pulteney arms
Visit the Pulteney Arms website and it will tell you that it is a warm, friendly, traditional pub, popular with the rugby crowd. All true of course, but to one of its most ardent patrons Nick Gregory it’s so much more than that...
Having been a regular visitor to the Pulteney on and off for the past 20 years I’ve seen landlords come and go, the décor alter on occasion and Bath Rugby go through the customary peaks and troughs. But, unlike Bath Rugby, The Pulteney has always maintained its stature as one of the foremost boozers in the city.I know landlord and landlady Coops and Lara have done plenty to the pub since taking over a year or so ago – a decent spring clean, a fabulous menu (all manufactured by trained chef Lara herself), a brighter feel and a couple of new beers to name a few. Though in all honesty I don’t think it has ever really mattered who was at the helm, it has always been much loved for the sum of all its parts.
It helps that I’m a rugby fan as it doesn’t get much better than the Pulteney for watching a game on the big screen and the knowledgeable mutterings at the bar are always worth an eavesdrop. It helps too that I like the sunshine as the front garden is a gem of a suntrap in the afternoon, perfect for people watching but, given the geographical location on the outskirts of the city, it’s not so much as to give you a headache. It helps too that I’m a man of all seasons as The Pulteney is not just best served up warm. A whisky mac on a winter’s evening beside the fire, having shed the coats and thermals on a Sunday night, certainly heats up my cockles.
As a community-based pub in the week and a lively arena on the weekend, The Pulteney can be a place to sift through the papers over a quiet one or cheer on the Lions with a few not so quiet ones. I will warn you however, that timing is key in getting that formula right. Don’t expect a plethora of seats for a quiet family meal on a Saturday when Bath are at home, but neither should you plan a hen-do round a Wednesday evening as the pace can be sedate (a good thing).
Normally in this column I would have listed the five real ales, lagers and ciders available on draught before running down the food menu and telling you how competitively priced it all is. But if you don’t know already you should make the trip and if you do (but fancy a second opinion) then grab a pint and a homemade pork pie and put your feet up.
The Pulteney is as integral to Bath as the Abbey, The Crescent and the sporting traditions. It’s somewhere we all can be proud of, so hats off to Lara and Coops for safekeeping this little Mecca.