Masons Arms
This spot is a winner for awesome food at even better prices. Seriously, you've gotta try their Sunday dinner – but be warned, you'll need to book ahead because it's popular.
Their roasts are a proper feast massive plateful. And get this, all the food is fresh.
The beer prices are solid too.
Staff are brilliant; they're personable and really look after you. Just a heads-up, it's cash only, so hit up the ATMs at Tesco or on Reddenhill Road before you go.
Bonus points: They've got parking at the rear and a cool beer garden for those sunny days. Cheers to that.
P&P
Walk through coming soon
Background....
Traditional public house and was formerly known as the Victoria Inn. Originally a coaching inn, it provided rest and refreshment for travelers and their horses.
Today, the Masons Arms is a sport-loving local pub with a relaxed and informal atmosphere. It features traditional timber beams, stone and half-timber panelled walls, and a welcoming log burner. The pub offers a selection of British-inspired pub food, and is known for its generous portions. There is also a sunny outside drinking area and a function room available for private parties.
To elaborate slightly on the historical aspect, particularly regarding its former name as the "Victoria Inn" and its role as a coaching inn:
Coaching Inn Heritage: The fact that it was originally a coaching inn, likely known as the Victoria Inn, is significant. Coaching inns were vital infrastructure before the widespread advent of railways and motor vehicles. They were strategically located along major routes (and Babbacombe Road would have been a key thoroughfare for travel to and from Babbacombe and Torquay) to serve as stops for stagecoaches. These inns would have provided:
Accommodation: Rooms for travelers to rest overnight.
Stabling: Facilities for horses to be fed, watered, and rested, and often for fresh horses to be hitched to the coaches.
Refreshments: Food and drink for both travelers and coachmen.
Information Hub: Often served as a place where local news and mail were exchanged.
"Victoria Inn" Name: The name "Victoria Inn" strongly suggests it adopted this name during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), a very common practice for pubs and establishments during that era as a sign of loyalty and patriotism. This helps to further place its significant historical period.
Transition to "Masons Arms": The change from "Victoria Inn" to "Masons Arms" could have occurred for various reasons:
A change in ownership or management that desired a new identity. A desire to reflect a connection to a local Masonic Lodge (though this is speculative without further information). A re-branding to signal a shift in focus or atmosphere.
The transition from a bustling coaching inn, serving horse-drawn traffic, to a "sport-loving local pub" with a log burner reflects the evolution of public houses over centuries. While the original function of providing for coaches and horses is long gone, the core role of a pub – a place for community, refreshment, and gathering – clearly remains at the heart of the Masons Arms today. The retention of "traditional timber beams, stone and half-timber panelled walls" also speaks to its enduring historical character.
