It is time once again for our Pub of the Week feature, where we shine a spotlight on venues in and around Ipswich and share what makes them worth a visit.
This week, I headed to the Hand in Hand in Trimley St Martin on a Tuesday afternoon to try out one of its lunch deals.
Despite driving past the pub many times on the way through Trimley and back into Ipswich, I had never stopped before — so it felt like the perfect opportunity to finally give it a go.
There is a car park to the rear of the pub, while to the front you will find a spacious beer garden with plenty of seating. On a warmer, sunnier day it would be an ideal spot to sit with a drink, but with the weather overcast and rainy, I opted to head inside.
My first impression on entering was just how spacious the main restaurant area is. There are plenty of tables and chairs, but it does not feel cramped. The space also includes a pool table and large televisions showing live sport.
Moving towards the bar, there is even more seating wrapping around it, with a noticeably more traditional feel. This includes a cosy snug area and classic pub-style furnishings, offering a nice contrast to the more modern restaurant space.
It is a pub that blends old and new well, and the long bar suggests it can comfortably handle a busy crowd.
From Monday to Saturday, the Hand in Hand offers a lunch deal where you can get a meal and a drink for £10.49. I opted for gammon, egg, chips and peas with a Cruzcampo. Considering the food alone was priced at £9.49, it effectively meant getting the drink for just £1 — excellent value.
Looking at the wider menu, that value is consistent. Main meals generally range from around £11 to £15, which is very reasonable for a village pub. There are also regular offers, including two pub classics for £14 on weekdays and kids eat for £1 on certain days of the week.
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The food itself did not disappoint. The gammon, egg and chips were all served piping hot — something that should be standard, but is not always guaranteed. The gammon had a good salty flavour, the skin-on chips were crisp, and the egg was cooked perfectly with a runny yolk.
There were already a handful of customers in when I visited, with a mix of people dining and enjoying a drink. It felt like the sort of place that caters equally well for families and for locals popping in for a pint.
Now, if you are a regular reader of this feature, it is time for the history lesson.
The Hand in Hand likely began life as a late 18th-century house, first appearing on maps in 1807 and linked to farmer-butcher John Scarlett. It became a beer house following the 1830 Beer Act and developed a reputation as a lively village local under a succession of Victorian landlords.
Later tied to Tolly Cobbold, it did not gain a full licence until 1949. Today, under landlady Nicki Jennings, it continues to serve as a food-led community pub in the village.
It is now the only remaining pub in Trimley St Martin or Trimley St Mary following the shock closure of The Mariners at the end of April.
All in all, The Hand in Hand delivers on all fronts. Friendly service, spacious seating, cheap prices, and I will definitely be returning in the future.
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