The Bank Tavern, Bristol

Slightly hidden away down a side street this is a fine traditional pub well worth a visitDoes good beer and we;; worth a visit.

Otley O8 (Pontypridd, 8%), Salopian Golden Thread (5%), Kelham Island Pale Rider (5.2%), a bit heavy on a session, also Goffs Tournament, Cheddar Valley & Bristol Port Cider. Another small pub wrapped around semi horseshoe bar. Left ‘end' has decorative fireplace below wood panelling with bookshelf. Some leather banquettes, wood tables & chairs, a group of 12 eating at long formation opposite bar. Tall tables to windows on right, odd framed prints featuring financial subjects (eg top quarter of a £5 note), also framed hockey shirt – Univ of Bristol, nice old wood floor throughout. The blackboards winding round above the bar have changing trivia; one showed ‘chemical reaction of the month' (unrecorded), ‘phobia of the month' was ‘eosophobia' (fear of daylight), ‘month of the month' was June (1683).

I also liked this pub for the traditional pub it is, but also thought some of the decor fitted well, like the framed bank notes and collection of previous beer clips, whereas some like that mentioned below seemed a bit out of place. Quite busy and standing room only for our early Friday evening visit and with the use of modern smart phone camera technology I can confirm that the four ales on at the time of the PuG crawl were Chuffin’ Ale and Steam Porter from the Box Steam Brewery, XT2 and Dark Star Pale Ale, and the XT2 was well kept. Am in agreement that this is yet another good Bristol pub that deserves to be on any crawl of the city.

A decent pub this one and well worth a visit. The pub was busy both inside and out by the time the PG crawl arrived. Nevertheless the service was good and my pint of XT 2, I believe from Oxfordshire was excellent. A good session ale at 4.2%, there was a further four ales to choose from.

I don't think that this pub has changed much since the previous reviewers' visits a year or two ago. I liked this pub for the "real" pub it clearly is, but I don't think the cluster of antlered skulls of sundry animals on one of the walls adds anything worthwhile to the decor, and the music was a bit loud for my taste and easy conversation. But the seating looked comfortable enough although it was standing room only when I and my companions arrived. Pump clips displayed on the walls is a good indicator of an interesting ale policy, and although for some reason I failed to note the ales on I do recall that there were several available and I enjoyed the one I chose. This is yet another good Bristol pub that deserves to be on any crawl of the city. I would come back to this one at a quieter time if I had the opportunity to do so.

Official site of The Bank - banktavern.com

Official site of The Bank - banktavern.com

This is a small corner pub tucked away down a narrow lane, inside is a single split-level boarded room with the bar to one side, leaded front windows, wood panelling and traditional leather bench and then tables chair seating with a number of stools at drinking ledges. Decor includes framed details from Bank of England notes, there are posies of flowers in vases on the window shelves, a fireplace at one end has a few old books on a shelf above and unusually a mini pigeon hole arrangement has a selection of Monopoly houses and hotels hanging in front. The welcome was exceedingly friendly, the barman being chatty and helpful. On the day all the beers were from RCH, Double Header, Firebox, East St Cream, Hewish Mild plus two handpulled Thatcher's ciders. The barman explained that the pub is free from tie and had showcased RCH beers the night before at a meet the brewer event. Apparently a decent mixed range are offered. This was reinforced by a collection of GBG guides behind the bar and a box containing CAMRA "Pints West" magazines. Food is served and an outdoor jumberalla provides cover for outdoor types and smokers, the area which is clearly used as a nicotine den by local office workers. A very good pub for the beer drinker a short hop from the city centre.

Little to add to Blackthorn's excellent review,on my trip of the six handpumps, two were reversed while Bath SPA and Skinner's Figgy Brew was joined by a Cheddar Valley cider and Two Trees perry.The musak was loud and the atmosphere bohemian yet friendly ,I liked the framed Treasury Notes on the wall and would pop back on any real ale crawl of the city centre