The Apple Tree, Bedminster, Bristol

A tiny, back street boozer located just off the main shopping area of Bedminster Parade. It’s a small single room pub, with barely enough room to swing the proverbial cat. It’s a bit rough and ready, and probably hasn’t changed in decades. In fact there’s still a very ancient looking one armed bandit machine in one corner, although unfortunately this didn’t seem to be working. There’s three or four tables and some rather threadbare bench seating around the perimeter. A digital jukebox and a LCD TV are the only concessions to modernity. There’s a few photo’s dotted around the wall and the pub certainly had a few “characters” in who’d probably had one pint too many of the Cheddar Valley, but they all seemed friendly enough. It was quite quiet on a recent Tuesday evening, in fact when we left at about 8:30 there was nobody left in the pub although there were a few punters in the outside courtyard (or should that be the dilapidated garage?). Food’s probably not a big thing here, but there were a few pub classics such as Spag Bol, Chilli, Lasagne, Curry, etc. chalked up on a board next to the bar, and these were all priced at around the £1.50 mark which seems exceptionally reasonable. No beers on tap unless you count John Smith’s Extra Smooth. Good choice of ciders though, with Blackthorn, Natch, Taunton Traditional and Cheddar Valley. Drink prices seemed very reasonable, with the CV being just £2 a pint.