Pubs and Bars / Pub of the Week
Pub of the Week: The Port of Call
Like a cross between a proper publican and his yuppie son, the Port of Call has been revamped under new ownership. Where once this Clifton pub just off the beaten track looked ready to bite the dust, it now looks ready to be a modern alternative.
The pub’s enclosed doorway is familiar, but the soft lighting is not. The seating arrangement persists, but the sticky table tops do not. The crowd has remained, but the music hasn’t. Where once leather-studded bar stools stood, now vintage ones with reclaimed tractor seats pose.
No more bizarre oddments nailed to the wall either; it’s a bit more tasteful-sunflowers-in-a-vintage-jug than a portrait of a hypnotised schnauzer. Another key difference is that the beer pumps are back in use, with scores of orders being pulled the old-fashioned way.
is needed now More than ever
The Port of Call has managed to do the impossible: a renovation that is almost unnoticeable. The transformation is flattering. Rather than a full face lift, this old bird has opted for subtle collagen to face her golden years.
In celebrity terms, she’s ready to rock an oatmeal cardigan for a Good Housekeeping shoot than grow old disgracefully with face-tucks on the covers of Closer.
A new development, a regular told me, is the roasts that were well-known locally are no longer cooked on-site. They do, in fact, come from the King’s Arms across the road and sprinted (presumably) the 50 yards to meet punters. They’re as good as ever, it was confirmed. In the expensive world of catering, adjustments like that are probably the saving grace of pubs that can’t even bank on drinks covering costs.
Music has usually been a feature in previous incarnations of the Port of Call. Quite far from anything I’d expect in a local, the harmonies are now Aretha Franklin’s. In the corner, swaying to (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Think, and Respect it was easy to see the Port of Call has all the soul a pub can need.
The Port of Call, York Street, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2YE
0117 973 0926