Bonapartes, Bristol

I only tend to visit railway station bars out of necessity as I'm sure most do, whether to use the facilities (this station bar actually has toilets) or kill time before a train. The building itself is attractive and interesting with a double storey height interior, built in local stone and having an attractive feature ceiling. Two rows of large art-deco chandeliers add further interest. The bar runs along the wall opposite the entrances and actually has four handpumps, three from Butcombe, Bitter, Gold and Rare Breed plus GK IPA, reverse clipped. The beer was in good shape and a full measure too. Cask Marque accredited. I noticed a fridge containing cans and bottles which must be a good option for those wanting a carry out for the train as prices are cheaper than on board. The seating arrangements are pretty basic with a collection of tables crammed in one end and a few sofas down the other. there are a couple of shelves with stools too. Standard basic food menu including breakfasts. Little in the way of decor, a handful of potted ferns perhaps, additionally there are a couple of fruit machines and a rack of papers and magazines for sale by the platform end wall. TVs each end were muted showing BBC News. You get what you expect with these places however the beer range was better than many station bars and at least the building has some interest. The layout and the way it is used could be a lot better though and please put a departures board in, I was up and down like a yo-yo.

This is not really a pub in the strictest sense of the word as it is only accessible from the platform at Temple Meads station. Thus you cannot just wander in off the street and buy a pint. It’s a high ceiling, single room affair with much exposed stonework and some wood panelling reminiscent of a stately home drawing room. There are also good sized windows, a tiled floor and some outside seating on the station platform. The front half is filled with tables and chairs, and the rear half has a number of low leather sofa’s. There were a few fruit machines around and a plasma up on the wall, although the volume was turned off. In keeping with it’s location, there was a rack of magazines for sale, a large coffee machine behind the bar and various snacks on the bar counter. The menu was extensive, but looked to be your typical pub-chain mass produced offering. It was divided in to several sections such as salads, ciabattas, pizza’s, mains, etc. Prices looked reasonable and a few dishes were available as part of a 2 for £7.99 deal. There were two large clocks built in to the wall at either end of the bar. One had presumably broken at one point, but rather than fix it they had set the time to 18:56 and stuck up a notice saying that it was commemorating the year the station opened! Saves paying to get it fixed I suppose. A large notice outside enticed you to come and try their range of world beers, however these were all lagers other than John Smith’s Extra Smooth. However, they did have Butcombe and Greene King IPA on tap which is more than might be expected from such an establishment. The solitary cider was Strongbow, though. Why on earth the main rail terminus in a city that is generally known as the cider capital of the world couldn’t showcase a few local offerings is beyond me.