The Golden Lion, Bishopston, Bristol

Blackthorn _ left this review about The Golden Lion

A popular pub on the Gloucester Road strip, it’s quite striking in appearance being entirely covered in murals, but is nonetheless a little more conventional inside. Live music features prominently, and we saw a Tenpole Tudor gig on a recent Saturday evening visit.

Internally the main part of the pub is a U-shape with a central bar counter. Decor wise it’s quite traditional, if a little scruffy perhaps, with old wooden boards on the floor along with some chequered black and red tiling around the bar counter, white painted wallpaper on the ceiling and pale green or blue/grey paintwork on the walls with black wood panelling down below, although much of the available wall space was taken up with various music memorabilia, such as flyers for gigs, band photographs and an extensive collection of NME covers. Padded bench seating was fitted at the front, with regular chairs and stools elsewhere. A room at the rear on the right was perhaps a little more elegant in style with maroon painted wallpaper on the upper part of the walls and unpainted wood panelling down below with pew style seating and plenty more black and white pictures of bands who have performed here.

Beers on tap were something from the Evan Evans brewery although the hand written sign didn’t specify exactly what, Purity Mad Goose and Hop Union’s Bonville Pale. Ciders meanwhile were Inch’s Medium Apple, Thatcher’s Gold and Thatcher’s Haze.

On 17^th June 2024 - rating: 6
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