retiredmartin

A third Bristol tick in two hours on “Tickfest Thursday“, which BRAPA can have for £1.93 + P & P.

But first, in the heart of the Old City,

lunch in St Nicholas Market.

What I love about Bristol is that I learn something about it on EVERY annual trip. And you can’t really say that about Staines.

St Nicholas is a gorgeous maze of shops and eateries daring it to rain, but of course it’s me so it doesn’t and I nab the last table (there’s two) outside Eatchu (bless you !).

Dumplings with pork and noodles and pickles, delivered to me through a little hatch. You could be in somewhere exotic, like Manchester.

I’m feeling brave so I walk through Cabot Circus, the newish shopping quarter and find it quieter than you’d expect, and a weird little unit called Brewery Quarter you’d expect to sell pretzels but which would be selling Welsh beer if it was open. What’s the story, anyone ?

The Swan With Two Necks, tucked away behind the venerable Volunteer in the industrial bit east of Cabot is newish to the Guide but looks to have been their centuries.

It’s Bristol’s Harlequin, or Blue Moon, I guess, a “beer pub” for everyone.

Note the Bass livery. And note the warning on the board full of “interesting” breweries.

“Are you not stocking Bass on principle ?” I ask the cheery barperson, who clearly thinks I’m a member of the Bass Liberation Front and denies it’s anything like that.

I’ll forgive the lack of Bass, the Vibrant Forest Oat & Coffee Stout is superbly rich, an easy 3.5+.

But it’s the mix of folk that makes this an instant new Brizzle favourite.

Some interesting rockabilly (i.e. not Stray Cat Strut) was drowned out by blokes talking about 1972 Genesis albums. DON’T ask me which one; I’m not a Proggie.

There is also, and I appreciate this may lead to a stampede at Temple Meads tomorrow morning, a Bass clock next to the Gents. And that’s my only problem with the Swan; living off the memories of Bass memorabilia but decrying the real thing.

NB Interesting piece on the Swan by Boak & Bailey here.