The Ostrich, Bristol

Dating from 1745, the Ostrich has a splendid quayside location with great views of the waterfront and uses this to its advantage with a huge outdoor seating area. I imagine this is a very popular spot in summer, but it was far too chilly and windy during my recent visit for anyone to make use of it. The main door leads into the bar area which is straight ahead, the floor is wooden in here but two flanking areas either side are carpeted, the left hand side up a step. Decor is mainly of the nautical variety, with model boats, lobster pots, framed knots, a sailor's hat and even a fishing rod on display. Additionally there is a large tin sign advertising Woodbine cigarettes. The right hand room has a gated cave in the far corner, there are plenty of these cut into the sandstone around here. A standard pub style food menu is served all day. There were are fair few handpumps but unfortunately only one to choose from, being St Austell Tribute, which was in good nick. This was repeated over three of the pumps, a couple of others had a reversed Hobgoblin clip. Perhaps I was unlucky with my timing.

The main attraction of this pub is definitely the large outside seating area, so I'm not going to bother saying much about the inside. In fact last time I was there I didn't even go in. The seating area is right next to the lock, there's a good view up the river and of The Thekla, Mud Dock, etc. over the other side. There's no grass, but quite a few trees dotted about. In can get very busy on a summer's evening even though it's tucked out the way a bit. The only draft cider is Blackthorn.

There’s been a pub on this site for a few hundred years and according to the local historian who took us round the old parts of Bristol this pub was famous for employing a sandboy (the name given to boys who delivered sand to public houses in the 18th and 19th centuries for use on the floor to soak up spilt ale and got paid in beer, hence the saying ‘happy as a sandboy’. ) who used to collect it from the beach area at the base of the red Cliffs around the corner. On a good busy day he could do six runs and therefore be very happy. The Ostrich is a fairly imposing building to look at from the outside, but inside it lacks any real character. Essentially it is a one room pub, with two carpeted seating areas either side of the wooden floored bar area But the key feature of this pub is its location, sitting by the wharfside, and with a large number of external trestle tables that makes it a very pleasant spot for an outside pint on a decent sunny day or summer evening. I believe it’s a Brains pub and has four hand pumps on the bar. Only two were on when I visited, which were Brains SA and Hobgobblin and SA was an OK pint.

Nicely located alongside the old lock leading to Bathurst Basin in Bristol Docks, the Ostrich is well worth a visit. Well-kept beer and a good choice of food means the place gets busy, especially in the summertime (ha ha)!