Pulteney Arms, Bath

Tucked away on the corner of a Georgian street, the Pulteney Arms has 3 rooms inside. You enter in the main bar which has a couple of fireplaces either side and a large Pulteney Arms pub sign on one wall. The sign mentions the gas lamps that are still above the bar, but no longer function. There is a TV in another corner, as well as some old pictures of Bath on the walls and some Bath rugby memorabilia in some cabinets. There is also a signed shirt that belonged to Amy Williams, a gold medal winner at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Underneath the signed shirt is an archway where you can see into a second room which I believe also had access to the bar. There was a framed Bath rugby shirt in there and some board games. To the right of the bar is the corridor which takes you into this second room and which continues to an even smaller room at the rear. There is also access to an outdoor courtyard. Although, most people seemed to be enjoying the sunshine on more tables and benches on the pavement. Timothy Taylor Landlord & Wye Valley HPA are the regular beers. Guests were Otter Bitter & Bristol Beer Factory Independence, whilst a fifth clip was being used to display a couple of ciders fetched from boxes behind the bar. These were Lilley's Peach Cider & Weston's Rosie's Pig. Aspall's & Stowford Press were available on keg. Wines are also listed on a board opposite the bar. Food is served during the day. Despite it being quite late for lunch, one guy had just ordered as I was about to leave. Dogs are welcome too. I didn't care much for the music that was playing, but my Peach Cider went down nicely on a warm day and I thought the young barmaid was friendly. Another Good Beer Guide pub in Bath that is worthy of a visit.

Old-fashioned backstreet place in a well-heeled area with limited opening hours. V shaped bar with simple plain décor; wood floorboards, boxed wood bar front, fabric banquette seating. Jazzier rear room down a corridor with nobody in – I think this must be for the foodie brigade who were yet to emerge at 5.30pm. Laid back piped music but otherwise fairly quiet bar a couple of stereotypical big gob American tourists, one of whom loudly announced she had 800 dollars upon her person. Dog-friendly, so expect the odd woof and, in one case, a big hound who accompanied his master to the bar and got upon his hind legs to ape his master’s ordering stance (see pic). Quiz advertised. Five cask over six sticks; Abbey Bath Best (lacked a bit of freshness NBSS 2.5), Timothy Taylor Landlord (shifting, NBSS 3), Wye Valley HPA, Butcombe Rare Breed, Exile Wicked Wolf plus a couple of boxed ciders, served-up by a pleasant and professional team of young females. My seat at the bar allowed me to witness the (lack of) cask turnover, so pick wisely. Pleasant place, if perhaps a bit over-optimistic on what they can shift. GBG’23 listed. I’d pop by again.