The Punch Bowl, Warwick

We enjoyed our visit here as the staff and manageress were very welcoming and chatty. The pub changed hands earlier in the year, so they have restored the bar servery, opened up the fireplaces and reupholstered all the seating areas. There were five ales on the bar, I went for the Bryatts Coventry Bitter, which was superb. They also serve good food.

The Punch Bowl On first impression the outside looks like an old fashioned pub, in many ways it is, but you walk into a large bar area and several large seating areas. Its clean and presentable and had many interesting artefacts and usual local photos, bottles and porcelain. Its just a little bit worn and well loved, I guess tired looking in some places, but perfectly comfortable place to sit and enjoy the 4 real ales on offer. None of which we had seen before, and a great price at £1.65 a pint. We enjoyed Oakenwell Senior. The Bar lady was very welcoming and chatty. There was the noise of the local radio station on, which was annoying for us but quite understandably on due to it being so quiet, there were a few locals enjoying their pints. Food menu looked like proper pub grub at a reasonable price. Legend has it that beneath the floors, tunnels from the ancient priory lead to the former cells of Warwick old law courts. Situated on a very busy main road, on the outskirts of the main city centre and next door to the Police station! This about an 18 minute walk uphill from the canal at bridge 50. 20th September 2010

A large detached white rendered corner pub with patio at the front The interior was I suppose an open plan one, though there were several nooks and crannies. There was a quiet area to the right of the entrance, with a couple of nice fireplaces and fire blazing for example and a far area, passed the large central wooden bar area, which had a TV. The décor was mainly white and wood panel and there was a plethora of jugs and other ephemera, as well as old photos on the walls to give a bit of interest. Music was supplied by the radio and was varied and at a decent level. The service was very friendly and the clientele consisted of a few mature chaps enjoying the quiet. Sadly, the TV that was just by us was turned on for the racing so we supped up and left – had we been over the other side we probably would have stayed for another, to try both of the real ales. Beer; tap stuff, with a decent Old Tom’s MILD and an untried Barnsley Bitter. A really good place and one I want to return to