Coeur de Lion, Bath

Positioned down an attractive passageway off The High Street is The Coeur de Lion, reputedly Bath’s smallest pub. It’s a comfortable and traditionally furnished single room pub with a striking stained glass window denoting “Devenish’s Public Bar Weymouth”. The interior features some exposed brickwork, a few Bath Rugby photos and fewer than half a dozen tables. A newly opened room upstairs provides additional room for diners. Additional seating is outside in the narrow passageway. On my recent lunchtime visit, it was pleasing to see how this pub, despite its proximity to the Abbey and its picturesque location, has consciously remained first and foremost a pub and has resisted the temptation ( unlike other pubs I could mention ) to sell its heart and soul to the food orientated tourist trade. There are clearly a loyal crowd of regulars on first name terms with the friendly staff. Formerly a Devenish pub – as the frontage indicates – it’s now owned by Abbey Ales, Bath’s only brewery – and not to be confused with Bath Ales, who are based in East Bristol ! On the 4 pumps were Abbey Ales Bellringer, Teignworthy Neep Tide and a beer called Old Codger – the origin of which, in an inexcusable momentary dereliction of duty, I have not recorded. The Bellringer - £ 2.90p – was in good form. The fourth pump was serving Hells Bells, the Abbey Ales own brand cider. The pub is listed in the 2011 Good Beer Guide. This pub is well worth seeking out, but I imagine that large groups are discouraged for obvious reasons.

This is a tiny pub on one of Baths many alleyways. There’s just a few settles and chairs downstairs but there’s more seating upstairs. The front windows of the pub are all stained glass and there’s a great picture of the pub and the alley covered in snow on the wall. It’s very cosy and friendly in our experience. There are 4 handpumps which were serving Abbey Bellringer and Heritage, no surprise there as this is the Abbey brewery tap, along with two guests. I had both the Abbey ales and both were very good pints. One to have on the list when visiting Bath.

Possibly the smallest of Bath's small pubs but we still managed to get a seat when popping in at the end of a Bath crawl recently. That's the beauty of small pubs, people tend not to get precious about “their space” and will always make room for others. Purportedly the only pub in England with this name.

Cosy little pub with friendly locals and staff. Serving 4 real ales in good condition 2 of which were from a local brewer and on this occaision there was a great pint of Durdle Door. It is easily found in the town centre and a nice place to stop for a swift one...or two.