One one my favourite Cambridge Bars has recently had a complete make over with the inside being completely redone. The owner Matt Knight's idea was to create a multi purpose venue. The cambridge pub now caters for anything for art exhibitions to wedding receptions. Being on three floors of a large central Cambridge building there is plenty of room for the various functionality offered.
During the week you can go there for a quiet pint of real ale or cider, or even a coffee (yeah right!) . The front of the pub now opens onto the street so with spring here it makes a great al fresco drinking pub where you can watch the world go by. Matt always make sure he a some local Cambridge ales in too.
At weekends it is open late and is a good nightspot supporting many local DJs and musicians. I am getting a bit old for that sort of stuff but my younger friends seem to like it.
But in these days of epidemic pubs closures it is pubs like these that can offer something extra that seem to stay open and in fact do well. Successful pubs need to offer good ale/cider, good food or entertainment and the fountain seems to do all three very well.
Of course I have a vested interest in 'ale' pubs doing well as I sell my cider in them. Perhaps if more landlords had Matt's imagination has stocked his range of drinks there would not be so many closures.
Herefordshire Cider at Checkley Brook
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