CLACTON’S The Robin Hood is steeped in history and effortlessly blends the old-world British pub charm with a contemporary touch.

The site on which the inn stands was the former Brooker farmhouse, which was originally known as a building called ‘Feveralds’ or ‘Brewers’, dating back to 1823.

The date the building was constructed can be seen engraved into the stone above one of the fireplaces.

The pub and restaurant is warm and inviting, especially so on the blustery and dark autumn evening on which I visited with my young family.

The Vintage Inns pub has a cosy ambiance, combined with a hearty British pub menu.

From their succulent roasts to an array of pub classics, the chain - which also runs the Crown in Ardleigh - does an excellent job in delivering soul-warming seasonal comfort food.

The Robin Hood usually boasts a well-stocked bar with cask ales, but with limited ale options on - we did visit on a Monday night - I opted for a Madri lager while my wife opted for a French Martini - Ciroc pineapple with Chambord and pineapple juice, which tasted as delicious as it looked.

For starters, I choose the soup of the day, which was spicy carrot, served with artisan bloomer bread (£6.50) while my wife opted for the signature king prawn cocktail (£7.75).

The soup was excellent, but not very spicy, while the prawns were juicy with an delectable bloody mary sauce but the accompanying avocado was not fresh.

For the main course my wife picked the fillets of sea bass, with pea and crispy bacon veloute, steamed broccoli and spring onion mash (£19.25), which was perfectly seared and brought to life with just a drop of lemon juice.

My home-baked pie of the day - beef and red wine - was both hearty and succulent (£14.75). It was served with mash, roasted carrots and greens, which all went down well on a cold night.

From the children’s menu, my two-year-old picked the sausages and mash - which he enjoyed thoroughly.

My dessert, a chocolate brownie (£7.25), was fine, while my wife’s creme brulee (£6.95) was the better choice.

The Robin Hood offers a warm and inviting retreat and delivers on its promise of providing quintessentially British pub food.