IT'S an idyllic riverside retreat pub-goers just can't stop finding excuses to visit.

But it wasn't always so tranquil at The Bridge Inn at Shawford, which was once the unlikely focus of the nation's attention due to a piece of TV comedy gold.

The railway arch outside the village pub was the site of Victor Meldrew's fictional TV demise. The cantankerous lead character of popular 90s BBC sitcom One Foot In The Grave was the victim of a hit and run driver back in 2000 in the show's dramatic finale.

Daily Echo:

More than two decades later, the pub remains a delightful haven on the Itchen Navigation Heritage Trail and close to the South Downs National Park.

Visitors can savour seasonal specials on the terrace listening to the soothing sounds of the River Itchen in summer and in winter piping hot pub food can be enjoyed by the warmth of the pub’s real fires.

And, since lockdown, they've been doing a roaring trade.

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General manager John Molley told the Daily Echo he and the team have heard all sorts of excuses to justify a trip to the pub, from lost keys, the dog eating your dinner or a host of bizarre special occasions like half birthdays or non-conventional anniversaries.

He said: "Locals are wanting to come to the pub more than they have in years in order to see friends, have a family meal or a night out with their partner – but it’s been so long since they’ve been able to socialise properly, some feel like they need a reason to justify it to themselves.

Daily Echo:

“As a team, we’ve loved seeing our guests find any possible reason to make up for lost time with their loved ones! Whatever the reason, a warm welcome will await you and your loved ones.”

Chef & Brewer, which runs the pub among a small collection of welcoming British country pubs, have found trips to the pub well up on pre-pandemic levels.

The Bridge also offers friendly staff, a lovely garden, beautiful interior, great pub food and a wide selection of fine wines, hand selected by award-winning wine buyers, cask ales and gins from across the UK.

  • The Bridge Inn is our pub of the week. If you'd like your watering hole to feature, click on the link below.