Oliver's Bar, Cheltenham

You'll find Oliver's tucked away on Ormond Place, just off the main Regent Street drag, which means it's got that sweet spot of being easy to find without feeling touristy. The place has the air of somewhere that doesn't need to shout about itself—it just gets on with doing what it does well. Think straightforward cocktails, attentive staff who actually know what they're doing, and a crowd that ranges from after-work regulars to groups looking for somewhere to properly settle in for the night. It's the kind of bar where you can have a conversation without shouting over a DJ, which feels increasingly rare these days.