An ideal spot for watching the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Grand National or the Six Nations on TV, Motcombs’ street-level bar is a favourite with old-school locals – though the art-adorned room is equally appealing even when there’s no sport to grab your attention. Plenty of inexpensive wines and beers keep everyone lubricated, not forgetting celebratory fizz for those who’ve backed a winner; the place also does a good line in Irish coffees (a nod to the owner’s roots). If you’re feeling peckish, you can bag a table in the adjoining all-day brasserie for a plate of, say, Caesar salad, eggs florentine, Parmesan-crusted lemon sole or veal milanese with linguine. A similar menu is served with a touch more formality in the main restaurant downstairs. Either way, genial host Philip Lawless is generous towards his regulars and welcoming when it comes to newcomers.