Blue Bell Inn, Kip Hill, Stanley, County Durham

Jul 12 2009 by Eddy Eats, Sunday Sun

Character: 5
Quality: 4
Service: 4
Value: 5

Ratings: 18/20

Telephone: 01207-232163
Food served: From noon to 3pm on Sundays.
Drinks: Pint of lager £2.90, pint of bitter £2.60, 175ml glass of wine £2.90, gin and tonic £3.60, orange juice £1.40.

IT’S three years since I took She Who Must Be Fed to the delightful Blue Bell Inn, at Kip Hill, Stanley.

Back then, we were so impressed that I made it joint-winner of my Pub of the Year Award in 2006.

Quite a few miles have been clocked up on the old Eatsmobile since then, and many more delicious scrans have been downed in the interests of bringing you the very best recommendations.

But the fond memory of our last visit was enough to send Mrs Eats scurrying for her handbag when I suggested a return trip at the weekend to see if the Blue Bell still lived up to its reputation for great food and friendly service.

And I am happy to report that it definitely did . . . if anything, it was even better than we remembered. Owner Eddy, who runs the pub with partner Stuart, was as welcoming and wacky as ever.

His quirky sense of humour sent She Who Must Be Fed into fits of girlish giggles as he sat down at our table for a chat while we made our selections.

Eddy treats all his guests this way and is a stickler for detail. When he thought, wrongly, that Mrs E had not been provided with cutlery for her potato skins starter, he was most disgruntled and before we had time to correct him we were being brought knives and forks by three different servers.

Small wonder then that with these high standards everything in the pub is immaculate. This includes the bright and airy dining area to the spotlessly clean loos and friendly, attentive service.