Waiting for a train to Keynsham at Bristol Temple Meads station this weekend, we found ourselves wishing that someone would roll the Sheffield Tap concept out across the country.
As it is, we went without a pint, not much fancying a light lager or keg bitter in a in plasticky pub/cafe/newsagent, with an atmosphere of oppressive gloom.
Opening a decent pub on the platform at Bristol would be easier said than done, though. Unlike Sheffield, where you can wander onto platform one without a ticket, Temple Meads is locked down tighter than Checkpoint Charlie. They’d have to redesign the whole station around the pub, which, we suspect, is not going to happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbZpNYx3Vms
9 replies on “Bristol Tap Needed Urgently”
There was a time when many Travellers’ Fare station buffets served real ale, of course…
You should ask Jamie about how easy it was to open the Sheffield Tap. Never mind the access, there were multiple landlords / utilities providers / general beaurocrats to appease. I’m amazed they got it sorted, but also very pleased.
I want one up here too!! the closest we have is hartlepool where there is a pub called the rat race ale house at the station, its tiny and does some awesome cask beers (thornbrdige, marble, brewdog, otley, leeds etc etc) but its only allowed to open at certain times and certainly no where near a hartlepool home game ;o(
every station should have a “sheffield tap” if not every town should most certainly have one!
Yeah, Bristol Temple Meads is seriously bleak for train waiting purposes, if only they’d put a bristol beer factory tap or similar inside the wannabe weatherspoons that is the bonapartes. Also bad luck on being there when the ticket barriers were actually up, as the knights templar isn’t too bad as weatherspoons go.
Whilst there’s nothing at Temple Meads, there are a few great pubs only a short walk away. I love The Cornubia, which is a Hidden Brewery pub about 5 mins from the station, and on the way there you’ll walk past the Kings Head which is a National Inventory pub with great beer between Temple Meads and The Cornubia.
Thanks for the tips, folks.
Zak — there has to be a reason Sheffield’s the only one. I bet it was a bloody nightmare. Still, nice to see the other day a bunch of railway men peering through the window discussing making it the regular venue for their social night.
Which was the tube station that had a proper pub on one of the platforms? Temple was it?
The London Nobody Knows…
I think it’s something that many stations could do with. Station pub/bars dont have to be tramp’s waiting rooms/dorms. Really makes a difference. Gives you something to look forward to.