Pubs and Bars / Pub of the Week
Bar of the Week: The Lock Up
If someone had said people would be sipping proper cocktails on the terrace of a pretty damn trendy bar on Church Road (yes, Church Road) three years ago they would have been laughed out of town.
A lot of things change in Bristol though, and none faster, perhaps, than the march of decent cafes, bars and restaurants finally spreading out of the Gloucester Road/North Street bubble.
The Lock Up is one of the few which is riding the crest of this unstoppable wave. And they are staying on their feet as they do so.
is needed now More than ever
Cynics scoffed at it when it opened, doubting it would be there in six months. Four months down the line it’s bustling every night, with drinkers packing the front terrace on a recent Thursday night while diners enjoyed the food inside.
A quiet conveyor belt of cocktails seemed to be lubricating the al-fresco chat under the flickering bulbs as the sun went down in what’s become one of St George’s best people-watching spots.
Our two margaritas (£6.90 each) came quickly and were balanced and well judged – not far off in quality to what you might find in one of the now ubiquitous door-knock bars in town.
I’ll admit to having sampled the delicate hedgerow sling (£6.90) and refreshing piña hydrator (£7.50) here earlier in the week which were a bit too easy to drink – in a good way. Cocktails range from £5.70-£7.50 by the way. Oh, and there’s a one litre jug of sangria for £12.90.
The terrace, which was just a piece of concrete when Bristol24/7 reviewed the Lock Up on its opening, slowed down and the diners inside trickled away as the Brunel Atlantic IPA (£3.80) flowed before we were finally moved in doors for the terrace to close at the sensible time of 10.30pm.
This is really a restaurant with a continental-style cafe approach to drinking, with proper table service.
It’s a small step in the creeping cafe culture slowly changing the DNA of Bristol neighbourhoods, new opening by new opening. It’s also a sudden awakening for St George, no longer a blackspot for a really decent drink. Who’s laughing now, eh?
The Lock Up, 182 Church Road, Redfield, Bristol, BS5 9HX