 for a smoked haddock and spring onion fish cake with chips and peas or a double chicken breast with lemon parsley butter, grilled tomato, jacket potato and peas.

Sunday lunch is £6.60 for roast beef with all the trimmings or £6.90 for a full crown of chicken breast with ditto. By and large then, I would agree with those who say the Three Hammers is enormously improved.

SN

January 30, 2003 10:00