Beacon House,
3 Queens Avenue,
Clifton,
Bristol,
BS8 1QU
(0117) 973 1249
The ViewBristol Review
A small and stylish bar and club which is a great place for a few drinks and a bit of fun after work, especially if you don’t fancy getting lost in the crowds.
The Venue
This slim bar and club, which squeezes in next to Habitat on the Triangle, hardly looks as though it fits the part from the outside, and you’d be unlikely to stumble across it unless you know of its whereabouts. Head down its stairs and you'll see a swanky bar, furnished on first glance to look swish and modern, but it's actually far more eccentric when you take a closer look.
And it isn’t just the car-printed wallpaper that does it, as much as the fact that a large proportion of this bar and club is aeroplane themed – from the chairs which come adorned with seatbelt clips, to the back room where the walls are dotted with circular windows.
On the whole Joe Publics is a tad too small but credit must be given for when this plays into your hands during intimate gigs. The most is made of seating but when you get up to throw some shapes you may find the space limited and probably get a sense of being watched by all those people plonked on chairs around the room. There is also a seperate area for parties.
The People
This place really has the sense of being a professionally run bar, so there is a formality here among the bouncers and staff. The crowd tend to be mixed – there are many exclusive student nights which are only frequented by Bristol and UWE kids. Other nights are characterised by after work professionals letting their hair down, or indie twenty-somethings when decent gigs are on.
The Music
Something is going on every night here. Notable nights for students only include I Heart House and Electra where the drinks deals will be a-flowing. For the rest of us it’s C-Sar on Saturday nights playing a mix of RnB, soul and dance which tends to get choc-a-bloc with a crowd consisting of weekend party-goers.
Turn up on a Sunday night and you may be lucky enough to witness a whole host of soul artists doing their thing – this really is something to pay the £5 entry fee for.
The Food and Drink
The only food available is for large party events. These are buffets which range from £7.50 a person for finger food to £15 a person for something more substantial.
The house white, a chardonnay with a citrus tang, is priced £11.80 for a bottle, but there’s a small list to choose from if are looking to spend a little more. There is an option of three reds, with the house also being at £11.80, as well as a few roses, sparkling wines, and a decent champagne list.
Plenty of lagers can be found on tap – the cheapest being Fosters at £2.80 a pint – plus an interesting list of bottles including Erdinger and Honey Dew, which is £3.60 for a large bottle. The cider list, including Weston’s Organic (£3.60) is a stretch better than what most bars and clubs offer.
The Last Word
This smart and trendy bar provides a good night out but can veer dangerously between being hopelessly empty and uncomfortably rammed. The music nights are good enough but more could be done to put this place on the map as a club and gig venue which suits a variety of tastes.