Trowbridge House, Southdown, Bath

A large back street pub with two separate bar areas. It’s in the middle of a Victorian housing estate and has no parking and currently no useful garden area. On the right as you enter is a small rather stuffy bar, though on the left is a large saloon with darts, seating, jukebox and multiple TV screens showing live sports. There is also a small games room with a pool table, and there are a lot of sports trophies on display. There was talk of skittles, but we weren’t sure if they had their own skittle alley – maybe that is the function room. It’s very much a local social hub, lots of historic bric-a-brac on the walls, and a good community feel. It’s decorated in a traditional style and is in many respects an archetypal town boozer. They’ve even been known to dish out free pizza on event nights. However – there’s no real ale,and the best they can offer is Sharp’s Atlantic on keg, which was served much too cold. The barman was chatty and happy to tell us that it’s really a lager pub,and that cask ale doesn’t shift. Even Guinness moves so slowly that it goes off in the lines. Given its location – well off the beaten trail – and lack of ale, I can’t see myself coming in too often.