Visited on: Friday 4th August 2017

Bob Thompson

Redland is a mile or so north of the city’s centre. I would guess that it was once a village in its own right, eventually being consumed by the ever-expanding urban sprawl during the late Victorian era.

These days this part of Chandos Road is lined with shops and restaurants and was obviously a focal point in days past, and it still is, albeit with retail premises of a different kind.

This evolution is exemplified by Chums micro-pub. The property was previously a Spar convenience store which was probably in an earlier life a locally owned grocery shop, most of the stores in that chain were, apart from obvious new-builds. It opened in its present guise on Friday 6th April 2016. The inspiration behind the venture comes from Mark Farrel, originally from Ireland, also previously licensee of the Three Tuns and also the Plume of Feathers, both in the Hotwells area of the city.

I had walked from Redland station, about a third of a mile. As I entered I could see a bar counter facing me. This forms a part of a structure built within the room and it has a longer counter at 90° facing the left side wall.

After ordering a beer I had a look around. Entering from the front door I noticed a couple of small tables for two or three drinkers on the right side. Over on the left side were larger tables with loose chairs and fitted benches against the wall.

Back on the right side there is one more table in front of a full bookcase and the large blackboard advertising the various drinks on offer. Passing the bar counter area along the left side of the pub I noticed it was faced by a shelf along the wall with a number of stools.

At the back the room is slightly wider with a couple more loose tables and chairs. All the furniture is wooden.

There were five beers offered, all via hand pumps. They were XT Brewing (Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire) Animal Lion London Porter (4.6%); Flying Monk (Hullavington, Wiltshire) Elmers Bitter (3.8%); Ashley Down (Bristol) Pale Ale (4.3%) and two from Wye Valley Brewery (Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire): Butty Bach (4.5%) and Wholesome Stout (4.6%). There is usually at least one cask beer from XT and Wye Valley, also Butcombe yet not on this occasion.

Cider lovers are not ignored here either as there was a extensive selection when I visited, as follows: Thatcher’s (Sandford, Somerset) Stan’s Big Apple (5.0%), Newton Court (Leominster, Herefordshire) First Press (5.5%), Brislington (Bristol) Brain Twister (6.2%); Ashridge (Staverton, Devon) Elderflower (4.0%) and Tradition (6.5%); Gwatkin (Abbeydore, Herefordshire) Silly Ewe Dry (4.5%) and No Bull (4.5%).

There a quite a lot of activities in the pub. Mark holds a quiz every first and third Wednesday in the month. Live music is presented on Saturday or Sunday.

There plenty of boxed games lying on the shelves around the pub. There is a reasonable wine selection and CAMRA members get a discount on beer and cider. They have a beer and cider festival during the last weekend in September.

This pub is at the heart of the community it serves and a journey from the city centre to visit it will, I’m sure, be a rewarding experience.

Important Information:

Chums, 22 Chandos Road, Redland, Bristol BS6 6PF. Tel: 0117 973 1498

Hours: Monday-Thursday 16.00-22.30; Friday-Saturday 12.00-23.00; Sunday 12.00-22.00
Please note: Last orders are 30 minutes earlier than the times shown above.

Redland station is served by an irregular interval of between 35 and 50 minutes between trains.
Please refer to nationalrail.co.uk for more details. From Redland station exit to South Grove.
When this road meets Redland Grove continue of the same thoroughfare which is now.
Keep walking until you see the Kensington Arms on the right side. Here turn right into Stanley Road.
At the first intersection turn left in Chandos Road. You will soon see Chums on the left.
It will be about 15 minutes walk from the station.

If travelling by bus the most useful route is the No 9 operated by First Bus.
It starts at Temple Meads station, running via Rupert Street in the City centre.
It passes Redland station and you need to alight at the Ermleet Road stop.
Walk forward in the same direction as the bus. Turn left into Fernbank road.
Continue to the end where it joins fair View Drive. Turn right here.
This road changes to Chandos Road. The pub is on the left.
It will take about 10 minutes from the bus stop.