View Full Version : Your favourite pubs and haunts
A place to share watering holes of past and present...
My favourite drinking establishments are probably the Hope and Anchor, and the Tobacco Factory. Primarily, because they are close to where I live and they have nice outside areas (particularly the H&A). It's also nice to drink outside the Cottage in the summer :) (as it used to be to have a pint outside the Arnolfini).
So what are you favourite haunts?
This post is just the tip of the proverbial, I have a vast list to add... :D
The Blue Anchor, Helston. The Double Locks, Exeter
Is that the H&A in Hotwells? If so it has been known to be the site of a Bristol Urbanite meet or two. Fine establishment.
At the moment: The Bell, Kingsdown; The Old England, Montpellier; The Wellington, Horfield; The Victoria, Gloucester Road; The Plough, Easton.
All for various reasons I may or may not expand on later.
Is that the H&A in Hotwells? If so it has been known to be the site of a Bristol Urbanite meet or two. Fine establishment.Certainly is.
Does the Bell still have a nice secluded garden?
Used to drink in the Old England too for a while - that's the one with the Cricket nets attached to the side, right? :)
fat hamster
07-09-2004, 11:06
Is that the H&A in Hotwells? If so it has been known to be the site of a Bristol Urbanite meet or two. :confused:
None that I've been privvy too. :(
Yes, the Bell still has the garden. It's a great place to relax. ;)
:confused:
None that I've been privvy too. :(
You have!
krs brought his choccy mousse along.
Shakecpeare Prince Street Love it.
Also Renato's if I'm feeling a bit bourgeious (sp?)
miniGMgoit
07-09-2004, 17:47
The Double Locks, Exeter
May day May day :D :D :D :D :D
Ooh, I was talking about the Cottage only the other day and telling butchersapron what a nice pub it was!
I used to work and hang out at the Old England every weekend, haven't been there in a while though.
Nowadays I only tend to wander into town very occasionally, to the Hillgrove or the Bell or the Magic Box, all around Stokes Croft, either to meet Bristol Urbanites or other friends.
I also used to hang out at the Plough just before and after I got married, with some of the Easton Cowboys lot but I haven't been there in ages.
Very occasionally pop over to Bedminster for drinks with friends who live over that side of town (usually the Tobacco Factory).
I also like the Jolly Sailor in Saltford, perfect for a pint or two after a nice leisurely cycle ride along the Bristol - Bath path.
Sunspots
07-09-2004, 18:13
You have!
krs brought his choccy mousse along.
I was going to say exactly the same thing! :D
Hadn't we been up on Brandon Hill having a picnic, or am I thinking of another time? Admittedly my memory's a bit hazy, but I'm sure Sarcastic Food (amongst others) was down that day, wasn't she?... :confused:
Not been mentioned yet, but I used to quite like the Cadbury House when I lived 'round that way... :)
Shakecpeare Prince Street Love it.
Oh, I've just worked out which one you mean - the one between the Arnolfini and Jury's. I used to work in Queen Square so another old lunchtime haunt of mine. It's nice and cosy isn't it?
Funnily enough I was talking about that one to butchersapron as well, and saying we should go in there (you can tell what our conversations revolve around :D )
May day May day :D :D :D :D :D
The Double Locks has been one of my favourite overnight stops for many years on my way to and from motorcycle rallies "up country".
I was going to say exactly the same thing! :D
Hadn't we been up on Brandon Hill having a picnic, or am I thinking of another time? Admittedly my memory's a bit hazy, but I'm sure Sarcastic Food (amongst others) was down that day, wasn't she?... :confused:
Not been mentioned yet, but I used to quite like the Cadbury House when I lived 'round that way... :)
You are correct Mr Spots.
The Old E is always interesting... sells Stowford and the pool room and terrace are aways full of a selection of interesting characters.
miniGMgoit
07-09-2004, 21:14
Ye Olde Malt Scoop in Lapford. Could possibly be the greatest pub in the world.
Others Black Horse - Exeter, Globe - Chulmleigh, The Lamb - Sandford, Duke Of York - Iddisleigh.
Oh yeah we cant forget The Thatch at Croyde. :D :D :D
fat hamster
07-09-2004, 21:57
I stand corrected on matter of the Hope and Anchor. Havin' a paranoid hamster moment there. :o
Now reminded, I remember it, though mainly for the chocolate mousse. :cool:
That was a good day, the picnic, in spite of the rain. :)
Isambard
07-09-2004, 22:01
Brewery Tap has been the nicest "normal" bar in Bristol I've been in so far thought I did vote last week that "The Bell" should be the new Bristolites local.
(Winns, is more of a "specialised" taste) ;)
Forgot to mention a few past haunts - the Cat & Wheel on Cheltenham Road, me and a couple of friends would regularly start in there before walking up to the Cadbury House and the Montpelier Hotel, then wind off the evening in the Bell.
Whatever happened to the Montpelier Hotel? I believe it's been turned into flats now or summat.
fat hamster
08-09-2004, 06:28
I'm not much of a drinker - I mostly only go to the pub when there's an Urbanites meet. But I reckon we're very well served around Stab Towers with not only The Bell, but the Hare on the Hill and the Hillgrove Porter Stores as well, all serving excellent real ales. Why go further afield?
The Hillgrove are hoping to reopen their beer garden which would be great!
I did vote last week that "The Bell" should be the new Bristolites local.
I'm reserving judgement on that until frenzbob takes over The Junction on Stokes Croft in November. A pub in central Bristol with an Urbanite landlord and a secluded beer garden has to be a strong contender for Bristolites local. :cool:
I too used to enjoy the Cadbury House - especially for its Sunday dinners.
The Cat and Wheel, Brewhouse, and Star and Garter (for the look-ins, pool, and beats :D) were also favourites of mine when I lived round that way as a student.
Fat Hamster - does frenzbob know about the ghost in the Junction (when my bro ran it as the Pint and Pie there were spooky goings on in the cellar and, in fact, all the upstairs floors :eek:).
Old Duke and Llandogger Trow are also favourites of mine.
A few more to go, then to start on the surrounding areas... :D
bristle-krs
13-09-2004, 21:01
in no particular order...
city centre
*king william - prinz on tap, as well as various other german lagers and weißbiers, food most palatable as well. some comfy leather chairs too
*renato's - gets über-packed but still worth the crush for late drinking - weißbiers, pizza and thespy types
*llandoger trow - open fire, comfy settees, tables outside, a bit of history... bit bland on the beer front though
*bunch of grapes - slightly beardy outside of saturday nights and theatre kicking-out time, but still worth a visit
*cornubia - hidden away bhind st thomas street the corubia boasts some great beers and lagers with loads of specials. the ‘beer garden’ may not be bucolic, but the pub itself is well up there in any imbiber’s charts
*three sugar loaves - at the bottom of christmas steps, it’s a pretty ordinary place in many respects, but there is something about it that raises its game. two levels of drinking space as well
*brewery tap - pub above smiles brewery, a bit tight for space in the main bar, but there’s a spacious non-smoking bit, and they do fine grub (of a meat & beer pie variety in the main). oh, and they sell pickle too, for some reason
*zerodegrees - new poncetarium on perry road/colston street. bad points: terrible acoustics, hardly any seats, too little space on the terrace, pricey. good points: they brew their own gear - lagers, bitters, stout etc - which imo taste lush, and pints were half price till 7 (i think) - £1.50
*shakespeare - nice and homely old pub, timbers and all. not much to say except it’s nice
stokes croft/st paul's/montpelier:
*old england - top boozer, with great terracey bit, stowford press on tap, upstairs games room that plays host to the southmead diaspora, decent landlord
*st nicholas house - haven’t been in for a while but decent dub & ska nights, fairly relaxed
*croft - red stripe on tap, decent gigs/mini-club nights out back, lush barstaff ( :o ). downside: it’s a bit poncey and i hate the red paint scheme (and it’s just not the brewhouse :( )
*cadbury house - much better now moany cunt has gone; great beer garden, becks on tap, sunday lunches now half decent, the crappy old juke box has gone...
*tasties - your best bet for a relaxed after-hours can and pattie, albeit accompanied by earbleedingly loud roots or bashment
*star and garter - a total dive now (too many lechy, sticky-fingered blokes), definitely a port of last resort. try tasties instead, much friendlier
*prince of wales - patrick runs a tight ship, and has a tendency to dropping a snifter of overproof in your stella, which clearly is a good thing
*magic box - not a wetherspoons any more, but still dirt cheap, if characterless. and it does cheap cuba libres with havana club
kingsdown
*bell - top boozer with music at weekends, hoegaarden on tap, great grub, a snug little beer garden, the ever-fragrant marion at the helm, and barely minutes from my front door
*hillgrove - up a hill but worth it: the new landlord has been broken in already ;) good little locval, with no student riff-raff
*hare on the hill - a bath ales boozer; bit cramped at times, but proper nice. excellent food too
cotham
*cotham porter stores - cider cider cider cider cider
*highbury vaults - gert lush half-covered back terrace, decent enough glug, nice and gloomy inside
*scotchman & his pack - a local pub but friendly, with a roof terrace
harbourside:
*cottage - staropramen on tap, right by a boat stop, a bit moody sometimes but still worth a piece of your liver
*pump house - they try and put the emphasis on the food (ok) but as a boozer it’s better, with decent views over the harbour to sup your pint to
*watershed - poncey, pretensious, overpriced, but there’s becks on tap, palatable (overpriced) food, loud music, and pretty arty types
*arnolfini - being refurbished atm. poncey, overpriced, yet still we go there... it’s probably just as nice when you take your own and drink on the benches outside, watching the birds (avian variety) and boats and the swing bridge
clifton
*quinton house - tiny local pub, warm, cuddly and friendly, and but a short drunken stumble to the york café
hotwells
*hope & anchor - excellent beers, excellent food, excellent garden, excellent staff (ime)
gloucester road
*prince of wales - much-improved pub with good, organic food on offer
easton/eastville
*black swan - okay, it’s a bit scuzzy but i find it perfectly amiable. it’s pretty big too, and there are some decent parties there (acid techno and bashment in the main)
*plough - under new management but the same old same old
*queen's head - keen on beerfests
*suga's bar (r.i.p.) - not the favourite of the local costabulary, who leant on the licensee to change the name from the ‘pig & whistle’ after they put out some cheeky adverts showing a copper blowing on, well, a whistle. a local haunt, with some shady characters, but never any real trouble
st. werburgh's
*farm - the legend continues...
south
*coronation - decent local, with thick heavy curtains if you catch my drift... good selection of bottled stuff
*cumberland - a local’s local in totterdown, with skittle alley and upstairs function room where various ex-blue aeroplanes, ex-beatles and ex-strangelove people have played
*shakespeare - just all-round pretty good
Sunspots
13-09-2004, 21:22
cadbury house - the crappy old juke box has gone...
I loved that jukebox! <sniffle> :o ;)
bristle-krs
13-09-2004, 21:42
...and don't get me started on pinball tables - i think i've already crushed jtg with my thoughts on those monstrosities...
:D
I like the Albert in Bemmy as well.
Scotchman and Highbury Vaults are in Kingsdown not Cotham krs you bellend.
And pinball tables rule.
bristle-krs
14-09-2004, 10:41
Scotchman and Highbury Vaults are in Kingsdown not Cotham krs you bellend.
:mad: it's all relative, and anyway you never said anything about that last night you stirrer :p
And pinball tables rule.
no they don't. if they did they'd be on stamps and everything...
I did say so last night, you just weren't listening.
We need more pinball tables.
bristle-krs
14-09-2004, 11:51
no you didn't and no we don't :p
Scotchman and Highbury Vaults are in Kingsdown not Cotham krs you bellend.I think you'll find that both are now classified as the area of 'St Micheals Hill'. Like Park St is now the 'West End' on little subscripts to the street signs
Top of my head, pubs outside Bristol...
Jubilee Inn, Flax Bourton - do good pints (eg. Bath Ales) and have a massive garden.
The Inn, Freshford - well nice food and location. Gets well busy tho'
Pike and Musket, just outside Glastonbury - nicest food I've had in a pub for a while.
bristle-krs
14-09-2004, 12:33
I think you'll find that both are now classified as the area of 'St Micheals Hill'.
or, indeed, st. michael's hill :p
*ducks*
yeah, yeah, okay, so it's not cotham, but it's on the way to the cotham end of things if you think in terms of staggering rather than geographising
St Michael's Hill is a road.
Cotham and Kingsdown are areas.
Therefore both may well be located on St Michael's Hill but they are in Kingsdown.
And them signposts ain't worth shit. 'Old City'? 'West End'?! FFS!
bristle-krs
14-09-2004, 14:35
i think someone's having a bad day...
;)
i think someone's having a bad day...
;)
What really? You can tell from over there can you? :rolleyes:
:)
Scotchman and Highbury Vaults are in Kingsdown not Cotham krs you bellend.
Didn't we have this argument once before?
bristle-krs
14-09-2004, 18:09
yes, i believe we did :D
Oh yeah, pubs outside of Bristol.
Already mentioned the Jolly Sailor in Saltford - there's a couple of nice pubs in Long Ashton as well, and the Black Horse in Clapton in Gordano is very cosy in the winter. I cycled there once and I was so thirsty I downed a whole pint in one go!
bristle-krs
14-09-2004, 18:13
Oh yeah, pubs outside of Bristol.
yewwot?
*pokes at ear*
there are pubs outside bristol?
<confused>
And them signposts ain't worth shit. 'Old City'? 'West End'?! FFS!Yeah, I should of emphasised the now in my post :p :D
bristle-krs
15-09-2004, 21:44
the horseshoe in downend is a decent local boozer, nice and rowdy, they do a fair bit of live music there, and there's a nice 'hidden' garden for those who like a bit of green space...
bristle-krs
07-10-2004, 13:05
king charles on king square avenue off stokes croft - went in there for the first time in ages, it's a lovely little boozer, nothing flash, fantastic crowd of 'colourful characters' swapping stolen goods anecdotes, spilling pints, singing irish rebel songs and playing cribbage :cool:
definitely my new daytime local :D
king charles on king square avenue off stokes croft - went in there for the first time in ages, it's a lovely little boozer, nothing flash, fantastic crowd of 'colourful characters' swapping stolen goods anecdotes, spilling pints, singing irish rebel songs and playing cribbage :cool: Used to go in there sometimes - I wonder if the locals who used to go in the Pint & Pie go there now - there was one old bloke called Brian who was in the P&P all the time.
Yeah, they're all fucking bonkers in there.
Nice barmaid too :cool: Watch out for the very odd Blackthorn though :eek:
The King Charles used to be a regular haunt when I was in Militant. One of the girls used to work in there. I think they've all decamped to the Hare on the Hill now though.
I used to go in there at lunchtimes but the food isn't much to write home about, so I usually go the The Bell now.
Sunspots
15-10-2004, 07:12
Can anyone please recommend some good pubs in that there Bath, preferably in a Hillgrove/Bell/OE/Cadbury House kinda style? :)
rubbershoes
15-10-2004, 07:22
*cough* (http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=72120)
Sunspots
15-10-2004, 07:24
*cough* (http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=72120)
-Ah, cheers! :o
I knew there'd already been loads of suggestions somewhere! ;)
Ta :cool:
Can anyone please recommend some good pubs in that there Bath, preferably in a Hillgrove/Bell/OE/Cadbury House kinda style? :)
Bath? What the bloody hell do you wanna go there for? We have pubs in Bristol, they not good enough for ya?!
I bet you pronounced it 'Barf' as well :D
*points at Sunspots and laughs at the outsider*
Sunspots
15-10-2004, 22:52
Bath? What the bloody hell do you wanna go there for? We have pubs in Bristol, they not good enough for ya?!
I bet you pronounced it 'Barf' as well :D
*points at Sunspots and laughs at the outsider*
Goin' on a bike ride with a girlfriend and need to know where we can get some thirst-quenchin' refreshments... :cool:
butchersapron
15-10-2004, 22:55
Girlfriend? You poof. You'll be kissing them next.
butchersapron
15-10-2004, 22:57
There's three cracking pubs on the cycle path - none of whose name i can remember. Thank you. By the canal though.
Sunspots
15-10-2004, 23:16
Girlfriend? You poof. You'll be kissing them next.
A girlfriend. ;)
We were an item once, but I think we've since moved beyond that. Now all we wanna do is ride bikes and drink like lunatics, baby... :cool:
Spontaneity
21-10-2004, 15:55
The Shakesphere....
The Shakesphere....
Which one - there's loads!
bristle-krs
21-10-2004, 17:33
i like the one on victoria street, and the one in totterdown :)
i like the one on victoria street, and the one in totterdown :)
Yep, there's also one in Prince Street (which has been mentioned previously I think and is a very nice old fashioned boozer) and one in Redland, which I haven't been to in years.
Sure there's a few more than that dotted around as well.
bristle-krs
21-10-2004, 17:58
well the only ones in the yellow pages and the thomson are prince street, totterdown and redland... can't think of any more off the top of my head. bristlolian would know, he's graced most of the hostelries in bristol :D
Bath? What the bloody hell do you wanna go there for? We have pubs in Bristol, they not good enough for ya?!
clearly not.... :p
Following from the pub in Glastonbury thread, I thought I'd bring this back to the surface...
Have to read what's been said again first tho' :)
Jubilee Inn, Flax Bourton - do good pints (eg. Bath Ales) and have a massive garden.The name of this pub has changed to the Dew Drop Inn - still have Bath Ales mind, and the garden is still a massively lush place to have a pint after work (a few minutes drive away).
Anyone try the Wild Hare (Organic) Bath Ale at the organic food festival the other week? Tasty drop. Anyone know anywhere that sells it?
cyberfairy
19-09-2005, 17:17
the bell in bath is my fave pub ever :) lots of real ales and ziiiders, cool crusty types, fab bands, beer garden, dogs, kids, papers ;) ;) ;) hmm, may go to bell right now :)
cyberfairy
19-09-2005, 17:21
Can anyone please recommend some good pubs in that there Bath, preferably in a Hillgrove/Bell/OE/Cadbury House kinda style? :)
the bell, the bell! the one in bath!!! walcot street to be precise...come now, come now!!need to celebrate 'talk like a pirate day' :D
The Bell is a good pub. I used to drink there regularly in the mid 90s, along with the Hat & Feather (RIP).
Do they still have an internet café out the back?
cyberfairy
20-09-2005, 07:01
The Bell is a good pub. I used to drink there regularly in the mid 90s, along with the Hat & Feather (RIP).
Do they still have an internet café out the back?
no, the room is now used for opn mike, ukelele sessions, movies etc. there is a cmputer with net access still by the bar though...what more could you ask for? (apart from an urban meetup there...)
fractionMan
20-09-2005, 10:59
no, the room is now used for opn mike, ukelele sessions, movies etc. there is a cmputer with net access still by the bar though...what more could you ask for? (apart from an urban meetup there...)
Nooooooooooooooooo.
*runs away*
Ok, it's not that bad. Decent beer, crap sandwiches (apart from the mozzerella one) and some nice people. :p
(RIP) the hat. :(
"ukelele sessions" sound a bit, well...
*runs away too*
:p
I like the sound of them ukelele sessions!
my favourite beer in the few weeks I've been here is Barnstormer by Bath Ales....tasty and it slips down a treat :cool:
Yeah - Barnstormer's a top drink aka loony brew <--- after a few :) :D
I'll try and pace meself then!
fractionMan
20-09-2005, 15:30
Try a bit o bellringer, also made in bath. Lurverly. *burps*
The Lone Runner
20-09-2005, 20:04
Has anybody mentioned the Ostrich - had a nice drink there on the way home from work today in the sunshine :cool:
When I'm in Devon, I usually stick close to home and drink in the Silverton Pubs, The Lamb and the Silverton Inn usually.The lamb does Exe Valley Breweries stuff and O Hanlons. I dont drink in the Exeter pubs much cos I dont know whats what with them now. When I worked in Exeter, many years back, The Coachmakers was my local
Has anybody mentioned the Ostrich - had a nice drink there on the way home from work today in the sunshine :cool:
We had a very pleasant afternoon there at Easter weekend - a[art from it being the first time I met easy g :p
Disgusting toilets though.
oneflewover
20-09-2005, 21:29
It would be a couple of years ago, however, had a lovely night in wonderful surroundings at the Kings Head. The Tram Car like interior is fabulous.
The Old England - the original and still the best. Crust ain't what it used to be though!
The Eclipse Bar: makes me feel old but the kids there have the right attitude even if they do have appalling taste in music.
The Croft. Not as good as it's heyday as the Brewhouse but a good gig venue. The beer selection is absolute crap though which makes me weep when I go in there. I remember when they served the strongest beer in the country!
Good to know that somebody upthread appreciated the Sunday dinner at the Cadbury. One of the cooks lives underneath me, I'll tell him that his efforts are remembered.
Nowadays the Watershed is my favourite bar. Cheap and reasonable food, central and sometimes they have Hoegaarden on tap.
We had a very pleasant afternoon there at Easter weekend - a[art from it being the first time I met easy g :p
:mad:
I'll have words.....
Just thought I'd say that the Nova Scotia has a nice beer - something Quest - in at the moment :)
Lisarocket
22-09-2005, 20:45
The Double Locks has been one of my favourite overnight stops for many years on my way to and from motorcycle rallies "up country".
I went to the Double Locks when i was in Exeter a few weeks back. Really nice pub...
Had a couple of jars of something called 'Devon cider' which had dodgy looking stuff floating in it. Still drank it though...made me jump about like a mad thing for my mate's kiddy...so i was at least useful while being really pissed :D
I like the Bell in Bath when i go there :) I went to one of the Ukelele sessions in the back room and they gave us song sheets. We sung along to Ring of Fire and YMCA :o One of the blokes did a great George Formby impression and another one did his own compositions which were full of swearing :D
It was great fun...
I went to the Old Green Tree last time i was up visiting CyberFairy. It was small but perfectly formed and had nice cider on draught and nice old geezers to talk to at the bar...
cyberfairy
22-09-2005, 20:59
I went to the Double Locks when i was in Exeter a few weeks back. Really nice pub...
Had a couple of jars of something called 'Devon cider' which had dodgy looking stuff floating in it. Still drank it though...made me jump about like a mad thing for my mate's kiddy...so i was at least useful while being really pissed :D
I like the Bell in Bath when i go there :) I went to one of the Ukelele sessions in the back room and they gave us song sheets. We sung along to Ring of Fire and YMCA :o One of the blokes did a great George Formby impression and another one did his own compositions which were full of swearing :D
It was great fun...
I went to the Old Green Tree last time i was up visiting CyberFairy. It was small but perfectly formed and had nice cider on draught and nice old geezers to talk to at the bar...
i knew you fancied the guy with the long white beard :p
fractionMan
23-09-2005, 08:34
Hey, CF. I'll be in the bell at the weekend. Who knows, we might bump into each other.
Just thought I'd say that the Nova Scotia has a nice beer - something Quest - in at the moment :)
I think they're selling it bottled at The Cube right now...
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