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The Nutshell, Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
IP33 1BJ
Pub Type
Greene KingReviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Strongers . left this review about The Nutshell
The Nutshell is a perfect name for this tiny little pub, that thankfully only had one other customer during a recent midweek evening visit. The other customer turned out to be a local of long standing, so he relayed the history of this pub and pointed out all the dead creatures that are found on the walls and hanging from the ceiling. Hanging above the bar is a mummified cat that was found bricked up in the walls, and framed on the walls are a dead mouse, dead spiders, and I think I saw a dead woodlouse. I was also told the story of the human hand that sadly had to be removed due to some stupid law about not displaying dead bits of humans in your pub. On my way to the toilet, I was impressed with all the bank notes stuck to the walls all the way up the two stories of stairs and I wondered where they all came from. Coming back down to the bar this conundrum was answered because ten or so American students had descended on the place making it very cosy. They were taking pictures so the penny dropped that this must be a pub of note, especially for overseas students. I love a quirky and memorable pub like this, it’s just a shame that the two hand pumps were drawing GK’s IPA and Abbot Ale, but what else was I to expect in Bury-St-Edmunds. This place is worth a look for the interest, but I can’t see a return visit now that I’ve been.
On 25th November 2025
- rating: 6
[User has posted 6377 recommendations about 6339 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Nutshell
Tiny old traditional bar, luckily with paving on the street. Hard bencg seating around the small serving area, enough room for about 10 people if they are friends.
On 26th July 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1587 recommendations about 1564 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Nutshell
I have been looking forward to calling in here. The last time I was in the area was during lockdown and table service would be impossible in the Nutshell. It is tiny. Only 15 customers allowed and it's hard to picture that many people in here. Very friendly service. Greene King Abott and IPA on offer. The IPA was fine. Well worth a visit for the novelty factor alone!
On 8th May 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1923 recommendations about 1781 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Nutshell
This was my third visit to this place, the first being forty years ago and the second a few years later after a visit to the local brewery. This is a tied house of that brewery (Greene King) so isn't a micropub but just a very small pub. Marking it as a micropub jeopardises the validity of the List Of British Micropubs that can be viewed under stats and features on this site. Micropubs vary in size a lot but the size of the location is not really relevant. Having seen it again I'm sure this place is smaller than what I believe to be the smallest micropub I've been to (The Farmers Yard in Maldon, Essex). The place is loaded with bric-a-brac including what appears to be a mummified cat (it could be fake) which I remembered from earlier visits. Doctor Who fans will be delighted to see an ice bucket disguised as a Police Phone Box. There were about half a dozen in on my visit so it was around half full.
The bar has four mainstream keg options and just two hand pumps with Abbot and IPA. I went for the Abbot (£4.00) and at that price I wasn't going to stay for a second. There are limited wines and spirits on sale.
It's a novelty this place but at the end of the day it's just a GK pub with only Abbot & IPA. A real micropub would be laughed out of town with that choice.
On 7th April 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Nutshell
This pub is remarkably small, and is in fact well known as the smallest pub in the country and I spotted two separate tour guides pointing this out to their group of visitors whilst I was there. I have ticked the micro-pub listing for this pub, which although it might not strictly meet all the criteria (there was background music for example) it surely must qualify just by virtue of being the smallest.
Internally, it (obviously) consists of just one room, if you can even call it that, with seating for about ten people. There is a small table to the left in front of the door, and then a small curved bench seating around the window. With space being at such a premium, I’m slightly surprised that they didn’t squeeze a small table on the upstairs landing leading to the loos which would have accommodated a couple more. There are bare wooden boards on the floor and wood panelling on the walls, some of which have been stained dark brown and others painted cream. The ceiling was completely covered in a collection of bank notes, whilst a large number of foreign coins had been affixed to the wall. Various other random odds and ends were fixed to the walls and on shelves including a stag’s head, a propeller, caps, old bottles, and so on.
Beers on tap were Greene King IPA and Abbott Ale, and interestingly the pump clips looked to be of a very old design, perhaps made of porcelain, rather than the more usual plastic ones that you see. The solitary cider meanwhile was Thatcher’s Gold. Overall I really liked this pub, and not just for it’s novelty value.
On 6th July 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2107 recommendations about 2006 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Nutshell
Obviously, The Nutshell's a bit of a tourist attraction, as the smallest pub in Britain but I thought there'd be no harm popping in (space notwithstanding). A good choice, as it turned out. The Greene King IPA was fairly good (I skipped the Abbot, due to commitments elsewhere).
While small, this one does not market itself as a 'micropub'; perhaps because of the brewery link; maybe that it (and nervous types, look away now) sells lager! 3 keg taps, in fact, as Guinness and Strongbow (if memory serves) are also available.
Given the tiny dimensions, striking up conversations with the other customers is pretty much a given. Some even seem to be regulars. I personally couldn't see myself hanging around for an extended period, but I have no hesitation in recommending it for a swift one or two.
On 3rd June 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 620 recommendations about 576 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Nutshell
Quite a tourist attraction, I just about squeezed in on my visit. The bar measures 15ft x 7ft, the pub started selling beer in 1867 and holds title of the smallest pub in Britain as confirmed by Guiness Book of Records. On handpump GK IPA and Abbott
On 30th July 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3733 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rosie Bean left this review about The Nutshell
Brilliant little place but to small for a gaggle of girls looking for a good time
On 3rd October 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 7 recommendations about 7 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Nutshell
Reputedly Britain's smallest pub, this is something of a 'must-do' in Bury St Edmunds, meaning that at times it is busy beyond its modest capabilities. A tiny bar offers Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale, plus a couple of lagers, a cider and Guinness. Patrons can sit along a sill on one side of the room or around a small table at the other end. Inevitably overspill occurs and you shouldn't be surprised to find yourself having to move outside to let others get to the bar. If the novelty of the pub's size isn't enough for you, there are plenty of interesting items on display, covering every inch of wall and ceiling space. The most striking items include a mummified cat, human arm and various animal heads. There are preserved bats, puffer fish, snakes and spiders, various odd looking weapons/tools and an outstanding collection of foreign coins and notes. A small cabinet to one side of the room contains a collection of foreign cigarette packets and beside the bar there are newspaper clippings detailing the record breaking effort which saw 102 people cram inside the pub.The bar staff were friendly and happy to give a bit of background to the pub, despite no doubt being asked the same sort of questions every day by passing tourists. The cramped conditions make conversation with fellow customers inevitable and there seems to be a good band of locals who'll happily chat away to whoever comes through the door. Well worth a visit when in town, this is certainly more than a novelty pub.
On 7th May 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3387 recommendations about 3387 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Nutshell
Guinness Book of Records says that this is the smallest pub in Britain, so it had to be done when I visited BSE. The exterior has a number of large, tall windows and looks quite attractive. The interior has a lot of bric-a-brac, including a mummified cat and mouse hanging from the ceiling. I apparently missed the mummified human hand. Furniture consists of a table and wall benching which snakes around one side of the pub. Beer is Greene King (surprise!) IPA and Abbot. The Abbott was extortionately expensive given that the brewery is only minutes away. So have a half, savour the uniqueness (as you'll only need a half to take it all in) and tick the box.
On 24th June 2008
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5964 recommendations about 5943 pubs]