This heritage hotel proudly proclaims itself to be a good old-fashioned watering hole, with no gimmicks and no pretensions.
Clad in flesh-toned brick and complete with cast iron lampposts and ye-olde-worlde-style signage, the British could be the local boozer of a 19th-century mining town. However, step through the front door and it is clear that this old matron has had some major work done.
The downstairs front bar keeps a touch of country charm with open fires offering a welcome blast of heat in the winter months. When the mercury climbs, savvy punters take their drinks out into the courtyard - a cool retreat of ochre-red bricks and comfy director's chairs.
The British's residential locale means a relatively early bedtime and no cymbal-crashing live bands, but there's still plenty of good clean fun to be had before midnight. Thursday and Sunday happy hours see pints going for the price of schooners, cheap spirits and free pool. The jukebox is also free on Thursday nights, so drinkers can engage in the traditional battle of '80s Oz rock versus pop-tart music.
To keep the troops' energy up, there's a tempting menu of better-than-pub-grub food. Alternatively, DIY enthusiasts can grab a slab of meat from the kitchen and cook dinner themselves on the courtyard barbecue. Needless to say, the opportunity to wield tongs over a smoking barbie, with a non-stop supply of beer nearby, makes this a popular feature of the pub.
Shelley Tustin
