The Bell, Bath

Situated in Bath’s bohemian area, the Bell is a former 18th Century Coaching inn with an eclectic feel that attracts a wide range of potential punters of all ages and persuasions. Beer tourists, intellectuals, students, musicians and artists all seem to be happy in each others company. The smallish bar area can be a bit cramped whislt the larger side bar is a bit more spacious. A recess at the rear contains 2 table football games and there is also a bar billiard table and range of traditional board games. The walls are cluttered with posters and live music adverts and at the rear is a decent size patio with plenty of cover and host to live music sessions, even in the February cold. I didn’t get a chance to note the 7 ales that were available due to the pub being at the business end of a lengthy crawl and the bar area being fairly congested at the time suffice to say I had a pretty decent pint of Dorset Durdle Door. Overall the pub left a strange impression on me in that I wasn’t too enamoured with it at the time (probably had too much by then anyway) but I feel a necessity to go back and give it another good shot and could probably end up sitting there all evening if there was a decent band playing.

A short walk away outside the centre of the city is The Bell, a large single room pub with something of a hippy, bohemian feel to it. It’s a rock music orientated bar with a stage on the left, a raised seating area, a lino floor and a bar billiards table. Reflecting the music emphasis, the walls are covered in posters advertising forthcoming bands. A commitment to real ale manifests itself in hops suspended from the ceiling. On my recent visit, beers on included Abbey Ales Bellringer, Bath Ales Gem, Summer Lightning, RCH Pitchfork, Keystone Cornerstone plus beers from Palmers, Otter and Butcombe. Both the Otter and the Butcombe were in good form. The pub is listed in the 2011 CAMRA Good Beer Guide. This pub had the widest selection of real ale that I came across during my recent mini-visit to Bath, but this is not a particularly attractive or welcoming pub and I’m minded to give it a miss next time.

A pleasant and welcoming old pub. The main bar area had a good fire going and with the hops around the beams and the window seats has the feel of a country pub. It's a bit different to the left where the room extends along quite some way. This area felt rather basic and characterless in comparison to the bar despite the potted plants on the tables. There are a few pew style banches and settles here, and the raised area has an unguarded drop of about two feet, so I'm sure a few unwary punters have lost their dignity on occasion. The pub has regular live music, so I'm guessing the raised section would form the stage. A board displays posters and flyers for pub and other local events. A recess behind the bar houses a bar billiards table, and much more unusually there is a coin operated launderette inside, £4.40 for a wash and dry. Certainly odd but if you have to use a launderette, how nice to have a couple of pints while you wait. A decent beer selection here, Bath Ales Gem, Hop Back Summer Lightning, Butcombe Bitter, Box Steam Derail Ale, Abbey Ales Bellringer, Stonehenge Danish Dynamite and Otter Ale was due to go on. The Bath Ales Organic Lager is worth a mention too. Another essential stop I'd say on a Bath visit.

A pleasant and surprisingly spacious pub. It’s a little scruffy around the edges, but that just adds to the atmosphere. I particularly liked all the bunches of hops hanging from every rafter. Music seems to be a big thing here with bands on three nights a week, and a large DJ console, although this was not in use on our visit. There’s a small and cosy bar area up near the bar, with a real fire (real flames that is, it was gas, but still creates a pleasant ambience and gave off a good bit of warmth). The pub then stretches down someway, and beyond this is a good sized courtyard garden with a couple of table football games in an outbuilding. You get a few characters in here by the looks of things, but they all seemed pleasant enough and the place had a good vibe. They do a range of local organic sandwiches apparently, although we didn’t eat on this occasion. There was a friendly dog curled up by the fire, who looked very much at home, so we initially concluded it was the pub dog. He subsequently left with a punter though, but it’s obviously a regular spot for him. Good choice of beers on tap all chalked up on a board above the bar – Otter Ale, Summer Lightning, Old Buzzard, Bellringer, Pitchfork, Durdle Door, Jem, Butcombe and Danish Dynamite. Similarly good choice of ciders with Ashton Press, Stowford Press and Bath Cyder’s Rough Diamond.

We visit this pub about once a year and have had a decent pint each time. Unusual sprawling pub that gets busy when live music is on. Its the only place I know that has a coin operated laundry inside next to the toilets. Usuallly visit this and the Star up the hill o the same visit.

Very large one roomed pub that majors on being a music venue, mainly jazz. It looks a bit run down from the outside and nothing much changes inside. It looks a little neglected rather dirty. There’s a bit of effort going on with hop vines on the ceiling and flowers on each of the tables, which means that the place smells pleasant. There’s a bar billiards table to the rear which unusual these days. 8 handpumps on the bar with the beer being as listed below along with the odd changing guest. I had a pint of the Stonehenge Eye-Opener which was on instead of the Danish Dynamite. It was OK but not quite as good as I had expected for a GBG regular. Not a must visit pub but if you’re going to the nearby Star then call in for one.

Reasonable Bellringer ale but the staff and their attitudes have been of concern on many of my visits.

Just around the corner from the Star Inn on Walcot St is The Bell, an old looking pub both inside and out with loads of character. It manages to combine the old with the modern quite well as they have internet access plus WiFi availability. The pub is well know for it's live music, predominantly Jazz, which features two or three times a week. They have a large range of real ales, specialising in those from local brewers, and service is efficient and friendly. Worth a visit.

A very old pub with a tradition for live music. A bohemien atmosphere and clientel. Very relaxed and easy going. A good selection of real ales and good espresso. Pleasently out of step with your run of the mill pub.