The Inspector is enchanted by this 18th-century pub with rooms popular with Royal Ascot racegoers

You won’t find any vacancies at The Winning Post during this year’s Royal Ascot. They were all snapped up months ago – and sold at a premium.

But at any other time of the year, all 12 are available – some with their own little gardens.

“We’ve done a lot of work in the bar but haven’t finished renovating the rooms yet,” says friendly boss Simon Went as he leads us to our upstairs room behind the main house, which is accessed via an outside staircase. “But at least there’s a new carpet.”

We love Mr. Went’s lack of spin. He acts it out instead of saying it out loud. And we’re loving our first sight of the 18th-century red brick building in the village of Winkfield, near Ascot.

There are white wooden fences, trellis; an outdoor patio, a warm glow emanating from within.

The inspector was struck by the appearance of the 18th century red brick building

It’s a Friday night and there’s such a cheerful atmosphere, helped by the crackling wood stove, the original flagstone floors and a number of little nooks and crannies, some just big enough for a table.

The bar is paneled in wood with “cocktails” brightly painted on it. It reminds me of a sunny cabin in the Caribbean.

There are several used champagne bottles made into candle holders – very 70’s but it works.

The inn has 12 rooms, some with their own little garden

The inspector describes the place as a “happy atmosphere”.

The food is delicious; Service seamless and charming with it.

“You can forgive certain things in a place like this,” says my wife, referring to the battered door of our room, which badly needs a coat of paint.

And they no longer have brown bread in the morning – so we have white bread instead and it doesn’t burn at all. This is such a place.