Andy and Christine Rockcliffe are the mangers of the Bristol Inn which is very close to the centre of Clevedon and was especially popular this summer because of its very large, enclosed beer garden which is great for children and parents, particularly when they have a bouncy castle! There is also a very large car park which takes the worry out of finding a space so close to the town centre. Andy and Christine have a huge presence on social media not just because they are very good business people but because they run a really dynamic pub which caters for so many different social groups in Clevedon. I don’t think anyone was surprised when Punch taverns nominated them for the Best British Pub Awards.
As well as their regular beers, the Bristol are Cask Marque accredited which means a team of assessors make an unannounced visit to the pub at least twice a year. The assessor checks all the cask ales on sale for temperature, taste, appearance and aroma. Their guest ales are constantly changing but some of their favourites appear regularly. In Spring 2018, Christine and Andy introduced the Cask Ale Club on a Monday evening where you can try a pint for £2.50. They also have a great selection of premium lagers.
In terms of food, they offer the usual pub classics and a very extensive menu with some really interesting dishes.
It’s also worth keeping an eye on their website because they do a lot of special offers throughout the week.
They’ve had some rave reviews on Trip Adviser. A significant number of customers commented on Christine’s willingness to go the extra mile for customers requiring special diets.
“The staff and management could not have been more helpful and made me what I fancied which was a delicious cooked mushroom and salad wrap and ensured it was prepared appropriately”
‘The landlady stated that meals can be made gluten free with some adjustments, and went on to explain which meals this would be possible. They served my starter with gluten free bread and my main being chicken Caesar salad was amazing, the kitchen made some gluten free croutons. Nothing was too much trouble, we felt very welcome.’
Being inclusive is a common theme amongst shop owners, cafes, pubs, restaurants and bars in Clevedon. Well done everyone!
Christine and Andy also offer a very full social menu! There is a disco every Friday night from 9.00pm and there’s a live band or a singer every Saturday – both are free. There is also an Open Mike night on a Thursday from 7.30pm.
Do you remember any of these?
Or these?
On Monday night they host a pub quiz and there is also a pool and a darts team. Having Sky Sports, BT Sports and many large screens means you can watch big sporting events and enjoy a drink.
There is no question that the Bristol Inn has a great reputation for the food and drink they serve but they are also very well known for their charity fundraising. In September, they raised £203 at a very successful Macmillan coffee morning and further back in August they organised a charity weekend in support of Cancer Research UK https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/ and the Breast Cancer Centre at https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/bristol-breast-care-centre
They recently hosted a very successful charity event with the ticket sales going to https://helpbristolshomeless.co.uk/ During the break at this event Tim Shuttleworth, Adan Montiero and Lee Harris of Balfour Beatty braced the shave to raise funds for Macmillan https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bbmarineworks
Did I mention that on a Tuesday morning there is a baby group who meet there and then in the afternoon, there is an after school club for children with their parents?
There’s probably lots more going on which I haven’t discovered but I think what I’ve described will give you a flavour of what’s happening at the Bristol Inn and why it is so popular within our community.
Dare I mention the C word? Christine and Andy have a tsunami of events planned for this very special time of the year. I think I’ll save that for another day!
Find out more about The Bristol Inn here: