What on earth has changed at The White Bear? A look inside the new and improved pub

Don’t get me wrong, when craving a beverage on campus, the SU bars are great. Sure, the pints are cheap pints but quite frankly the vibes are just a little bit off.

So, enter brand spanking, newly renovated The White Bear. It’s literally right next to uni, has insanely cheap drinks and feels like somewhere you would actually want to spend your time. So, on your next trip to the ASS for a late-night study sesh, just forget it and go for a tipple.

For those unfamiliar with the pub (we’re looking at you pesky freshers), The White Bear has been an iconic drinking spot for Bristol Uni students for some time. Previously it was a tad on the older side, and the prices weren’t particularly student friendly. But over the last few months, the new owners have given it the spruce up it needed.

The prices – cheap and cheerful

Whether you’re popping in for a drink with your course mates to wind down after a lecture, or starting off your triangle night out with some bevvies on St Michaels Hill, The White Bear has you covered.

Their dazzlingly cheap drinks range from pints at £2.90, house doubles at £4 and shots for a whopping £1! To get you in the groove for Gravs or Lounge, there’s also cocktail buckets for a fiver and four VKs for a tenner.

I’m sure you’re wondering what the catch is here. Surely this has got to be during an obscurely timed happy hour? Nope, you don’t even need to show any student ID to qualify for these prices, so why not bring your lecturer along for a pint too?

The décor – your grandma’s living room, but make it cool

The pub’s décor has also undergone a stylish transformation. There’s a hefty disco ball and a glowing lava lamp, offering all the ambience and mood lighting you might need to get your graft on.

The retro sofas, patterned wallpaper and old framed photos really make you feel like your grandma’s old furniture has been rebirthed into a trendy new drinking spot.

Not to mention the swirly, colourful bus seats still equipped with arm rests and seatbelts which look so appealing to sit on despite being as uncomfortable as, well actual bus seats.

The great outdoors

And finally, when you and your mates are ready for some fresh air, or most likely just an opportunity to quench your nicotine addiction, The White Bear’s small but cosy beer garden is the perfect setting. Strings of fairy lights and lanterns create the perfect vibe to ask the boy you fancy to roll you a blem.

Future plans

Currently The White Bear is open 5pm-12am every day; but their plans to extend hours to 2am every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday means you can enjoy their £1.50 jagerbombs for even longer.

The pub also revealed their plans to start serving food in the near future. They’re intending to open from midday, when you’ll be able to get your hands on cheap lunch (or breakfast for some) and classic pub grub into the evenings, culminating in the perfect food and drink spot to get you through a hard day at the ASS.

Also, if you’re a society looking for a new space to mingle, check out their upstairs theatre room!

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