The Hop Pole, Lower Weston, Bath

The Hop Pole can be found a little way west of the city centre opposite Victoria Park. It was quite quiet when I arrived, apart from the barman trying to deal with a delivery of snacks which delayed service a little while. I was the only customer inside until another guy arrived and sat at the bar halfway through my visit. A couple of other guys were sat in the rear yard, but left before me. Inside feels quite traditional and is split into 3 distinct sections. It is all very red. The bar itself is red and so is the seating. There are bare boards, whilst dried hops on the bar back and flowers on each table helped with the traditional feel. Sketches of Bath landmarks can be found on the walls. There are 5 handpulls on the bar. Abbey Bellringer is the regular beer. In addition, they also had Abbey Bath Pale Ale & St Austell Proper Job. There were a couple of turned clips turned. They were possibly cider, as one had "rhubarb" written on the reverse of it. Thatcher's Gold & Juicy Apple were the keg offerings, whilst Jagerbombs were being promoted. There is a dartboard in the right-hand section, next to the bar, with board games to the left-hand side. A TV in one corner is presumably used to show Bath rugby games and other sporting events. They also have quiz and open mic nights. During my visit, some fairly funky music was playing, probably to satisfy the barman. It didn't really suit the drinking environment. Outdoor seating comprises the rear yard and one solitary table to the front within some railings. Certainly an interesting pub, but much quieter than other Bath hostelries and I wasn't too impressed with my Pale Ale. Under the same ownership as the Star, I know which one I prefer.

My third of three in a quick tour of Bath after getting off the train and before it became totally dark. Beer quality was good, as all three are in the Good Beer Guide, but my half of Abbey Bell Ringer was a clear winner (NBSS 4). I wasn't quite so enamoured of the background music, with Pink Floyd followed by Chuck Berry and Bill Haley. Nevertheless, this one is well worth the short walk out from the city centre, and buses seem to be frequent.