PAUL STAMMERS finds that the Britannia's efforts to raise its reputation are paying off.

WHO’D have thought headgear could prove so controversial?

There’s a stern red sign by the bar at the Britannia warning that, on police advice, nobody wearing a baseball cap or brimmed hat will be served.

Those OAPs sporting their natty trilbies can ‘kick off’ at a moment’s notice, you know.

It’s a sign the pub has been shifting upmarket – and with some success, I fancy.

Twice I’ve visited on a Monday, a night not known for its vibrancy, yet the pub was more than half full.

The décor included a terracotta colour scheme and a glass cabinet of wine bottles (though some of it was on the plonky end of the spectrum); real ales were available on tap alongside the familiar megabrews; the music was unobtrusive.

Copies of the real ale magazine Cask News were dotted about and I noted the Tasting Rack deal for those unsure of what to quaff – for £2.50, customers could get three 1/3 pints of ale (representing a bargain these days).

There was a good-sized car park at the back of the premises – handy, considering the surrounding residents-only permit zone – and a few benches for those who wished to enjoy fresh air (and the rumble of traffic, of course).

WHAT DID YOU CHOOSE?

The first time at the Britannia, I found myself chomping on a chicken fillet with a perky salsa, which arrived in a bun with a few slices of tomato and lettuce, together with a portion of chips large enough to make it a pleasantly filling meal.

The menu was varied without being extravagant, the dishes ranging from soup and half a roll at £2.60 a time, to £9.45 for an 8oz rib-eye steak with rocket and chips.

Owners Ember Inns have introduced a ‘gourmet’ range of burgers featuring Mey Scotch beef, but on a return visit, I again opted for chicken, although the couple on the table nearby sounded pleased with their ‘Black and Blue’ burgers (so called as they were served with Stilton and mushroom).

On the second occasion my dish was the snooty-sounding cornfed chicken stuffed with Serrano ham, sun-dried tomatoes and Gruyere cheese (fast becoming the cheese of choice for caterers, it seems).

WHAT DID YOU THINK?

The slab of chicken – neatly presented on a big square plate – was decked out with a thick herb crust that was on the dry side, but the same couldn’t be said of the winter greens and rosemary potatoes accompanying it, as they were glistening with butter.

Washed down with a well-kept pint of Pride of England pale ale, it made for a decent spot of nosh, rivalled in quality by the rich Belgian chocolate tart with raspberry compote I ordered for dessert.

The Britannia may look rather uninspiring from the outside but it’s worth a visit, either for food or beer.