“HIDDEN gem” has become something of cliché when it comes to reviewing pubs and eateries.

But clichés often have a ring of truth to them, and so it is with The Cricketers Inn, tucked away in a corner of Easton.

The pub is the third in the Winchester area for Gary Swan and Janet Graham, who also run Winchester pubs the King Alfred, and The Roebuck Inn.

The pair have fully refurbished the place, having taken the helm six months ago. ‘Helm’ being an appropriate word, since Gary was formerly a chef in the Royal Navy, and still cooks in the kitchen on occasion.

“This is a destination pub, while the others are more town pubs.

This is a country pub, although it’s still a similar concept,” Gary says.

Gary and Janet have been running pubs together since 1996 and it’s clear that their success has been due in no small part to their engaging nature: both of them the embodiment of friendly, welcoming landlords.

They decided to keep the pub as the Cricketers, and it is festooned with old cricket photographs and paraphernalia that add to the authentic feel. The log fire helps with that too.

The pub has been finished to a high standard and by all accounts has food to match – but without a hefty price tag. Prime trio of sausages and mash will set you back a very reasonable £7.95, while there are four ales on offer, the cheapest being Ringwood at £3 a pint. A Peroni, a premium lager, is the priciest pint on offer at £4, while £3.75 will get you a glass of house wine.

The Cricketers will put you up for the night too, with rooms starting at £50 per person without breakfast.

The regulars we spoke to were thrilled the pub had been rescued and were clearly voting with their feet: it may have been a weekday in the middle of the afternoon, but the pub was buzzing with people who were only too happy to have stumbled upon one of Hampshire’s hidden gems.