The revolution in drinking which has a occurred in the last couple of years has largely been confined to the trendy bar end of the market but you can find excellent old pubs.

The following list is purely subjective and limited.

The Briton's Protection, Great Bridgewater Street, has rich period interiors and a great range of beers and over 50 whiskys.

The Circus, Portland Street, has one of the smallest bars in Britain and doesn't serve draught lager.

The Unicorn, Church Street, has another classic bar and the atmosphere of a local.

Whilst in the vicinity of the Circus, look at the small scale of this largely late Georgian part of the steet and note how the old town houses to the north have long rows of windows on the third floor.

These buildings predate the Industrial Revolution and show that the residents supplemented their incomes by a spot of hand loom weaving, the long row of windows giving them extra light for fiddly work.

It is also worth noting that the end pub of this row, the Old Monkey, is owned by Joseph Holts, the local brewery which supplies probably the cheapest beer in Britain.