THE Fleece is probably better known for its live music and karaoke nights than for its cuisine.

But that didn't stop me checking out what would be a very convenient venue for the end of those taxing days in the office.

Externally, The Fleece has improved in recent times to the point where it could well become a contender in the Alnwick in Bloom competition.

The licencees have also been busy promoting its culinary side. A-boards boasting its menus are a regular sight outside and over the road, standing alongside those for the Art House and Tower restaurants – mixing it with the big boys!

But does it have the credentials to compete on a gastronomic level with the other eateries in town?

Inside, very little seems to have changed for ages, although one major alteration made our meal much more pleasant – the lack of smoke.

The Fleece has always been more spit and sawdust than yuppie-pub. It's one for the locals, a place for everyone to feel at home, but I was always put off by an apparent permanent cloud of smoke. Now that the cigarette ban is in place, it makes venues like The Fleece far more appealing to eat in.

It's not the most glamorous of pubs but during the day seems to take on a warmingly different character. A roaring coal fire greeted us on a bitterly cold day; walls and ceilings were dominated by the dark maroon synonymous with town pubs; the floor similarly bedecked in tradition – a swirling, patterned carpet.

Plates, pictures, ornaments and typical pub trappings surrounded us.

There was no music at this time of day, just the low hum of chatter, the clink of cutlery and the crack of splitting coal.

The menu was packed with all the favourites you'd expect – archetypal pub grub – and at very reasonable prices.

You could start your meal with soup at £2.50, move on to battered cod and chips at £5.95 and finish with syrup sponge pudding at £3.25, filling your belly in the process and parting with just over a tenner! Can't be bad.

As for the quality of the food, we were about to discover.

We ordered drinks and food at the bar.

I went for stodge – it was chilly outside and I wanted to stoke the fire! So I chose mince and dumplings (£5.75); my wife selected the lasagne (£5.95); and the children both went for half-portions of the roast of the day, chicken.

It was just as well they didn't go down the greedy route and beg for adult meals because their mini-meals would have kept many grown-ups happy.

And our plates were similarly fully loaded. It was full-on food, stacked high and mighty.

I must have had half a cow on my plate, along with two dumplings, mashed potato, mashed swede, carrot chunks, cabbage, cauliflower and a pretty rich gravy.

There was nothing pretentious about it – just plain cooking pretending to be nothing else.

The mince was just mince, no discernible onions, mushrooms, herbs or spices. The mashed veg was watery but at lleast they retained their flavours and appeared to be fresh as opposoed to frozen.

the lasagne was simply mince, cheese sauce and pasta sheets, not much, if any, tomato to speak of - no fuss but still tasty. the accompanying salad was huge and the chips chunky and plentiful.

The plainness went down a storm with the children.

Other dishes available included scampi (£7.25), lamb shank (£7.45), Cumberland rin (£5.75), home-made vegetable quiche (£5.95) and rib of beef in barbecue sauce (£7.45).

Youngsters are treated to their own section of the menu containing the familiar burger and nugget fest (at £3.95 each) or they can have half-portions from the main menu.

We were well and truly stuffed after ploughing throughg our feast and could not contemplate a sweet despite the yummy selection and low price. We could have had syrup sponge pudding, caramel apple cake, sticky toffee pudding or hot chocolate fudge cake for a mere £3.25 each.

The Fleece serves lunch from noon to 2pm, Monday to Friday, and noon to 3pm at weekends; and evening meals from 5pm to 7.30pm daily except Tuesdays.

It may not be on the same culinary plain as the likes of the Art House, but The fleece does offer a wholesome, cheap alternative for those with a tight budget and empty stomach - the easyJet of the restaurant fraternity, no frills but it does the job.

STAR RATINGS (out of five)
Quality of food 2.5
Choice 4
Vegetarian choice 2.5
Value for money 5
Atmosphere 3
Service 3
Children catered for 3.5
Disabled access 3
(via rear of building)
Disabled toilet No
Overall experience 5
Verdict: Cheapt and mountainous!

Contact details: the Fleece, 49 Bondgate Without, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 1PR. Tel: 01665 603036