The Nutshell, Bury St. Edmunds

One of the more interesting pubs to visit, noted for being the smallest in the country and certainly not geared up for darts, pool or smelly fart dispersion. Despite its miniscule size, it has bundles of character and plenty to focus on. Artifacts include a mummified cat and mouse, stuffed animal heads, bank notes lining the ceiling, an orderly collection of foreign coinage orderly labeled and displayed along the door and walls plus a few unexplained tools and instruments that would probably baffle Jack Hargreaves (ask your dad, kids!). The tiny bar still manages to fit 2 Real Ales among the more standard lagers; the ubiquitous Abbott and GK IPA although the Abbot is astonishingly expensive at £3.05 a pint. The IPA is a bargain by comparison. Furniture is restricted to a bench around one end of the pub and a small table at the other. Posters welcoming coach parties and function room available for up to 2 people show that they have a sense of humour. I actually thought the function room was a joke until I went up the stairs to find a small room from which the solitary toilet branches. Since there is no drinking allowed on the pavement outside, the interior can get quite cosy but most people seem to gel together and it is not hard to strike up a conversation. Bar staff tend to be interesting characters and the selection of CDs was top notch the night we were there. Yes it is a bit touristy with t-shirts and souvenirs available but on the whole, a must visit pub for the experience.