The Gas Lamp

Duck down the steps from Bridge Street and you'll find yourself in what feels like a Victorian railway station waiting room that's been converted into someone's brilliant idea of a proper pub. The tiled walls and low ceilings create an atmosphere that's part gentlemen's club, part underground refuge, and the kind of place where conversations flow as freely as the well-kept real ales. This isn't about craft cocktails or small plates — it's about doing one thing exceptionally well. The beer selection is thoughtful without being showy, and the basement location means you'll forget what time it is (in the best possible way). It's the sort of place where you pop in for one and somehow end up closing the place down, wondering why more pubs don't understand that sometimes the best atmosphere comes from keeping things beautifully simple.