Pubs and Bars / A-Z Bristol pub crawl
A-Z Bristol Pub Crawl: The Fishponds Tap, Fishponds
It was a chilly Wednesday evening as three ladies hurried inside the Fishponds Tap, leaving the beginnings of the frosty trappings of winter outside the door.
This pub has replaced what was previously the Portcullis; with a fresh lick of paint and new furnishings marking new beginnings under a new name.
On a few of the walls around a spartanly furnished interior are a series of mismatched historical photographs from various locations in and around the local area.
is needed now More than ever
A black and white photo of Fishponds railway station on the wall of the Fishponds Tap
As the ladies arrived, one of the members of staff hastily turned the lights on in the back garden before ushering them through the pub to see the rows of benches outside.
They settled on two Birra Morettis, a half pint of Orchard Thieves cider and a packet of salt and vinegar crisps served in a small wooden bowel.
Crisps and beer – name a better duo
The £450,000 refurbishment of the Fishponds Tap by Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars in 2021 saw the installation of a new kitchen, and the creation of a dining area and bar with high seats.
It is here that landlord Abhimanyu Paudel – known to everyone as Abhi – provides a ‘Himalayan speciality menu’ from his native Nepal which includes the likes of Gurkha chicken and Himalayan prawn masala.
“Fishponds is changing, attracting young professionals who are looking for a more premium experience,” Abhi said.
“Up until now there have only been mainstream pubs in Fishponds, nothing of the calibre of the Fishponds Tap.
“People are now coming back to the pub who haven’t been here for ten years.”
Abhi added that being the landlord here “is about people using the pub again and making customers happy”.
The Fishponds Tap, 693 Fishponds Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3UH
www.fishpondstap.co.uk
All photos: Mia Vines Booth
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