The Bike Shed Bar - Cocktails and atmosphere, plus the best toilet in town

An odd name you might think for an underground bar and theatre, but this is just one of the many, many quirks that make the Bike Shed Bar and Theatre one of, if not the most, unique places to go in town.

 

If you have ever walked down Fore Street on a Saturday night, you’ll be used to seeing plenty of ‘merry’ and ‘vocal’ bystanders crowding around outside the large bars and clubs at the top of the hill, or slowly meandering their way home via one of the countless kebab shops or takeaways that litter that end of town. In the middle of this though, tucked behind Saint Olave’s church and below a bicycle repair shop (hence the name) you will find a haven for those who appreciate a bit of a more alternative and charming nights entertainment than those you will find vomiting on the street outside.

 

In this look at the establishment I am just going to focus on the bar side of things and I will leave the theatre for another day. I will say though, keep a look out for their schedule of performances as there is always something good on there.

Back in the Spring of 2010 the Particular Theatre group took a three week lease on the cellar below the Bike Shed to stage a performance. It’s success lead to the premises becoming a permanent fixture and an expansion to include a vintage cocktail bar.

And this is a cocktail bar like you’ve never really seen before. As you walk down the steps at the end of a dark alleyway you begin to worry that you’ve stepped into the plot of a bad horror movie, but when you open the door and the bottom you’re ensconced in a warm and friendly glow that you only get from places that are run with real passion and love.

As seems to be the norm now in anywhere that wants to come across as quirky and alternative all of the furniture is miss matched and second hand. Worn, leather high backed chairs sit alongside slightly uneven metal tables and seats that have taken out of other, now abandoned, theatres. At the Bike Shed though this isn’t done just to try and make the place cool and trendy. With the shoe string budget that they run on this is done more out of necessity rather than anything else. Around the edges of the bar and on the walls are a whole host of idiosyncratic, peculiar fixtures; a lime green stand up piano, a vintage electronic games machine, and old fashioned standard lamps that you used to see in your Grandmas old house. This certainly isn’t your minimalist, chrome and glass, post modern kind of place.

 

As is the problem with all of these kinds of places, the snug, cosy atmosphere that is generated by the low ceilings and more confined space does result in that you don’t need that many people in there before it get crowded. This is especially true in the lead up to a performance where you have an added 50-60 people in there enjoying a pre performance drink and fighting your way to the bar can feel like being squeezed onto crowded commuter train, only with more vintage clothing and peculiar facial hair. Once at the bar they can wet your whistle with an assortment of classic cocktails as well as some more modern concoctions. The place does scream out to you though to sit down and enjoy something like a Cosmopolitan or a Martini. Local ales and continental larger are also there for those who feel less comfortable holding a pink cocktail with a cherry in it.

Light snacks and homemade cakes are also available from the end of the bar, and who can say no to a slice of Victoria sponge, even at 11.30 at night?

My favourite part of the whole place though is the WC. An odd statement I know but anyone who has had a call of nature while they are there will know what I am talking about. If you think the bar is a slight time warp then the loo is on a whole different level. I would have taken a photo to show you all but I thought I might have been asked some awkward questions if I had started snapping away in there!

 

On a Friday and Saturday nights they have live music as well. This only adds to the already lively feel and is always in keeping with the mood. Resident DJs keep the ambiance relaxed and don’t deafen you with their beats like you get in so many places now a days (Ok, that made me sound like I’m 78 with a dodgy hip) and the live bands play a mix of jazz, funk, soul, blues and swing.  The times I’ve been there for live music have always been a delight and a friendly, party mood seems to infect everyone that is there. It certainly beats drinking shots in a loud club and getting into a fight in the street outside, but that’s just my opinion. If that’s what you’re after then there are plenty of places on Fore Street to accommodate you. But their bathrooms aren’t anywhere close to being as good.

Opening Times: Noon - Midnight (2am on Friday & Saturday); Sunday: 5pm - 11pm

Address:

The Bike Shed Theatre
162/3 Fore Street
Exeter
EX4 3AT

 

Web: http://www.bikeshedtheatre.co.uk/

Boston Tea Party - A local mainstay; and for good reason

I don’t drink coffee. Never have, never will. I’ve spent the best part of my working life though learning how to make it and serve it in all of the varied and celebrated fashions, but you will never catch me drinking the fowl and disgusting stuff. Which makes reviewing coffee shops in the city a bit of a challenge.  So if you want to find out about the aromas and subtle flavours of the hot beverages on offer, you better walk on home.

 

Boson Tea Party isn’t just another one of your ‘run of the mill’ coffee shops that are full of sofas and stupidly large arm chairs, pretending to be friendly and cosy, when all the while it’s just a carefully designed, corporate illusion to make you think you’re not just sat in an homogonous, carbon copy, worldwide chain. This place does have real character. A Starbucks or a Costa, for example, would never have such a ridiculously cramped and poorly designed entrance where you queue to place your orders. All you need are half a dozen people waiting for their caffeine fix and it feels like your trying to get to the front of the stage at Glastonbury. This might be because a lot of the cliental look like they’ve just come from the festival at Glastonbury. Situated only a short walk from Exeter College on Queen Street, Boston’s has become one of the major hang outs for those who can’t yet get into more ‘intoxicating’ establishments.

 This would normally put me off. If I wanted to hang around with a bunch of youthful and adolescent teenagers then I would be being investigated by Operation Yewtree. However, the atmosphere when your upstairs in the cavernous Georgian dining hall and the quality of the food will make you put up with the irritating behaviour of some of the patrons.

By now a long standing and well know mainstay of the city Boston Tea Party offers you a great alternative to one of the many chain coffee shops that have multiplied across the town. No matter what time you seem to walk in there is always a melee of activity behind the counter. This is because they make all their meals, sandwiches and cakes fresh, by hand, on the premises.  You have to have a very strong will not to be sucked into buying a piece of cake or brownie that is just sitting there, tempting you, in the counter as you order. Regrettably I do not possess the afore mentioned iron will so have sampled, over the years, rather a lot of their sweet delectations, so I can tell you with some authority that they are delicious.

As for main meals; they serve breakfast all day, which makes them that much more popular for those seeking a good brunch, (plus, this is the only place I’ve ever been to that has Eggy Bread on the menu; genius). You can also grab a burger, various sandwiches, soups and salads all made with free range, locally sourced meat and eggs, as well as bread from the award winning Hobbs House Bakery. They also do a blistering array of teas, unsurprising given the name of the place, including various black, herbal, green and flavoured varieties.

 The unique selling point of the place, as I touched on earlier, is the room upstairs. After escaping the crush of people in the poky downstairs serving area you escape into an echoy, wooden floored hall with a high ceiling and huge windows that let in volumes of natural light. It must cover many of the surrounding shops below. It looks like a room where Victorian children should have been taught ballet. The floor is covered in wooden tables all of different shapes and heights and surrounded by miss-matched chairs that are far more comfortable than they look. But the best thing about this place is the ambience. Even with such a high ceiling it never feels empty or austere. The noise of chatter and laughter reverberate around the room creating a welcoming and comforting mood. It’s always a bit chaotic; with people running around the huge tables in the centre, tripping over stray bags and chair legs, clearing room for the next people to stumble up the stairs into this bustling and convivial environment.

This is why myself, and many others, keep choosing to go back there. There is quite honestly nowhere else like it in Exeter. Sure you might have to put up with sharing a table with some adolescent college kids, but the joy of sitting somewhere unique and special; that isn’t just a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a coffee house an executive designed because it tested well in a focus group, outweighs this by far. Boston Tea Party is always busy, and the reason it’s always busy is because people want to go there. They could go next door to a big chain, but many don’t. That’s a pretty good sign I think.

Opening Times:

Mon – Sat: 7am – 6pm

Sun: 8am – 6pm

Address:

84 Queen Street

Exeter

EX4 3RP

Brody's Breakfast Bistro - Simple and unpretentious; just what the doctor ordered

It’s Sunday morning, and I’m feeling a little bit delicate.  The night before was spent at the Christmas market (see last week’s post) sampling the various different flavours of Mulled cider that were keeping me, as well as everyone else there who was doing some late night shopping, nice and warm. I am fortunate enough though to have two pieces of luck. The first; I know just the cure for such self inflicted agonies is a hearty English breakfast. The second; I live within a zombies walk of the new dinner Brody's Breakfast Bistro.

Opened in Queen Street, opposite the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, in July this takes the ideas and ethos of an American style dinner but gives it an authentic British twist with its focus on the good old Full English Breakfast.  This is the second of such places, with the original opening in Torquay a few years ago, and since throwing open its doors it has been a roaring success.

Simplicity is everything, which when you are hungover, is very much appreciated. There are only two different prices depending on what you are wanting to eat, starting at £4.99 for a New York style Bagel or American style pancakes, or £6.49 for a the Full English. This may seem a bit on the pricy side at first but when you realise that includes free drinks, free cereal and toast, AND you can go back as many times as you like and just keep on piling your plate up, then you realise this is an incredibly generous offer.  

I feel like a kid in a candy store. What do I try first?

Ok... just relax, breath, it’s not all going to suddenly disappear like Keira Knightley did in that dream the other night, take your time, and just work your way through.

Starting with the basics, they have a wide range of branded cereals to choose from as well as a good choice of sliced breads for your toast (which we’ll get back to in a minuet).  If you go for the pancakes then there is a cool little machine where you just push a button, and 2 minutes later a couple of freshly made, thick pancakes drop out onto your plate. This two minuets though seems like a bloody eternity though, and with only the one machine when it’s busy, you can be in for a bit of a wait. However the pancakes are worth it in the end. With a choice of eight different syrups to slather over the top of your stacks, such as Strawberry and the traditional Maple, you get an authentic American Pancake experience.

The pièce de résistance is of course the fried breakfast. With all that you would come to expect, plus white pudding which you don’t often see, this is what it’s all about. And don’t be thinking this is just what you’d get at a cheap greasy spoon, they source locally and use naturally fed outdoor reared pork and free range eggs. Everything you can have is fresh and the kitchen staff seem genuinely nice and helpful, which is an unexpected delight.  Finally, after helping yourself, you sit down on one of the long, communal tables in the window where you find you’ve got your own toaster to play with and make as much toast with as you want!

 

An exciting, and unique addition to the restaurant scene in Exeter, Brody’s seems to be going from strength to strength. Although not the biggest in terms of size, they have made the most of the space they have, but still at peak times on Saturday and Sunday mornings you will have to queue to get in. I was also surprised to see that they didn’t open in the evenings.  I would have imagined Bre-nner  (Breakfast Dinner) would have been something that could have made an alluring alternative, especially to those on their way into town for a ‘heavy’ night. 

This is more than just somewhere to get a hangover cure though. This is a charming and down to earth place that puts the emphasis on the food and the happiness of the customers, rather than wasting it on needles flim flam. You’re not going to get Michelin stared cuisine, but then Brody’s is not pretending to deliver it. Some might turn their noses up at having to clear their own plates, or the whole idea of buffet style service, however I believe Brody’s supplies a healthy dose of back to basic reality in a market that seems far too caught up in its own self-importance and pretentiousness. Much like a good English Breakfasts cuts through the dull agony of a hangover; Brody’s cuts through all the formalities and delivers an honest and good quality service.

 

Hours

Mon - Fri: 08:00 - 14:30 Sat - Sun: 08:00 - 15:30

http://brodysbistro.com/

Exeter Christmas Market - A Taste of Europe on Cathedral Green

Christmas comes but once a year, and so to it seems does the Christmas Market on Cathedral Green, which is make it’s triumphal return after the tremendous success of last year’s inaugural event.  You may have been forgiven for thinking, if this last week you had been walking through the medieval square that sits at the heart of the city, that a peculiar shanty town appeared to be being constructed; with rows of wooden huts snaking along the pathways. However, this wasn’t the Occupy movement coming back to ruin the grass and fill the green with noise and drunken people; no, this time there was a point to it all.

On a clear, crisp winter’s day, the outline of the gothic Cathedral looms heavy against the bright blue sky. In its shadow; shoppers slowly make their way down the crowded rows of stalls looking for gifts or on the lookout for something that they might want during this season of good will. With its combination of local traders and those from across Europe, and beyond, this year’s expanded market gives you a wide variety of handmade goods, food, drink, plants and gifts. Now, I’m going to be honest with you here; when it comes to knowing a lot about knitwear, or what the latest fashions are when it comes to hats and scarves, I wouldn’t be what you would call an expert. I know you can get woolly hats with those ear flaps on but that about sums up my knowledge on the subject. There does however appear to be a lot more variety than that on show here with many stalls exhibiting a wide range of winter clothing made of various animals ranging from sheep to alpaca. There is also a nice range in leather goods, such as bags and belts (nothing kinky, I know where your mind was going!) and a stall that offers you the chance to make your own snow.

If you’re looking for things for the home then you will find some excellent wood carvers that sell everything form a cheese board or little wooden animals, all the way to fully sized pieces of furniture; with their rustic, natural charm (the furniture that is, not the guy selling it to you). And what could be better to go with all that wooden furniture and decor you’ve just bought than a reindeer skin rug to put on the floor of the living room.  There are also a number of scented candles and incense stalls, which struck me as being a little dangerous; having open flames in a place made up entirely of wood, but the smell is nice.

For those with green fingers there is a great plant stall selling seasonal plants and festive decorations and to tempt those who enjoy spending the holiday season trying to fit as much food into their belly as possible, you can explore a whole host of European delicacies. If you’re trying to watch your weight then avoid going near the French patisserie stall at the far end of market. Just looking at all the cakes and tarts and chocolate soaked waffles can be enough to make your heart give up. But if you are weak willed, like me, try one of the apricot tarts, you won’t be disappointed.  There are also plenty of German sausages on display (what did I just say about that dirty mind of yours?) local preserves, and even a mead stall with a varied selection of the Scandinavian tipple.

 

So when you’re done with your shopping you can find a bench in one of the outdoor bars that are there and watch the hustle and bustle of the market with a hot toddy in one hand and a freshly cooked bratwurst in the other.  Between Thursday and Saturday the market stays open until 9pm. So if you’re willing to wrap up warm soak up the atmosphere with an early evening drink.

These markets appear to be all the rage now; with every city seeming to have at least one. Personally, I like this little bit of European culture that we have recently adopted. We seem to have lost the art of shopping in this country, favouring instead the simplicity and standardised monotony of high street chains. Whereas in continental Europe they have kept hold of their small local businesses and town centres that these types of markets give us just a little bit of a taste of. It’s only here for a month or so, so get out there and make the most of it and go along. Even if you don’t end up buying anything it will at least get you in that Christmas spirit.

The market runs until the 19th December

Trading Times are:
Monday – Wednesday: 10:00 – 19:00
Thursday – Saturday: 10:00 – 21:00
Sunday: 11:00 – 18:00

Exeter Picturehouse - Global cinema on your doorstep

Well, it’s only the third week of me doing this blog and already I’m about to break my golden rule, but frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.  I set out to make this site all about promoting independent and unique places in Exeter, and not to cover large chains and brands that you can find in most other cities. So what we’ve got here is, a failure to communicate, but I’m going to make you an offer you can’t refuse, and I hope you will all agree that Exeter’s Picturehouse Cinema is worthy enough to have the rules bent just a little bit on this occasion.  So fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night.

To give you some background; Picturehouse Cinemas first started in Oxford in 1989 and over the years has acquired 20 other independent cinemas across England and Scotland. The cinemas maintain a degree of independence distinct from cinema chains and multiplexes, and most of their promotional material is specific to individual cinemas rather than to the network as a whole. Their range of films caters to less mainstream tastes than most commercial cinemas and there is an emphasis on independent, cult and foreign language films as well as local events. However this shouldn’t put you off. I’m as partial as the next fella to big explosions and superheroes, but it’s good to watch something different and thought provoking now and again.

Exeter’s Picturehouse (located on Bartholomew St. near the bottom of Fore St.) is no exception. There’s no place like home when it’s wet and miserable outside but if you can brave the elements you’ll find a cosy, modern, glass walled bar upstairs with a nice wine selection and bottles of local beer, that serves fresh, handmade pizzas from their own pizza oven as well as a wide range of vegetarian and vegan snacks which will have you saying I’ll have what she’s having.  They also regularly have live music which, unfortunately, can sometimes be heard in the theatres below. It’s not the most atmospheric and tense of moments when the male lead is torn between saving his brother and being with the women he loves, and all you can hear is someone doing a bad cover of Mumford & Sons. This is rare though and all adds to the character of the place.

When it comes to the googolplexes’ and cinema chains that infest the edge of our cities I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore.  You’re in, you’re out, there’s no character or passion for the movies, and don’t even get me started on the sheer swindle that is 3D. Films are pieces of art that have taken a lot of people a lot of time and love to create, and so should be enjoyed and contemplated on in an environment that promotes such things. At the Picturehouse they put on Kids clubs during the weekends and holidays, Autism friendly screenings, baby welcoming shows for parents and minders, as well as discount clubs for the over 60s and students. With strong connections to the University their Screen Talks program can also give you the chance to discus certain films with experts after the screenings. But the best thing is; you can walk into a movie theater in Amsterdam and buy a beer. And I don't mean just like in no paper cup; I'm talking about a glass of beer, and you can do the same here. Take your wine, ale, or cocktail into the screen with you. I used to sneak cans of larger into the Odeon when I was younger. The only problem was waiting for a noisy bit of the film to cover the sound of opening the tin!

With the Christmas period fast approaching their current season of films (running alongside the latest releases) has a distinctive festive feel to it with features including It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas and The Wizard of Oz. Plus, with a now long running relationship with such revered groups as The National Theatre, Metropolitan Opera and Bolshoi Ballet, you can go and watch live performances of The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Falstaff from all over the world. The bar also hosts a Film Quiz on alternative Sundays at 8pm, but be warned; this is a tough quiz and there are some very knowledgeable (geeky) people that will be there. So if you win you will go ahead and make my day but if you can’t handle the truth, then maybe give it a miss.

I’ll be back, to support a still independently minded and community based cinema, but also to just have a drink in the bar and pretend I know a lot about 1950s French cinema. So pick up one of their programs and I’ll guarantee there will be something in there that will pique your interest. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

How many famous film quotes did you notice me shoehorn into this then?

Opening Times:

15 minutes before the first screening of the day – 11pm

Contact:

Phone- 0871 902 5730

Web site- http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Exeter_Picturehouse/Whats_On/

The Sorry Head - well they did warn you.

I've lived in Exeter now for over 10 years, which is both scary, when I think how fast all that time has flown by, and unadventurous, when you consider the plethora of varied locations I could have chosen to live over all that time. But I’m still here. Exeter has become my home, and it has offered me everything I have wanted over the years.

However, nothing is perfect, and I believe one of the city’s biggest failings has been the lack of live music venues and places where you can go in an evening and listen to some good bands, with good music, in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. This is changing though with a number of new venues popping up over the city as well as a number of long running establishments increasing the frequency and quality of live music. But the spark that started this blaze of melodic uprising began when The Sorry Head opened its doors on Blackboy Road over five years ago.


Back in my student days (yes, unbelievably I have had some level of formal education!) I remember walking into this pub back when it was called the Horse and Dray, soon after I had moved in just around the corner, and being met by a full on bar fight as I walked through the door. Needless to say this was not the most pleasant of establishments, and neither was it the most respectable when it finally closed its doors after numerous police raids. So a bigger turn around you couldn’t expect when it was re-opened as the Sorry Head with an emphasis on atmosphere, friendliness, and most of all live music.

 
With its bar in the centre of the room separating off the pub into two areas; a pool table being the focus on the left and the music stage on the right, you have a balance of traditional British pub and raucous music venue. There is no food menu here. This is not a modern day Gastropub with its Ikea furniture and ‘cut and paste’ decor. They have not tried to make the place bland and inoffensive to try and attract as many people in as possible, but have gone for a lived in and well used look that stems from the simple fact that the place is lived in and well used.

On any given night you will find a good mix of locals, both young and old, and students from the ever increasing population that are finding their way to that end of town. But the place really finds its rhythm on Tuesdays and Thursdays when they stage their Open Mic and Jam Nights respectively. Unlike most pubs and venues that make do with a microphone and a couple of leads, The Sorry Head provides all the instruments and tech you could need. I wide variety of guitars and basses hang on the walls that you can pull down, plug in, and start playing away. You can bring your own instruments and they will fix you up so you can be heard. Since it has opened it has attracted some of the highest calibre local musicians around and still sets the standard for amateur live music in the city. The house band, which is made up of whichever locals happen to be in attendance that night, is exceptionally good and is one of the best funk/blues bands I’ve seen in a long time (Check them out below). The biggest problem is trying to follow them after they kick of the Open Jam nights. I can tell you having played after them on a couple of occasions; they set the bar pretty high!


Exeter currently has a thriving local live music scene with a lot of bands and musicians playing regularly across the city, but The Sorry Head is the heart and soul. Imagine Later with Jules Holland on a smaller scale and more beer. It gives anyone a chance to get up and play in front of a live audience and the rest of us the opportunity to go somewhere and to listen and have fun. If you’re ever in need of some good live music, or are even after somewhere to get on stage yourself, then The Sorry Head is the best place to start.

Check out their up coming gigs and special offers here:
http://www.sorryhead.co.uk/


https://www.facebook.com/TheSorryHead

An African Alternative that's worth the wait

Welcome to what I hope to be the first in a long line of blogs about those places in Exeter that deserve some much needed attention. Exeter is often blasted in the media as having one of the most generic High Streets in the country, full of big chains, superstores and brands that you can find everywhere else across this great and pleasant land. But here I will show you that there is plenty more on offer if you go slightly off the beaten track. We have a gluttony of small, independent shops and restaurants, and some of the best attractions and places to visit, that are wholly unique to this city.

So where should we choose to get this ball rolling then?

For my money, and seeing that that is what is going to get spent on this project it’s a pretty determining factor, one of the best places in town that sums up what I am looking for is the newly opened Afro-Caribbean  restaurant; Afriteo.  Located in South Street, just off the High Street, this authentic eatery is a superb addition to the bustling gastronomic scene in Exeter. On the face of it, it is quite an unassuming place and if you were to walk past it you would do well to give it a second glance. But I urge you that you do. No, actually do more than that. Don’t just glance at it, go in and eat there, and I’ll be very surprised if you don’t end up going back there again.

Started by the very friendly, and elegantly tall, Tochukwu Onu, they rely not on blazing heat and heavy spices that a lot of restaurants do to cover up for a lack of quality in a lot of their dishes, but instead they focus a lot more on flavors and traditional seasoning to bring out a more authentic taste (but if you ask they are more than happy to give whatever you have ordered a bit more of a kick!).

With a menu that boasts such customary Afro-Caribbean dishes as Curried Goat, Jerk Chicken, and Isi-Ewu along with native soups, grilled fish and Spicy Gizzards, Afriteo provides a pleasing alternative to the usual European/American based cuisine that you will find in most places. However there is nothing on their menu that should scare anyone off.  If you are just willing to try something other than a burger or a steak that you usually have when you go out then I assure you that you can’t go very wrong with any of the dishes you can have here. It amazes, and saddens, me when I see a line of people queuing out of the door of KFC, which is only meters away; when for the same price they could be having a great meal of tasty jerk chicken that has been carefully prepared, instead of a processed, unhealthy, fried bucket of ‘chicken’ that has been just thrown in a fryer.

 Prices are very reasonable, especially when you are presented with a literal mountain of rice to accompany each dish that generally means you feel bad that you can never finish it all off.  The only slight concern is that as well as the food being authentically Afro-Caribbean the service can be a little ‘traditional’ to. Everyone there is very friendly, but don’t expect the speed of service you would expect and are accustomed to in a lot of chain restaurants, but is worth the wait.

The last thing to let you know about is that they have a very fine selection of fruit and soft drinks, but no alcoholic beverages on their menu. They are more than happy for you to bring your own beer or wine with you though to drink with your while you are there, so a quick dash to Tesco before you arrive might be in order.

I urge you all to pay them a visit. So the next time when you’re in town and feeling peckish, or you’re going out with friends or family and fancy a meal, remember there are unique places out there that can give you that something a little bit different and are well worth giving a try.

 

Visit their website and check out their full menu at http://afriteo.com/

Opening times:

Monday-Saturday; Lunch 12-3pm, Dinner 5-10pm