Relaxed, unpretentious, charming pub (The Scotchman and his Pack (Bristol))

Member Name: steedandpeel

Product:	The Scotchman and his Pack (Bristol)
Date:	15/08/09 (63 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Friendly staff, charming pub, free function room, amazing views from roof terrace!

Disadvantages: Slightly limited range of drinks, upstairs could do with redecoration, poor disabled access

I'd often driven past this pub half way up St Michaels Hill in Bristol loads of times and I'd always thought that it looked like a nice pub, but for one reason or another I'd never been in for a drink. However, when searching online for somewhere to hold my 30th birthday party, I came across it again and was surprised to see that they had a function roof to hire for free, even on Saturday and Sunday nights. It was the best venue I'd seen, and keen to save money, I decided to book it at once, without even visiting the pub!

A few weeks later, my boyfriend and I decided to visit the pub and have a chat with John, the bar manager who I'd spoken to on the phone to make arrangements. The pub was quiet, so John was able to take some time to serve us a drink and show us around.

My first impressions were good; downstairs is the main bar area, which is decorated in the style of a traditional pub (which it undoubtably is), with plenty of places to sit and have a drink, with lots of cosy nooks and crannys. Upstairs is the function room, which also doubles as a games room with a pool table and darts board. The toilets are also upstairs. The decor in the upstairs room and the toilets was slighted tired, but perfectly acceptable. However, the best part of the pub, in my opinion, is the fantastic roof terrace accessed from the games room, which has stunning views over the Bristol skyline.

John took the time to go through various options for the party. We opted to provide food ourselves, although catering could be provided at extra cost. We ran through the range of drinks available - the pub has a number of real ales and ciders as well as the usual lagers, wines and spirits. They do not normally sell alcopops, although they offerred to order some in specially if we wanted. We were also told that we could bring along an ipod to plug into their sound system, or we could bring along a DJ if we preferred. I was pleased with the venue and the attention that we received before hand, and looking forward to the party!

On the day of the party, we arrived at 6pm to set up, bringing our own food, decorations and ipod with us. The staff were very helpful, showing us where to set up the food and asking whether we wanted to use the pool table or push it to the side. As the guests began to arrive, we congregated on the roof terrace as it was a lovely evening; infact we spent most of the night out there, enjoying the views as the sun set.

The pub turned out to be a great venue for a party - relaxed and chilled out, with hardly anyone else drinking there, whilst also being close to town so everyone could get a taxi home easily. The staff were all friendly and helpful, and tried their best to accommodate any requests we made during the evening, even popping up to a neighbouring pub to get some lemon as they had run out and we had ordered tequilla slammers! There was a minor issue when we couldn't find out where to turn on the lights in the ladies loos, but after searching, the barman found the lightswitch, so panic was averted! I also liked the fact that there was a pool table and darts board; this definitely helped to break the ice between various groups of my friends who hadn't met each other before. I should add, that I had approximately 40 guests; the function room and roof terrace could accommodate this number of people easily, and probably twice that number if the pool table was pushed aside.

Since the party, I've not had an opportunity to go back for a drink, but I definitely would. I see from their website, http://www.thescotchman.co.uk/index.html that they do Irish music nights and pub quizes, both of which I'd like to go to. They also serve food at lunch time and offer free wi-fi, which is a bit unexpected, but very useful!

The pub opens until 11pm most night, opening until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The other customers seemed to be a mix of regulars and students, although I would also imagine this is a popular watering hole for doctors and nurses as it's really close to Bristol's main hospital. The atmosphere was very relaxed - definitely not too studenty, which is surprising as it's also located close to the university. It is definitely a proper pub, not a trendy bar. I really like this, as so many pubs lose their character by trying to appeal to the younger, trendier market. However, the Scotchman and his Pack retains the charm of a traditional boozer.

Disabled access isn't great, due to the historic nature of the building; there is a step into the bar from the street and the toilets are located on the first floor. I would also add that the pub is located on one of Bristol's steepest roads, so it could be a good place to stop for a pint if you are walking home from town!

All in all, I found it to be a great, traditional style pub with loads of charm. The staff went out of their way to accommodate me and my guests and ensure we enjoyed ourselves. I would definitely recommend this place if you're looking for somewhere to have a relaxed, unpretentious party, or just stop for a quick pint!

Summary: A great place to have a drink - especially on a summer evening watching the sun set over the city