Stones, Weston Super Mare

The former Harbour Inn. Pictures taken in 1995.

This is very much more of a cafe/bar type establishment than your traditional pub. It’s quite an imposing looking building with a stone facade and pillars and there are several tables and chairs outside to make the most of the great views across the bay. Inside it’s essentially just one big room, although divided in to different areas with some partitioning. Paint wise it’s all just whitewashed so is a slightly sterile environment and there is wood strip flooring and a tiled bar counter to the right. A low table at the back offered a selection of newspapers and magazines to peruse, and there is apparently free wi-fi although we couldn’t pick anything up. Various artwork was dotted around the walls, much of it for sale. The bar counter includes a selection of cakes and crisps as befits it’s cafe pretensions, and elsewhere was an ice cream freezer. We didn’t check the menu although besides afternoon tea and cake it would appear that more substantial meals are offered including an all day breakfast. Unfortunately there were no ales on tap, real or otherwise. The only options for beer drinkers were a few bottles such as Henry’s IPA and Doom Bar. They did however have draught Thatcher’s Gold so I was quite happy. This is a tricky one to mark. What it does, it seems to do well enough, but it’s certainly not your conventional pub, either in atmosphere or drinks selection.

Looks good from the outside, but I didn't recognise it as a bar. No signs I could see. I asked directions and found I had walked passed it. Door locked and looked dark. It was around 2.30 pm. There was a bit of light at the back and I could see a bar and an empty glass on a table, so maybe just opens at night.