Highbury Vaults

Close to Bristol University and the hospital, this convivial, bustling pub dating from the 18th c is popular with a wide range of customers, including visitors looking for a friendly local. The little front bar, with a corridor beside it, leads through to a series of small rooms: wooden floors, green and cream paintwork and old-fashioned furniture and prints (including plenty of royal family period engravings and lithographs in the front room). A model railway runs on a shelf the full length of the pub, with tunnels through the walls. The six quickly changing ales on handpump include several from Youngs plus guests such as Dorset Jurassic and St Austell Proper Job and Tribute; also, half a dozen wines by the glass and nine malt whiskies. They offer hot sausage rolls from the oven on Thursday and Friday evenings at 10pm; bar billiards, TV and board games. An attractive back terrace has tables built into a partly covered flowery arbour, and there's disabled access to the main bar (but not to the loos).