The Friendship Inn, Bow Street

Strange quirky place this. You enter down some steps into a front section which clearly functions as a pub. But then the corridor and the room behind is more art gallery and family play room equipped with table tennis table. And then up the stairs is some sort of antiquities / junk shop during the day. I guess a lunchtime is not the best time to visit this place as it clearly was having trouble deciding if it was a pub, an art gallery or a vintage clothes shop. As a quirky shop it was interesting to stroll round but as a pub it wasn't working too well during a quiet lunch time. The stoned walked front pub room with its collection of paraphernalia is actually a comfortable place for a pint if it wasn't for the flat screen perched on the bar blaring out banal day time tele for the tenants who gave the impression of not being interested anyway and actually wanting to be somewhere else by the way they kept disappearing for ages at a time. Plus the fact that there was only one, fortunately passable, ale available on the two pumps in the shape of Porter Street Lobster Pot it wasn't a great experience. Perhaps it's a totally different experience of an evening when there's a band playing and the owners show interest and perhaps crack a smile. Well I'm not likely to be back for a while so others will have to confirm or deny.

A nice little community place, with a couple of good ales on, one of which is the rather nice Butty Bach - the condition of which is usually fairly good. Interior is down a step, feels like a proper little den. Bits of paraphernalia around the walls make for homely atmosphere. Check out the unusual pub sign, double sided with a different illustration on each. Dogs are welcome and a beer garden is located out back. TV in the main bar normally with horse racing on. Some unusual pics up in the bogs. Landlord is a bit of a misery though, cheer up mate! All in all a nice pub, good for an impromptu sing-a-long.