The One Bull Inn, Bury St. Edmunds

A contrast to Brewshed’s other pub in Bury, externally old looking but inside is modern cocktail bar in style. As stated it is split centrally by a short wall, to the right is the main counter and tall seating with lower chairs and sofas behind there. To the left which has a separate street door as well as access from back of the right side is a small seating area at the front with up a slight ramp a rear dining area. Four hand pumps on the counter with Brewshed beers, a best bitter, pale ale, smoked porter and American Blonde, quality was not as good as in The Beerhouse and the staff are better there too. Keg choices are Brewshed plus some better quality nationals on two quad T-bars. There is a wall by the counter loaded with wines so that might be a clue to the intended demographic. The counter has power sockets where you sometimes find coat hooks, another demo-graph clue? Judging by the sign the Bull in question is a papal one.

The One Bull Inn is a Brewshed pub with a laminate floored front bar area where the serving counter up the right-hand wall faces standing room and some slender high tables. At the rear of the bar is some sofa seating and there’s a snug with some tables and more sofas as well as lounging chairs in the front left corner. In the left rear is a dining area under a large skylight. The four hand pumps were all drawing the brewery’s own beers, including a very nice Dave’s Chocolate Orange. Craft keg and Mahou were also available from the friendly bar staff. I would count this place and the Beerhouse as proper pubs, but the rest of the Brewshed chain are too dry led.

A traditional looking pub just around the corner from the Market Square, this had clearly had an extensive makeover and it now quite contemporary internally, perhaps being more akin to a wine bar than your traditional pub. According to a plaque on the wall it won the Bury St Edmunds Pub/Wine Bar of the Year in 2014, although there is of course only limited competition in one town. Décor wise it’s very contemporary as mentioned previously with a mixture of sanded wood flooring and chequered tiles. There was some exposed brickwork incorporating a small fire place, but this looked to be new and purpose built rather than anything more authentic. Next to this was a large wine rack that had been made it to something of a feature and elsewhere was a large clock in the shape of a giant wristwatch. The rear of the pub was more geared up for dining with chairs in various bright colours, and the remains of the abbey walls could be seen through a window. A seating area to the left had low, cream leather sofas and was light and airy thanks to the large ceiling window. Beers on tap were all from their own “Brewshed” craft brewery and on this occasion were Best Bitter, Pale Ale and American Blond. Ciders were Aspall’s Suffolk and Crooked Branch Dry Cider, which is a new one on me (and it certainly was dry).