5 of Britain’s Smallest Pubs

Image by: Adam Bruderer

The enduring ethos of modern theme bars and trendy pub chains seems to be that big is better.
Well, thatâ??s not entirely true. Some of the best alehouses are so diminutive in stature that you barely even notice them.
So, if youâ??re partial to a pint or crave something a little quirkier on your travels, here are 5 of the most Hobbit-sized pubs in Great Britain.

1 .The Nutshell, The Traverse, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1BJ

Listed in the Guinness Book of Records  as the UKâ??s smallest pub, The Nutshell first started serving beer in 1867 in the historic heart of Bury St Edmunds and has been serving a faithful following of customers ever since.

The pub also boasts a selection of interesting historical items, including photos and memorabilia.

The bar measures just 15ft by 7ft – it is also a major tourist attraction, where passing trade can rub elbows with the regulars.

2. The Signal Box Inn, Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway, Lakeside Station, Kings Road, DN35 0AG

The Signal Box Inn is named for its location immediately adjacent to Cleethorpes Light Railway. The size of the building is approximately to the same scale as the trains that use the track.

It has five hand pumps serving real ale and a beer garden

It faced opposition for the title of the world’s smallest pub by a few other contenders, including The Nutshell (above).

The size of the establishment clocks in at a small and cosy 5.95 square metres.

3. The Dove, 19 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, London, W6 9TA

This is a 17th Century riverside pub that holds the title for the smallest bar â?? as opposed to the smallest pub, which takes in to account the bar and the building combined.

Its clientele over the years has included poets, writers, actors and politicians.

It also has an entrance that only the eagle-eyed will spot and displays a plaque marking the height of the great flood of 1928.

4. The Dog & Bone, Shepreth, Cambridgeshire

Set up by villagers who were angered at the loss of their local pub The Plough (which was turned in to a restaurant), The Dog and Bone may well be the smallest pub in the world (3ft by 3ft).

They bought the red call box from BT for £1 and added a â??barâ? from which the old landlord of the Plough can serve drinks.

5. Bag oâ?? Nails, 141 St Georgeâ??s Road, Bristol, BS1 5UW

Situated on the site since the 1860s and previously known as the American Eagle, Bag oâ??Nails is an alehouse that has seen a few landlords pass through its doors in the past few years and was even closed for eighteen months before being given a new lease of life in December 2011.

Itâ??s a small, quirky pub – with portholes in the floor and black and white pics of jazz musicians, itâ??s like stepping back in time.  No LED strip lighting here eitherâ?? the pub is lit by gas lamps which adorn the walls.

Do you know any drinking establishments that could be contenders for the UKâ??s smallest pub

Gavin Harvey is a self-confessed fitness fanatic whose restless spirit for adventure has taken him all over the world. When he can suppress his wanderlust he loves nothing more than to watch classic movies, hunt for the latest gadgets, and blog for LumaLighting.