The Britannia
9 Millmead Guildford Surrey GU2 4BE
Not quite on the banks of the River Wey, but literally only a stone's throw away from the waterway and with great Wey views, 'the Brit' has been somewhat gentrified in recent years by owners Shepherd Neame, after a spell as a rough-and-tumble Irish theme pub called Scruffy Murphy's (which largely lived up to its name). They've made a decent fist of it though, even if it does err on the side of restaurant rather than the pint-swilling pub it once was. Except for the sirloin steak, the menu stays satisfyingly south of the £10 mark (as pub grub should) and there's a good selection of beers on tap. The front garden is a great spot to sink some early evening ales as the day dies over the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre on the opposite bank of the river. Once the plates have been cleared for the night, the volume knob gets a good crank and lively tunes transform the place from classy chow house to nightspot. You can also catch occasional live music here, and two Sundays a month they stage a UkeJam, which can involve up to 50 ukulele players going like the clappers.
