Pubs and Bars / A-Z Bristol pub crawl
A-Z Bristol Pub Crawl: Lebeqs Tavern, Stapleton Road
The early evening sun beat down on Stapleton Road in Easton when two friends ventured into Lebeqs Tavern, creating mirages on the hot tarmac.
The inside was dark and smokey, as men played pool and flashing arcade machines threw hypnotic strobe-like projections across the room.
“I hope they have a garden,” one friend nervously whispered to the other.
is needed now More than ever
Lebeqs Tavern is a true local that could be intimidating to outsiders at first, but a welcoming and jovial atmosphere means guests quickly feel at home.
Past football teams look on as a pool table is now the dominant fixture of the pub
The pub’s hanging tinsel, cash-only rule and plastic cups are a far cry from the craft beer establishments that dominate central Bristol.
Designated ‘special status’ by Bristol City Council in 2018, Lebeqs Tavern is one of a handful of boozers that made the list, which protects buildings chosen for their architectural quality, townscape value or historical interest.
But the pub is known primarily for their football team’s success in the Sunday league, remnants of which are everywhere.
Lebeqs Tavern Courage used to reign supreme as the kings of local Sunday football in Bristol, joining the Sunday League in the 1980s and winning dozens of league titles.
As the second oldest club playing in the league, they became the dominant force in the last 15 years of play.
The team disbanded in 2019, but the spirit lives on in the football scarves, trophies and photos of their victories that line the pub’s walls.
Punters chase the sun in the pub garden
A number of smaller teams are also connected to the pub, such as Lebeqs Sunday, Glocuesershite County League leaders Lebeq United.
Now a slightly older clientele calls this pub their home, drinking out of plastic cups and smoking roll ups with a distinct smell that fills the pub’s interior and creates wisps of smoke across the patchy grass-filled makeshift garden.
The two friends were offered everything from drinks and cigarettes to life lessons and bike recommendations.
As they left the pub, the sun began to cast shadows across its front, a surprising change of scene as the warmth of the sun continued to fill the small haven within Lebeqs Tavern even after it had set across Bristol.
All photos: Mia Vines Booth
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