The Six Bells, St. Albans

This smart freehouse has a great location just around the corner from Verulamium Park and the Cathedral, yet seems to maintain the sense of a local’s pub in spite of the huge passing tourist trade. The main bar is a classic old-fashioned affair with parquet and terracotta flooring, dark wood beams, gnarled wooden pillars, tiny windows letting in the bare minimum sunlight and a traditional dark wood servery running almost the full length of the back wall. Seating comes in the form of pews and chairs, plus a single, comfy banquette under the front windows. The room’s main feature is the incredible inglenook fireplace on the right hand wall with all manner of brassware items dotted around and inside. Also of note were some nice black and white photos and a couple of rifles above the fireplace and it was good to se the TV screen turned off. A more modest fireplace to the left stands next to a door leading through to a side room which has similar furnishings in a smaller space. Here you can find a dartboard (with minimal room to actually play) and some interesting displays such as the tap and spile collection on one wall. From here you can head out to the large beer garden, which was packed on a warm day and I noticed there was another room to the right of the main bar which was screened off on this occasion, with tables and chairs all stacked up as it it rarely gets any use. There was plenty of food on the go and the place seemed popular with families and those with dogs. A decent ale selection comprised Taylor Landlord and Knowle Spring, Oakham JHB, Greene King Abbot Ale, Tring Ridgeway and 3 Brewers Classic Bitter. The latter was a rather steep £4.10 a pint but it was cool and satisfying and accordingly didn’t stay in the glass very long. I had quite a wait at the bar whilst some bloke dithered endlessly over a food order, but the barmaid was very apologetic and friendly when she finally got to me. This seemed like a really good pub with a nice community feel to it yet still able to extend a friendly welcome to strangers. The pub is well worth a look just for the fabulous main bar, but some good beer and welcoming service make this stand out as one of the city’s better pubs and it would be one I would definitely take people to the next time I’m in town.

The Six Bells is a really nice looking pub that is a bit of a walk from the middle of St Albans. Once inside the bar faces in an oblong shaped room,the floor is part tiled and bare boarded and there is a beamed ceiling,there is comfy bench seating and chairs and some pew seats and chairs for seating. There is a separate room to the left which is smaller and square shaped,this room is carpeted and has pew seats and chairs. There were five real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Oakham JHB,which went down a treat,the other real ales were Tring Ridgeway,Taylor Landlord,Three Brewers Blonde and GK Abbot. There was decent background music playing. I thought this was a really nice pub and worth the wait for it to open. Pub visited 24/6/2017

Beautiful old school pub - doing everything just about perfectly. Not often I'll turn down a TT Landlord but the Tring Brewery Ridgeway was in great condition. Recommended. Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2tMDBNJ

Splendid-looking 16th-century inn, with a refurbished but still traditional interior that doesn't disappoint and a fireplace as a particular feature. Various events advertised. Six handpumps, with a fine choice of beers including the local XT3 Indian Pale (£1.95, half).