I had my wedding reception in Penny Square Barn. What an amazing venue this was for a wedding…read morereception. The barn is owned by the fabulous farmer Bruno and Gill, such wonderful people! I stayed with Bruno and Gill for B&B and one of my fondest memories is having a bottle of vino and a gas with Gill in the kitchen. Honestly Batcombe is just a fantastic place with some amazing friendly, interesting people. Bruno had just put in toilets when we got married here which was fantastic and the barn had not been used all winter so we had a lot of cleaning up to do. Its no frills but it makes it for economic sense as a wedding venue if you have the vision and want to get married in a glorious location. The main barn itself is gorgeously rustic, just put some dichroic floods as a backdrop and it becomes wonderfully atmospheric. We had a friend climb around like a monkey and do an amazing job on lighting and hung long swathes of black fabric over the not so pretty metal door entrance to the barn. In the smaller barn annex we also hung fabric to disguise the galvanised roof. We were able to have a fire going outside and allowed to have fireworks (before 10pm of course) and a flamethrowing fire engine. The villagers were just fantastic and welcoming and Bruno was an absolute star! Not only was he a bell-ringer, but he ran the bar at the village hall and made sure we had enough fuel to run the genny for the weekend. Barn does get cold at night so its worth renting a couple of space heaters. We got a TENS from Mendip council and ran our own bar which was fab. This is a beautiful quiet village so its not the spot to pound music late into the night as noise does carry but its a perfect venue for an event such as a wedding in the summer.

10/10! By far the best restaurant in the area. Great food, lovely staffread more

From the owner: Weddings, Restaurant, Steak House, Accommodation, Converted Barn, Functions, Conferencesread more

A friend of mine and I saw Patti Smith at the Coal Exchange recently and were blown away. If there…read morewere gods, then P. Smith would be one of them. The Coal Exchange is an amazing reminder of coal's relatively recent great value as a commodity. Not only am I glad that the building still stands, but that it's also a thriving business. This venue is a boon to the Cardiff Bay area. Dark wood lines the walls and makes up the balconies of the exchange. This place, having retained the look of the exchange it once was, is grand in a small way. As a music venue, it works fairly well. It's an intimate enough space, so that one feels quite connected to the show on stage. The musicians are all very visible (if one isn't standing behind a tall dude or chick!), and, with the right sound person, the music fills the hall without overpowering it. The house is 'standing room only', but, if you're not keen on actually seeing the musical acts, then there are a couple of seats along the wall in one corner of the room opposite the entry hall. In the other back corner of the room is a well-staffed bar serving the usual beer, wine, and basic cocktails. It may have just been the Patti Smith crowd, but waiting for drinks was quick and painless. This was not an unruly bunch of music-goers. The same could be said for when the show was over and all of us contentedly made our way to the exit. It took mere minutes to be outside in the cool, night air talking about how great the show was as we made our way back to the hotel.

I'm sorry but this was an absolutely disgusting place to stay. There is water damage everywhere, on…read morethe ceiling, the carpet, and furniture. After reading other reviews it seems pipe problems is fairly regular and so I have to believe mold is an issue. And then we woke up to yellow water dripping down the bathroom ceiling. There was no fitted sheet on the bed, when I called down to inquire they said they don't use fitted sheets but a bed sheet is used and tucked in around the mattress BUT the sheet wasn't big enough to actually be tucked in. The pillows and bedding was poor quality. To top it all off we had loud drunk people yelling outside our window for hours. The windows did nothing to keep the noise out.

Fantastic warehouse space, happened to be holding a pop up food event tonight.. Burgers, hot dogs,…read moredirty fried chicken.. Brulée Shack... Lots had sold out by the time we arrived.. But very very funky space, quirky fun seating areas in tuktuks or built from palettes!

Great restaurant and lovely views of the sea. We visited as a large group of people and pre ordered…read moreour meals in advance. These were delivered shortly after we sat down. Each shish was beautifully presented. I ordered the duck salad which was tasty and filling followed by the cointreau pana cotta which was delicious. Great drinks menu and large selection of gins available which are served in large glasses. Staff are friendly too, would definitely recommend this restaurant if visiting in a couple or with a large group of people.

This is a superb place. It is spacious and has a gorgeous view across the sea. The food is decent -…read morego for the freshly caught fish obviously. The fresh sea air seems to make the beer and other drinks taste better. The ambiance is relaxed and everyone is really friendly.

SHOCKING ATTITUDE!…read more My daughter was due to get married at Upton Barn this year and, due to Covid, they had to postpone. As upsetting as this was, the conduct and attitude of Upton Barn made the whole situation so much worse. They would not provide a 'like for like' alternative date, stating that Saturday slots would not be given to existing customers as they were being saved for 'new customers'. My daughter felt she had no choice but to go with a mid-week day but was then told that she would still have to pay the premium weekend rate (over £3,000 more) and pay all remaining charges straight away, some 12 months before the revised wedding date. There was no empathy, or consideration, for what my daughter and her fiancé were going through and it seemed the whole process was about how much money Upton Barn could secure from this pandemic. They say people show their true colours in tough times and Upton Barn certainly did. I would never have believed that a company selling the perfect wedding day fantasy, could be so lacking in compassion, understanding and reason in what has been a very difficult year for everyone. Needless to say, my daughter decided not to stay with Upton Barn and found an amazing wedding venue who have gone out of their way to help accommodate her and achieve the wedding that she has always dreamed of... thank you Quantock Lakes Wedding Venue for changing a terrible experience into one of excitement and joy.

From the owner: Upton Barn & Walled Garden is an exclusive wedding venue set in the heart of the Devon countryside…read moreand features a beautifully restored walled garden, which is home to our oak framed arbour and is licensed for civil ceremonies. We have just restored our Cider barn which is licensed for ceremonies. Upton barn and Walled garden is located in the grounds and beautifully maintained gardens of Upton farm, our family home which overlooks a large pond and fountain offering an abundance of exquisite opportunities for photographs.

If you haven't been to The Gate yet you probably should make an effort to get over there. Its a…read morebeautiful venue with a theatre housed in what used to be a church. Its all wooden and quite inspiring. It also houses dance studio's, an exhibition area and great little cafe. Its quite an amazing community arts centre that deserves lots of support. There's all sorts going on, like dance classes, pilates, open mic nights, quizes and lots lots more. If your a fan of arts you should subscribe to their mailing list and if you live near by check out the cafe bar.

This converted church is now a modern, airy, community arts centre-type venue holding a whole host…read moreof different events, ranging from live music and dance to visual art exhibitions. These performances and regular nights often showcase local talent, from amateur right through to professional artists, and spanning all age groups. Although the centre's ethos is Christian, it does welcome everyone of all faiths, or those with no faith at all! It has a large, trendy café space with comfy sofas hosting regular events such as the Dance Café on the second Tuesday of each month, when people can meet, dance to Motown and Soul, and socialise with a resident DJ and dancer on hand to keep the place moving. Then there's funk fusion night, featuring the six piece band Miles Behind. They even hold debates on current affairs topics, regular quiz nights, open mic nights, and Science Café night when people explore topics relating to science and technology. The venue itself is actually a bit hidden away, just behind City Road, in a Grade II listed building in Keppoch Street, so you have to hunt it down a bit to find it.

Where to begin! Staying here was a highlight of my recent, and first trip to England. I was coming…read moreto do some family history work at the archives in Taunton, as well as visit Glastonbury Tor. When I read this was an actual castle with medieval beginnings, I was immediately drawn in. Then I visited their website and read a few reviews and I booked it! It's a unique experience to say the least. Coming through the front, revolving door had an old world charm that was very welcoming (even though I snagged my luggage). The front desk staff were all super friendly, accommodating, and professional. The room was huge! I don't know how I ended up with a suite but I certainly did not book it nor pay extra so, the only conclusion is they upgraded me because it was available? No matter, I was in awe! I cannot recommend this place enough, it's a castle! Unforgettable.

Welcome to the Castle Hotel at Taunton. This historic Norman fortress has witnessed over 9…read morecenturies of turbulent history. In 1685 the Duke of Monmouth's officers gathered here on the eve of the Battle of Sedgemoor, where they were defeated by the forces of King James II. The infamous Judge Jeffries held his Bloody Assize in the Great Hall of the castle shortly afterwards. Over 200 rebels from the Monmouth Rebellion were tried, convicted and then hanged, drawn and quartered. A further 800 were transported to the West Indies to work on the sugar plantations. The building we see today is a Grade II listed, 18th century reconstruction of the original Norman castle, but does incorporate the original east gate, Castle Bow, which boasts 13th century features.