please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Does anyone who whether this is still a Bath Ales' pub? It is no longer listed on their website...
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A small but popular Bath Ales pub on the one-way system approaching the Cumberland Basin, this is also a useful waiting point for the bus stops opposite. It�s divided in to two rooms, with a narrowish bar along the front of the pub, and a smaller square room at the rear.
The front bar has quite a dark feel with dark wood paint on the ceilings and a mustard colour elsewhere. There are a few wooden booths, wood panelling on the bar, and dark wooden boards on the floor. A large number of beer mats adorn the walls, presumably showcasing ales that have been served in the past. A small TV was showing some sport, but there was no volume.
The rear bar is quite tiny, with only room for four or five tables. There is a fire-place here and a selection of games, including a Connect 4 which Mrs. B always seems to beat me at. Quiz nights seem to be a popular feature, and a notice board documented other pub events such as brewery tours.
Beers on tap were all from the owner�s stable, namely Gem, Spa and Barnsey, although a fourth pump for McMullan IPA had apparently run out. The solitary cider was Bath�s Bounders.
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Bath Ales on tap and an ever changing guest ale, always friendly, with Little John being one of the best landlords in Brizzle. I dont think it use to have a log fire but its got one now.
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I have to say this i think most previous comments are a bit , and i'll stress a bit over exzaggerated , that said its still a very good pub , ,and as is said customers brill , but that said i may be biased , as i know a fair view of the regulars , and john the ll , one of the best in bristol . could do with a few guest beers just to put the icing on the cake . still very good though .
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Visited whilst trying to see a few pubs in the area as I was only around for one night. This pub had charm, friendly locals and Bath ales in tip top condition. Absolutely loved this pub.
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Best pub in Hotwells.
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Return visit at Christmas found good beer and some good banter.
Mrs Quinno and another female companion also enjoyed the place, good news all round from me.
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Possibly the best little boozer in the city.
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One of my all time favourite pubs (although im biased as i used to work there while at uni!), but still it has charm, character, great ales and great locals! :-)
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Visited last month and really enjoyed the Bath Ales here. Had 3 including Festival Gem and all in perfect condition. Enjoyed the friendly banter with the locals too.
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I have to agree with alot of other posts on here in that the Festivity is. 1. A lovely pint of ale, and 2. served in top notch condition (at least it was on this visit). - a pity that my companion's guest beer was flat and insipid. Smallish pub, a bit claustrophobic and blokey - where do the fairer sex drink in Hotwells? - but will pop in again when in the area
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Excellent boozer serving my favorite beer - Bath Ales Festivity.
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yes good little boozer this ,had a nice pint of spa , and a nice pint of gem , friendly locals , friendly bar staff
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Used to look like an absolute sh*t-tip when I was younger, as the Portishead bus used to sweep past the outside. I used to wonder who on earth would go there.
Well, fast-forward 15 years and I ventured over to find out. Immediately knew that there had been a change for the better, as the outside had been cleaned and painted. Went inside to see the full range of Bath Ales, which were in great nick.
Two bars as mentioned, deceptively bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside.
Well worth a visit, especially if you've gone down to Trashton Gate to watch your team put of few past Bristol City - it's a healthy (but not that far!) walk.
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Great tasting pint of Bath "Festivity" was quaffed here yesterday , nice old pub, 7/10
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Usual Bath Ales fare,though usual Bath Ales pub "sterility". Usual welcome from Luke I must say though,he'll blow the ears off you but he's a nice chap. Ale top notch. Didn't notice any obtrusive tellys,but there was a rather obnoxious bloke at the bar professing everyone non-anglo-saxon in the country should be sent back,which tainted my visit somewhat.
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I'm afraid JoanCrawford's reassurance (4.1.07) regarding the telly was a bit too sanguine, for my taste, at any rate.
I was in The Merchants the other evening, and found one side of the front bar entirely occupied by one punter,watching some fairly obscure sporting event on the (rather loud) box.
He was probably a regular, and I'm not - and as I said before, there's plenty of room at the back to get away from it; but as far as I'm concerned it does detract from the charm of what could be a near perfect pub.
The beer certainly remains excellent.
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Great little Hotwells Bath Ales boozer. Beer always top quality and good value pub grub too. Nice to see John Landsall as the permanent landlord these days too, great bloke who knows exactly how to run a friendly pub.
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Good, friendly pub with decent beers.
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How marvellous to walk into this place and see four different Bath Ales' beers waiting to be sampled! THe ones I tried were spot on, too. A friendly pub, which has the added attraction of all those boardgames from your childhood to try again, e.g. Connect 4 and Mastermind.
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Old bloke-ish suits me, Joan - and thanks for the reassurance concerning the telly.
I shall return...
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I submitted this in early November, but obviously it went astray.
Earlydrinker is correct in all details.
And no, the telly doesn't intrude.
Also do proper bottled fruit beers.
Good bar staff - had a cracking Hallowe'en, with the staff dressed all ghoulish and a pumpkin carving competition (with big knives - not things that you'd hand out in every boozer).
Can tend to the old bloke-ish on occasion, but otherwise most agreeable.
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The review I posted when I originally suggested this pub seems to have got mislaid, so I'll write another one.
I've only been here once, but got a very favourable impression, which was why I suggested it. It's a classic of its kind - small, cosy and friendly. I was there in the early evening, and the place was busy, but not overcrowded, full of people doing what you go to the pub for - drinking and talking. Altogether a really good atmosphere.
They have the full Bath Ales range on here, and from what I tried, in very good nick.
I was slightly worried by the TV screen, and talk of football on later that evening - I hope the relaxed, chatty atmosphere isn't spoilt too often by this; but there's another nice bar at the back to escape to if you don't like it, I suppose.
A great new find , as far as I'm concerned; I'm just surprised nobody's suggested it before. Maybe they don't want it to get too crowded.
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