We visit the refurbished Bristol pub with bingo nights, live music and £2.29 pints

Since it reopened in June following a major six-figure refurbishment, popular community pub The Horseshoe in Downend is busier than ever.

Standing at the bar on a busy lunchtime, I ask one of the regulars how it has been since it reopened.

After a roll of the eyes and a shake of the head, he tells me that it’s ‘frighteningly busy’ on Friday and Saturday nights. He prefers the relative quiet of the pub during the daytime.

It’s all very relaxed and convivial on this lunchtime, however, with a mix of chatty locals and families ordering food from the extensive menu - everything from fish and chips or hunters chicken to lasagne or a vegan ‘Beyond Meat’ burger.

The renovation has completely transformed this pub in the heart of Downend. Both the interior and outdoor areas have been given a substantial spruce-up.

To complement the fresh décor, visitors can enjoy a new drinks menu featuring cocktails and an increased range of craft and cask ales from local breweries alongside beers from Greene King, which owns the pub.

These include Bristol’s very own Hop Union brewery from Brislington so I ordered their new rugby world cup beer, Flyin’ Try, which was in perfect condition.

The Horseshoe is currently in the middle if is Cask and Craft Cider Festival, which runs until November 5.

During this promotion, the Greene King IPA is just £2.29, which must be one of the cheapest pints in Bristol outside Wetherspoons pubs.

Other ales on draught on this visit included Greene King’s Abbot Ale and Old Speckled Hen. For lager and cider drinkers, there’s Peroni, Moretti, Foster’s, Madri, San Miguel, Amstel, Oil, Thatchers Gold and Thatchers Haze, among others.

Alongside seasonal events, the Horseshoe hosts a regular programme of events, including weekly poker and quiz nights, plus monthly live music and bingo on the last Sunday of the month.

On October 22 there’s an interactive quiz which invites customers to play along on their phones.

On October 31, there’s a beer trivia quiz so if the questionmaster asks what the cheapest pint in Downend is at the moment, I’m sure the pub’s Greene King IPA drinkers will know the answer straight away.

The Horseshoe, Downend Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 6BA.