UPDATE: This pub is temporarily closed.

The Plough is located in Shepreth, one of those villages that have a Hertfordshire postal address but are part of South Cambridgeshire. It’s a lot closer than you think – only a 12-minute train ride from Cambridge to the railway station, then a 5-minute walk from there.

This village pub was closed for a long while and after the new owners gave it an extensive transformation, it officially re-opened 2 years ago. Since then, The Plough has been an integral part of the village, not only serving good food and drink, but also hosting a variety of events such as concerts, art exhibitions and Vera’s Gin Club. Check out the What’s On section of their website.

Vera’s Gin Club, presented by vivacious Lyndsey Spellman, has built quite a following, taking place every third Wednesday of the month from 8pm to 10pm. It’s a two-hour fun tasting of 5 gins, featuring nibbles by The Plough’s kitchen and a large G&T of your choice.

Lyndsey, who transforms into funny and witty “Vera”, has quite the extensive gin knowledge and creates a different presentation each month. Her themes are creative and take us through the history and horticulture of the gins she chooses to feature. I have learned so much about gin through Lyndsey, in such a fun and social way too! To attend one of the monthly Vera’s Gin Club events (priced at £20), just ring The Plough to reserve your space. Vera’s Gin Club will be celebrating its one-year anniversary on 20 July and a little birdie told me there will be a gin cake!

But before that, on Saturday 9 July from 5pm to 7pm, there will be a special Vera’s Gin Club event called Vera, Drink Up! It will feature a tasting of three premium gins, Vera’s entertaining and interactive presentation, fabulous food by Romano’s and a £1-off voucher for an optional G&T to go with the meal. The Foraging Fox have kindly supplied bottles of their tasty beetroot ketchup for the event. I volunteered to help Lyndsey organise Vera, Drink Up! because I think Lyndsey is absolutely brilliant and Romano’s food is always a treat. I’m not making a profit from it in any way. I just really believe more people in Cambridgeshire should know about Vera’s Gin Club. Nick and Jo of The Plough have been really good about letting us have the space that evening so it’s all one big, happy collaboration! As places are limited and we need to cater for a specific number of people, this particular event requires tickets to be purchased ahead of time, before 2 July (hurry, there aren’t many left!). There is much more info on the Eventbrite page, including Romano’s full menu and the link to ticket sales so have a look here.

Paulo and I attend Vera’s Gin Club regularly but we keep missing the opportunity to have a proper meal at The Plough. This was remedied the other day when we popped in for lunch. The Plough’s menu isn’t overly fussy, offering such staples as sausages and mash, fish and chips, burgers, steaks, pizza, sandwiches with rustic cob rolls, salads, soup with focaccia bread and pies with a proper bottom. Some menu items are labelled Chameleon, meaning they change frequently, such as the soups, pies and desserts. The Particulars are basically the chef’s specials, which offer further variety. They have a great Build-A-Board option where you can choose from a selection of small dishes as nibbles, starters or even a main course, depending on your appetite. Then there is the obligatory Sunday Roast featuring beef, pork, chicken or lamb with very generous servings of sides such as roast potatoes, sweet potato mash, savoy cabbage & bacon, carrots, parsnips and Yorkshire pudding. Many of the menu items come in half portions, perfect for the kids.

Paulo started off with a Shepreth Pale Ale, brewed specially for The Plough by Cambridge’s own Calverley Brewery. It’s a 5% pale ale brewed with citra and cascade. Paulo said it was excellent.

The Plough’s fish is delivered fresh every morning so Paulo and I both ordered the Beer Battered Fish and Chips: haddock fillet served with french fries, minted peas and their own tartar sauce. We enjoyed the haddock’s dense flaky flesh and the light and crispy batter. No mushy peas served… these were fresh garden peas that I much preferred.

There’s always room for dessert, well in Paulo’s case anyway. He couldn’t resist the Plough Puds menu and decided on the strawberry cheesecake. I had a taste and it was deliciously creamy and the strawberries were very fresh. If I had to nitpick, I’d say the biscuit base was slightly too sweet but this didn’t affect the overall enjoyment. There was a pineapple crumble on the menu too… intriguing. I may try that next time!

The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming and there is always some great music in the background. The pub is well laid out, with sections for different purposes that still blend together for a homey feel. There is the bar itself, a welcoming presence with its horseshoe design, the Spitfire Bar with a more traditional pub ambience, the Mandolin Bar where there is a stage for bands and Vera’s Gin Club, as well as the Meadow, an airy space leading to the outdoor terrace and beer garden. There are also two multi-purpose function rooms upstairs for art exhibitions or private events. It’s safe to say that The Plough has something for everyone!

The owners, managers or staff did not invite me to visit this establishment and were unaware that my experience would be the basis of a written review. It is based on my experience at my own cost and I did not receive compensation for my review.

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