The Nutshell, Bury St. Edmunds

Reputedly Britain's smallest pub, this is something of a 'must-do' in Bury St Edmunds, meaning that at times it is busy beyond its modest capabilities. A tiny bar offers Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale, plus a couple of lagers, a cider and Guinness. Patrons can sit along a sill on one side of the room or around a small table at the other end. Inevitably overspill occurs and you shouldn't be surprised to find yourself having to move outside to let others get to the bar. If the novelty of the pub's size isn't enough for you, there are plenty of interesting items on display, covering every inch of wall and ceiling space. The most striking items include a mummified cat, human arm and various animal heads. There are preserved bats, puffer fish, snakes and spiders, various odd looking weapons/tools and an outstanding collection of foreign coins and notes. A small cabinet to one side of the room contains a collection of foreign cigarette packets and beside the bar there are newspaper clippings detailing the record breaking effort which saw 102 people cram inside the pub.The bar staff were friendly and happy to give a bit of background to the pub, despite no doubt being asked the same sort of questions every day by passing tourists. The cramped conditions make conversation with fellow customers inevitable and there seems to be a good band of locals who'll happily chat away to whoever comes through the door. Well worth a visit when in town, this is certainly more than a novelty pub.

One of the more interesting pubs to visit, noted for being the smallest in the country and certainly not geared up for darts, pool or smelly fart dispersion. Despite its miniscule size, it has bundles of character and plenty to focus on. Artifacts include a mummified cat and mouse, stuffed animal heads, bank notes lining the ceiling, an orderly collection of foreign coinage orderly labeled and displayed along the door and walls plus a few unexplained tools and instruments that would probably baffle Jack Hargreaves (ask your dad, kids!). The tiny bar still manages to fit 2 Real Ales among the more standard lagers; the ubiquitous Abbott and GK IPA although the Abbot is astonishingly expensive at £3.05 a pint. The IPA is a bargain by comparison. Furniture is restricted to a bench around one end of the pub and a small table at the other. Posters welcoming coach parties and function room available for up to 2 people show that they have a sense of humour. I actually thought the function room was a joke until I went up the stairs to find a small room from which the solitary toilet branches. Since there is no drinking allowed on the pavement outside, the interior can get quite cosy but most people seem to gel together and it is not hard to strike up a conversation. Bar staff tend to be interesting characters and the selection of CDs was top notch the night we were there. Yes it is a bit touristy with t-shirts and souvenirs available but on the whole, a must visit pub for the experience.