Harry Cook, Cheltenham

Quite a dark split level interior. 5 real ales and "craft keg" served.

A good sized pub with an entrance at either end in the popular and upmarket Montpelier district, this is an attractive looking venue with terraced seating at the front, although the presence of a bouncer on the door and several TV screens showing the sports seemed a little out of place. Although I’m not a fan of sports bars, here the volume was off and it just seemed to mould in to the background, and instead there was a pleasant, buzzy ambience although it was nonetheless quite busy and noisy with standing room only. Clearly this is a dog friendly pub, as not only was a bowl of drinking water provided for you pooch, but a bowl of biscuits as well. The pub consists primarily of one large, high ceilinged room with wooden boards on the floor and large floor to ceiling windows at the front to make the most of the pleasant outlook. An old grandfather clock was in one corner and a small fire-place off to one side, although this did not appear to be used. A smaller room to the left had very dark green paintwork and selection of old black and white photographs on the wall. The barman was friendly and helpful, and offered me a taster as soon as he saw me studying the pump clips. The beer choice on this occasion was Doom Bar, Purity Pure Gold, Butcombe and Timothy Taylor Landlord, whilst a fifth pump appeared to have run out. Ciders meanwhile were Aspall’s Suffolk and Caple Road, which is a new one on me. All in all a decent pub, although I’ll try and catch it at a quieter time when I visit next.