The Atrium, Bristol

Since my previous review, this has been closed for a few months after the previous landlady retired. Since then it’s been refurbished and extended and is now back open. Passing by one lunchtime I thought it looked more like a café than a pub with blue and white chequered tablecloths on all the tables. It has perhaps a bit of a French theme now, and this is reflected in the nationality of the landlord as well as some of the pictures on the walls. The area that was formerly an outside patio area has now been covered over with an extension, doubling the size of the pub. This still has a semi outdoors feel however with a paved floor, glass roof, large bi-folding doors and even a water feature (and a parrot in a cage). There is still a minimal amount of outside seating, although this is in the part of the courtyard that serves other businesses. If you don’t mind being overlooked by a barbers and a garden shop, along with all their customers squeezing past, then I’m sure it’s fine. Inside it’s been spruced up and has a more contemporary feel with fresh cream paintwork on the walls and new furniture. Food is offered, although I didn’t check the menu. All I noticed was a blackboard advertising Sunday lunch between 12:00 – 5:00. The only beer on tap was Bath’s Gem along with their Dark Side stout. The solitary cider was Bounders from the same company. Oddly there was no lemonade on tap, so if you wanted a shandy or even a soft drink then your only option was to buy several small mixer bottles which would presumably have been rather expensive.