The Old Lock & Weir is perhaps best known for two reasons. The Hanham Mills pub is a popular haven for drinkers looking to relax by the riverside, offering beautiful views from the garden. It’s perched on the very edge of the river with a huge beer garden that can see hundreds of drinkers flock there in a single day during the summer.
It also made national headlines in 2022 after a grey seal arrived on its doorstep after travelling some 300 miles from Scotland, putting the pub on the map. Their seal pup visitor, nicknamed Nacho, had emerged from the nearby River Avon.
“I looked out of the door and there was just a seal sat right out the front door. We called the RSPCA and the British Divers Marine Life Rescue and kept the seal in an area to make sure he didn’t escape,” said assistant manager Lauren Rees, who still remembers the seal’s arrival clear as day.
