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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Bristol Loaf, Bristol
Bristol
BS1 5AR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 4 of 10) see review guidelines
E TA left this review about The Bristol Loaf
Now a Wiper and True outlet, the name has been changed as part of the populist erroneous re-writing of history to erase any mention of Colston, despite his philanthropy. The Colston Hall is now the Bristol Beacon, so the cafe/bar has followed suit. Otherwise, it is much as described by Blackthorn, below. While the ales aren’t real ale as such, they are good quality and probably justify the ‘craft ale’ tag. Kaleidoscope, Home Grown, Tomorrow and Murmeration were all on, quite enjoyable in themselves, although spoiled by being served in plastic glasses. There were some craft wines wines on tap which we didn’t explore. Service was very slow, the waitress spending more time talking to her mates than actually serving, although the young barman was more helpful. Prices were very high for the area. Probably OK for a drink while attending a performance but not somewhere I’d come for an evening’s libation.
On 28th March 2025
- rating: 4
[User has posted 3516 recommendations about 3480 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Colston Street Bar & Kitchen
Despite it’s pub type opening hours and open to anyone philosophy, this does feel very much like what it is – a bar within a concert hall. It’s recently been taken over by Bath Ales, and although being clearly visible from the outside of the building, it was pretty much deserted when we were in there on a recent Thursday evening visit, with only about half a dozen punters in when we arrived, and just one remaining when we left at around 9:15pm.
It has large full height windows at the front which give good views of the street outside, and similarly good views of the hall atrium which it is just next to. The flooring is some type of dark lino that looks like screed and it has something of an industrial feel to it with bare concrete pillars and the cable trays clearly visible on the ceiling. Other than that there was little of any note, other than an extremely large vase of flowers on the corner of the bar. Pine tables filled most of the space, and these were all laid up with cruets and cutlery, although I did not spot any menus. As is the vogue in many pseudo-bars, a selection of cakes was on the end of the counter.
Unfortunately despite four hand pumps on the bar, there were no real ales available. Two appeared unused, and two had pump clips for Spa reversed. The sole beer offering was keg Gem, whilst the solitary cider was Bounders. All in all I was quite disappointed by this, I thought that with Bath Ales at the helm it may have improved, but it is exactly the same as any other nondescript bar in a venue such as this, and with prices at £4 a pint, they aren’t going to entice too many people in from the myriad of other pubs nearby.
On 22nd August 2014
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2060 recommendations about 1962 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Jonathan Wilde left this review about Colston Street Bar & Kitchen
Formerly the H Bar at Colston Hall it now appears to have become a Bath Ales bar with all day opening when previous opening hours implied less than all day so on that basis I didn't add it previously.
On 4th June 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 367 recommendations about 349 pubs]