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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Blackthorn _
Submitted on Monday, 18th December 2017
With picture contributions to 5604 other pubs
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Detail Pages
The Ashton, Bristol
Long Ashton
Postal town: Bristol
BS41 9LX
Reviews of The Ashton (Average Rating: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Ashton
Since my previous review, this pub has been completely gutted by a massive fire which left only the walls standing. It’s now been open for a year or so after being rebuilt and renamed. First impressions are quite good and they’ve clearly spent a bit of money on it with white gravel beds around the car park and a pleasant patio area with uplighters in the floor, decent patio furniture and a large cauldron that could perhaps be used for barbecues, although currently seemed to be more of a giant ashtray.
Inside it is inevitably quite contemporary being a new build, but they’ve done a decent job of it and thankfully avoided the current trend for the stripped back industrial look. It’s a good size internally and a little more open plan than previously. To the left is a good sized room with floor to ceiling windows to make the most of the views over Ashton Court estate and a large, central free hanging chimney clad in wood with some sort of fire pit beneath. Flooring throughout the pub was tiling of one sort or another and included quarry, flagstones and slate among others. To the right of the bar counter was a glass display rack of spirit and champagne bottles. Down a couple of steps was a long room running along the front of the pub which was perhaps more intended for dining. A dual aspect fire-place was at one end of the room and the usual exposed filament light bulbs hung from the chunky pine ceiling. Some exposed stone walling ran along one side with wood panelling on the other. A smaller room was through an archway with a large brick fire-place and cast iron chimney hood.
The menu offered a good selection of dishes and included your usual pub grub options such as burger, fish & chips, chicken & ham pie, etc., as well as a few more adventurous dishes. Prices were perhaps a little more than your usual pub fare though, with most of the main courses being anywhere from around £11 to £20+. My prawn, crab and chorizo linguine was tasty enough if a little on the sweet side, but not really worth £13.50.
Beers on tap were Butcombe, Tribute and Ubu Purity, whilst the solitary cider was Mortimer’s Orchard.
On 1st September 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2060 recommendations about 1962 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Dovecote
Large food led pub right next to the Ashton Court estate. Lots of different areas, some more geared towards dining, but still space to sit and have a pint, including some comfy sofas and old leather armchairs. Also a conservatory and a patio/garden with a nice outlook.
Although this is a chain, it somehow manages to pull off the local pub feel better than most chains do. It seems to be under new management, with several signs around saying that Sharon and her team welcome you to their pub. There's several interesting old pencil drawings of the locality, including Long Ashton as it was many years ago. There's a “fantastic new menu” which whilst we didn't try it, looked quite reasonable; a good compromise between your very basic pub grub and being too restauranty. There was also a specials blackboard to tempt you as you went in.
The name was changed a few years ago from The Smyth Arms which seemed a bit unnecessary, but there is a genuine dovecote next to the pub which was a nice touch. Barmaid was very friendly – I queried if they had any other ciders on draft, and whilst they didn't, she went to great lengths to tell me about a new one that they are due to get. Loos are a bit of a hike, it's like being in a Wetherspoons.
Beers on this occasion were Brain's Rev. James, Tribute and Butcombe. A notice proclaimed the guest as being 6X, but I couldn't see any evidence of this on the bar. The solitary cider was Blackthorn.
On 16th May 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2060 recommendations about 1962 pubs]
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- Official site of The Ashton - www.theashtonbristol.co.uk
- Facebook - The Dovecote
- Twitter - The Dovecote
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Ashton - whatpub.com
Bedminster, 2.21 miles, 42 min walk (show)
Clifton Down, 2.57 miles, 49 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Car Park : Yes last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Darts : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Jukebox : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Karaoke : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Live Music : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Micropub : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Pinball : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Pool Table : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Quiz Night : No last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
- WiFi : Yes - O2 Wi-Fi - last updated 07 March 2017 by Jonathan Wilde
