THE REGENT

The Regent seems to achieve that relaxed part living room, part antique shop vibe without even trying. Chesterfield sofas sit alongside bare wood tables, windows are framed with dark red velvet curtains, antique style chandeliers dangle from the ceiling, a palm tree or two twinkles with fairy lights and a large square panelled bar dominates the action.

On chilly nights you can make like a cowboy and cosy up next to an open fire that’s regularly topped up from a western style fire bucket and divided off with an engraved glass window straight out of a Wild West saloon. A huge white brickwalled courtyard at the back is also adorned with beaten leather furniture but with comes with an open roof to keep the smokers happy.

The atmosphere is what really makes the place. A super chilled crowd of locals, younger and hipper than in many of the surrounding bars, comes here to relax, enjoy laid-back beats and munch on classic pub grub, the best of which are the organic burgers and classic Sunday roasts. On tap are standard lagers, Adnams and Wadsworth 6X for ale fans, some choice cocktails and a short wine list. DJs liven the place up on Saturday nights, which brings in the beautiful people in large numbers to dance to everything from broken beats to electro to nineties. The friendly staff and nice extras like big bowls of help-yourself homemade popcorn on the bar make this a cut above the average local.