Pubs and Bars / Pub of the Week
Bar of the Week: The Gold Bar
Although the name of the Bristol Harbour Hotel is ever so slightly deceptive, because you’d be lucky to glimpse the water from the rooftops, its Gold Bar befits its name almost faultlessly.
Situated in the old Lloyds Bank on Corn Street, the newly opened hotel boasts 42 rooms, the Jetty restaurant, a grandiose events hall and a spa opening soon in the former bank vaults.
In what used to be grand offices opposite the main entrance to St Nick’s Market, the Harbour Hotel have also created a really unique bar for Bristol.
is needed now More than ever
Although the style and taste of The Gold Bar is not revolutionary, it does fill a space in the city for a place a step above the rest – especially since the departure of Goldbrick House last year.
Sectioned into small rooms by wood and glass panels dating from the days of the bank, each small area includes a cluster of chairs and tables.
The furniture is bright, but not gaudy. On entering, one cannot see the back, or even the sides of the bar. At first, the space is a hard one to find but, once explored, one appreciates the small, intimate nature the bar creates.
The first things that struck me were the music and the staff. Immediately, I was welcomed and, as I waited, the service was punctual and polite – I was even given salted popcorn in an upturned scallop shell. Each waiter was faultlessly professional and smart and I was made to feel like a regular.
Less likeable was the music – perhaps for 9pm, perfect; but at 7pm the music felt a little heavy and unsuited to a drink after work.
Furthermore, given the small space, the speakers seemed to be amplified or dulled to extremes. I had to move because the music hindered conversation. More speakers, at a lower volume, would have topped off the experience.
The drinks list includes cocktails and dozens of spirits, as well as an eclectic mix of wines and microbrewery beers.
I ordered a strong Irish coffee, which packed the strongest punch of an Irish coffee I’d ever had. At £7.30, it lived up to its price. A glass of Merlot, one of the mid-price point wines at £10.25, was very well chosen by the bar staff.
It’s a small note, but every fixture seems well chosen and, as someone that’s stalked interior design catalogues, quite in keeping with the high specifications of the bar. Right down to the tumblers of water, the fixtures was heavy and well made.
Someone, somewhere has taste. And a nice budget.
As a bar, it’s impressive; impressive service, impressive drinks, impressive aesthetic. I’m sure there’s a long list of people that need a reliably impressive bar in Bristol.
The Gold Bar, Bristol Harbour Hotel & Spa, 55 Corn Street, Bristol, BS1 1HT
0117 203 4445
www.bristol-harbour-hotel.co.uk/dining/the-bar/
Read more: 19 photos of historic Bristol pubs