The West Gate, Bath

After a morning spent looking around the nearby Roman Baths, we decided to give this gastro style pub a try for a spot of lunch. The interior is very spacious, with some expensive looking tables and chairs in the front area and high tables and stools to the rear near the long, curved bar counter. There seemed to be an upstairs area as well, but I didn't venture up there to explore. The wooden floors, pastel shaded walls and roman themed decor fit in nicely with the gastro look the pub is going for. The food was not the cheapest but my steak sandwich was pretty good. There was just the one ale on, perhaps as a result of high consumption over the New Year's weekend, but the Box Steam Dark Box (£3.20) was in great shape. An Abbey Bellringer clip was turned. The pub's speciality seems to be foreign beers, with a very good selection on draught including, Kirin, Grolsch, Krombacher, Krombacher Weizen, Duval Green and Paulaner. Bottled beer was well represented and included Brooklyn Lager and Sierra Nevada Pale. I also spotted some real cider including one called Sheep Dip. We were treated to table service, which came as a bit of a surprise and I thought the staff were very helpful and attentive. I wasn't really expecting a great deal from this place, but I thought it was pretty good at what it sets out to do and it certainly served its purpose for us.

The pub has that modern messed around gastro look from the outside with its grey frontage and peculiar lettering for the name. A modern stripped out feel inside, a long deep room on entering then with ramped access up to the bar area. Beyond the bar around to the left, another area had sofas, armchairs and large overhead orange lightshades. Part wood floor, part carpeted, unusual but vaguely Roman themed decor with a Centurion standing guard and large ceramics of Roman coins on one wall. A line of different clocks showed such information as opening time, closing, food orders timing etc. Mixed seating, some traditional, clipboard menus on tables. It goes without saying that there were fairy lights and twigs. Beers were Box Steam Funnel Blower, Blindman's Buff, Wickwar Bankers Draft plus real cider from Cheddar Valley and Janet's Jungle Juice. A good selection of foreign bottled beers were advertised. It's not really my style of pub if truth be told, but it was friendly and the beer was good.

Changed name to Westgate

A great little pub. Staff and customers really friendly. Always a couple of real ales on - kept in good condition. A great collection of "saucy" postcards adorn the walls. Well worth a visit.

Now called Westgate [admin note: updated name 23/01/2010]

Very large spread out pub with a single circular bar. no real ale