Pubs and Bars / A-Z Bristol pub crawl
A-Z Bristol Pub Crawl: The Elmer’s Arms
It’s 6:30pm on a Wednesday. The remaining rush hour traffic files though Old Market to escape the centre.
A green, calming glow comes from within the Elmer’s Arms.
The chatter is lively, the owner is playing DJ to the small group of patrons.
is needed now More than ever
Stood in the corner of the room, in front of a gutted out piano, he is eagerly sorting through his newly brought vinyls.
Nothing seems out of the ordinary if you don’t stand too close to the piano
Despite the quite night, the bar doesn’t feel empty, a comfortable calmness fills the cozy tavern. Perhaps helped by the mix of reggae and dub making its way from the record player through the air and towards the bar.
Someone is trying to Shazam the songs on their phone but the search tenders no results. Triumphantly the owner tells them that means the records are rare.
If they manage to work any of them out he says: “Let me know and then tell me how much their worth.”
Several of the records have been brought all of the way from Jamaica
Vinyls aside, the place is filled with vintage accents and accessories. From the 1961 broken juke box pushed into the corner, the lit Piccadilly sign that reads ‘Britain’s finest cigarettes,’ to the more subtle emerald tiled bar and unpolished brick walls.
Unlike many of its contemporaries that favour the vintage, it isn’t cluttered and it doesn’t retain the same off-putting musty smell.
Glance to the walls and upwards and what resembles a pair of footprints have the couple sat below puzzled. Blancmange’s Living on the Ceiling comes to mind.
Someone has taken their time to illustrate the mood
Three quarters of an hour pass before any one else enters the pub. A pair of friends make a beeline straight to the bar. One digs through his bag for finding what he’s looking for, “my eyes,” he says.
Perusing the selection on offer at the moment, a Keller Pills lager, a Lervig session pale ale, he pauses on the Yonder’s Raspberry Gose.
He’s hesitant, so the owner offers him a sample.
Lifting the glass away from his lips, an over exaggerated smack of the lips signals to the room that a craft beer connoisseur is in. The verdict? “Sour, but in a good way.” A half is enough to satisfy his palette.
By 8:30pm a few regulars took advantage of the outdoor seating
The Elmer’s Arms, 53 Old Market Street, BS2 0ER
All photos: Hannah Massoudi
Read next:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
