The Nutshell, Bury St. Edmunds

Official site of the Nutshell - thenutshellpub.co.uk

Official site of the Nutshell - thenutshellpub.co.uk

Guinness Book of Records says that this is the smallest pub in Britain, so it had to be done when I visited BSE. The exterior has a number of large, tall windows and looks quite attractive. The interior has a lot of bric-a-brac, including a mummified cat and mouse hanging from the ceiling. I apparently missed the mummified human hand. Furniture consists of a table and wall benching which snakes around one side of the pub. Beer is Greene King (surprise!) IPA and Abbot. The Abbott was extortionately expensive given that the brewery is only minutes away. So have a half, savour the uniqueness (as you'll only need a half to take it all in) and tick the box.

Brilliant little place but to small for a gaggle of girls looking for a good time

Reputedly Britain's smallest pub, this is something of a 'must-do' in Bury St Edmunds, meaning that at times it is busy beyond its modest capabilities. A tiny bar offers Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale, plus a couple of lagers, a cider and Guinness. Patrons can sit along a sill on one side of the room or around a small table at the other end. Inevitably overspill occurs and you shouldn't be surprised to find yourself having to move outside to let others get to the bar. If the novelty of the pub's size isn't enough for you, there are plenty of interesting items on display, covering every inch of wall and ceiling space. The most striking items include a mummified cat, human arm and various animal heads. There are preserved bats, puffer fish, snakes and spiders, various odd looking weapons/tools and an outstanding collection of foreign coins and notes. A small cabinet to one side of the room contains a collection of foreign cigarette packets and beside the bar there are newspaper clippings detailing the record breaking effort which saw 102 people cram inside the pub.The bar staff were friendly and happy to give a bit of background to the pub, despite no doubt being asked the same sort of questions every day by passing tourists. The cramped conditions make conversation with fellow customers inevitable and there seems to be a good band of locals who'll happily chat away to whoever comes through the door. Well worth a visit when in town, this is certainly more than a novelty pub.