Reviews of restaurants, pubs, hotels, and places to relax, shop, and meet away from the menace of piped music. The reviews are contributed by members of Pipedown: the campaign for freedom from piped music. Quiet corners was launched in June 2009. If you would like to contribute reviews, join Pipedown and help the fightback against Muzak.

Dering Arms

Useful information: 

One minute from Pluckley rail station.
www.deringarms.com

Charming old hunting lodge. Excellent food and Goachers ale.

Location

Station Road The Grove
Pluckley, KEN TN27 0RR
Phone: 01233/840371

Bell

Useful information: 

A community free house in a small Chiltern village.

Real ale always, real cider sometimes. The restaurant serves good, reasonably priced, homemade food sourced from local suppliers wherever possible.

Location

Chartridge Road
Chartridge Village, BKM HP5 2TF
Phone: 01494 782878

Woods Tea Rooms

Cafe, waitress service, wait to be seated, similar to Bettys renowned Tea Rooms of Harrogate, but on a smaller scale. Good snacks, light lunches and sandwiches etc. Cafetieres with choice of different fresh ground coffees to choose from. Different blends of teas also available. Relaxed atmosphere and newspapers to read.

Location

3a Wood Street
Doncaster DN1 3LH

The Riverside Inn, Cound, Shrewsbury, SY5 6AF. 01952 410900

Useful information: 

Cound may sound off the beaten track but is on the A458 between Shrewsbury and Much Wenlock.

www.theriversideinn.net for many more details, including a clear map of the location and arrangements for fishing.

I had lunch here last year. An excellent meal with good beer, good value for money, prompt service even though it was busy, and lovely views of the Severn! Booking advised as it is deservedly popular.

The building dates from 1750 and has been a pub since 1878. There is lots of atmosphere.

There is NO piped music, I understand this is the owner's policy.

Location

SY5 6AF
Phone: 01952 510900

The Munch House

A great little cafe, bang in the middle of Maidstone, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

The staff are friendly and efficient, and the proprietor says he has no plans to install piped music because "the customers don't like it".

There is an excellent range of reasonably priced meals and snacks, and the establishment has been awarded the maximum 5 stars in the Scores on the Doors food hygiene scheme.

Location

34 King Street
Maidstone, Kent ME14 1BS
Phone: 01622 692555

Swan

Useful information: 

A few daytime buses from Chesham, not Sundays.

The Swan is a character village inn (claimed to be the oldest in Buckinghamshire) specialising in fine cuisine, fine wines and real ales. It has a restaurant, lounge bar and "Snug". There is also a patio and a large lawned garden.

Location

Ley Hill Common
Chesham, BKM HP5 1UT
Phone: 01494 783075

Lakeland

Useful information: 

No music in the Shop in Shrewsbury but I thinkthe whole chain is music-free.

Good quality home-ware.

Location

Mardol
Shrewsbury SY1 1PY
Phone: 015394 88100

Warwick Castle

Useful information: 

Reviewed 6 March 2012. Near Notting Hill Gate station.

Historic pub with real ale, real cider and interesting food.

Location

6 Warwick Place
W9 2PX
Phone: 02072 660921

Sea Dogs

Useful information: 

Unfortunately this restaurant closed on 15th February 2012. Others under the same management remain open.

Location

43 Rose Street
Edinburgh EH2 2NH
Phone: 0131 225 8028

Amore Dogs

Useful information: 

An Italian-themed restaurant with the same owner as The Dogs. Great food and the same informal style as the other ‘Dogs’.

Location

104 Hanover Street
Edinburgh EH2 1DR
Phone: 0131 220 5155
Syndicate content