Having cleaned up its act under new management, The Fir Tree is busy putting its house in order.

The Venue
Now under the new management of two young bucks Nick Bassett and Joe Hill, The Fir Tree has sharpened up its act (and thankfully those mangy hounds are gone). The pub dates back to 1866 and its exterior is cream and green and there are a few tables outside.

It’s quite a small place that's spread over two levels with a small all wood bar on the lower level on the right and a room up a few steps to the left. There’s another small room beyond that. The wood panelled walls are painted green and feature small Victorian style glass wall lamps emitting a diffused yellow glow. A new menu has been introduced and the other news is that they're going to knock through the kitchen to create a beer garden and courtyard at the back.

The People
At the moment it's a healthy mix of modest students and unassuming locals here who dig the pub’s cosy traditional vibe. But as it's recently had a revamp they're still building on their portfolio of regulars and it doesn't as yet have a specific crowd. It's a case of 'watch this space'.

The Food and Drink
You’ve got Foster’s, Stella, Moorland Original, Bath Ales’ Gem, Guinness, Strongbow on draught and Old Speckled Hen, Old Bob, Kopparberg, Bulmer’s, Peroni, Corona, Newcastle Ale, Beck’s, Budweiser and Weston’s in bottles. They're not serving food at the moment because the kitchen is shut for a refurbishment but they expect to be serving what will be traditional pub food from October this year (2008). In the meantime you can stop your stomach grumbling by munching on some unusual bar snacks. If you look behind the bar you'll find big glass sweet jars filled with jelly babies, chocolate mini eggs and jellybeans.

The Last Word
It’s a tight squeeze on a Saturday night but The Fir Tree is well liked for its cosiness.

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