Pubs and Bars / A-Z Bristol pub crawl
A-Z Bristol pub crawl: The Bear & Rugged Staff, Southmead
Stepping into the Bear & Rugged Staff is similar to how one might imagine sergeant Angel feeling when he visits the Crown pub in Hot Fuzz.
That’s if you replaced the London police officer with three young women.
But that’s where the similarities end. Because this Southmead pub is definitely not averse to the odd straggler here and there.
is needed now More than ever
A feast for the eyes – Sourz, Natch, Dead Man’s Fingers, and every type of crisp one could ask for
With a big outdoor area, pool table, dartboards, at least three 40 inch TVs, slot machines and a jukebox with a wide selection of music, this pub is geared towards the classic pub sports night.
On their arrival, the girls are greeted by a bountiful bar, where it seemed as if all the flavoured spirits in the world had somehow found themselves.
The bar boasted more Dead Man’s Fingers Rum varieties than you could shake a lime at, and a ripe selection of Sourz made the girls wince as memories of their tween years flashed before their eyes.
And of course, cider, of which there was an abundant selection, including a whole fridge filled with Natch, numerous Thatchers varieties and more.
The real star of the show, however, was the crisp collection. The classics were joined by a host of spin-offs including Johnny’s Spicy Rings, Chill twists, RingOs, Prawn cocktail Quavers, Golden Wonder and Pretzel Crush, a true prize offering.
Full marks for the pool table, and for the barman who gave the women £1 cash back so they could play a game
Despite their admiration for the stock selection, the girls stuck with what they knew – not wanting to draw too much attention to themselves. Two pints of Red Stripe and a half pint came in at £10.15, and the girls’ highly vocal surprise immediately made their position as outsiders now embarrassingly obvious.
Nevertheless, they stoically made a beeline for the pool table, bashing out a quick game much to the surprise of the men hanging around the table. The girls had evidently ventured into someone else’s territory.
Aside from pool, the Bear & Rugged Staff has built up quite a reputation for its darts nights.
With a men’s darts on Monday nights, men’s and women’s Super League on Tuesday nights and women’s darts on Thursday nights, the pub is swiftly racking up trophies which it displays proudly in a glass cabinet.
So proudly in fact that the fragile glass cabinet sits inches away from the dartboard itself. The players really must be good!
A bountiful trophy collection sits proudly next to the dartboard
The owner was keen to stress the pub’s women’s league to the girls, perhaps noticing the overwhelming ratio of men to women in the pub upon their arrival, and even went so far as to recommend the best days to visit for women’s league darts and women’s football, for which they thanked him graciously.
His efforts were appreciated, as were the RingOs.
The Bear & Rugged Staff, 285 Southmead Road, Southmead, Bristol, BS10 5EL
All photos: Mia Vines Booth
Read more: A-Z Bristol pub crawl: The Avonmouth Tavern
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