The best pub beer gardens to enjoy your final pint in before lockdown – is your favourite among them?
FANCY a pint? These cosy, colourful - and crazy - beer gardens will leave you thirstier than most.
With a second national lockdown pending, pubs across Britain are facing last orders once again from Thursday.
Thankfully, those with extra outside space are offering a safe (and warm) place for us to relax in over the next two days. And there are plenty of options to choose from.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, says: “Come rain or shine, us Brits love a beer garden. It’s why 27,000 pubs across the UK - over half of all pubs - have one.
"They really are something that is unique to pubs and makes a visit to your local that extra bit special."
From a city centre oasis and magical wonderland to a beer garden with its own zoo, here we round up the best beer gardens in the UK for Sun readers to try before lockdown...
The hidden secret
Where? , Nottingham
Duck behind the cobbled streets of Nottingham’s Lace Market and find the secret door that leads inside a Grade-II listed Georgian Townhouse.
At the back you’ll find a beer garden that’s brimming with personality and offers the ultimate escape.
Decked out in twinkly lights, with tropical plants and vibrant splashes of colour, you can watch classic films on a big screen under an all weather cover or wash down a pizza with a bespoke ale.
The home away from home
Where? , Brixton
No need to worry about feeling the winter chill here.
This huge beer garden comes equipped with watertight pergolas festooned with colourful flowers, heaters and a big fire pit in the centre. The heated garden huts each have a private TV screen.
Get cosy under a blanket with a winter cocktail and listen to a live DJ or watch sports on telly.
The (unlikely) sunset spot
Where? , Newcastle-upon-Tyne
A no-nonsense Geordie boozer that serves up a range of real ales and the best spot in the city to watch a stunning sunset.
Perched above a bend in the river Tyne, this beer garden has the best view of the Tyne bridges.
Wrap up warm and enjoy a pint while watching boats travel upstream and the sun dip into the river.
The famous garden
Where? , Suffolk
The beer garden at The Ramsholt Arms, on the River Deben near Woodbridge, is so beautiful it featured in Danny Boyle’s 2019 Beatles-inspired movie Yesterday.
The riverside pub and dining room is popular with families, holidaymakers and sailors and is the only south-facing pub on the river. During the summer, visitors can enjoy American-style barbecues outside too.
But as the nights draw in, you can order from a menu of hearty winter warmers such as a slow cooked beef stew with dumplings or open fish pie.
The animal lovers
Where? , Rochester
Expect a decent selection of real ales and traditional pub food overlooking atmospheric marshes.
But it’s out the back that The Fenn Bell becomes one of Britain's most eccentric pubs.
It’s the first pub in the country to be granted a full zoo licence and so the beer garden is home to over a hundred rescue animals, including monkeys and lemurs, plus a safari truck for kids to ride around on.
The magical forest - and the quirkiest
Where? , Glasgow
Glasgow’s cobbled Ashton Lane is packed with quirky places to eat and drink, but none of them has a fairytale garden like Brel Bar.
To adapt to winter temps, they’ve installed heaters outside and built cosy cabins with an après-ski vibe, thanks to boozy hot chocolates and alfresco fondue.
Fire pits add extra warmth and twinkling lights and candles glow under overhanging trees, making it feel more like a magical forest than a pub garden.
The suburban secret
Where? , North London
Tucked away on a leafy suburban road just behind Finsbury Park and shrouded in ivy, this neighbourhood Irish bar looks deceptively small from the outside and could easily be missed when passing by after nightfall.
But step inside and you'll find a big beer garden packed with curios and crawling greenery, spread over winding multi-terraced platforms.
Countryside in the city
Where? , Bristol
This city pub somehow conjures the illusion of a rural countryside boozer. It’s only a short walk from the city centre but a leafy escape from the hustle and bustle.
Maybe it’s the lush green garden or the mural on the exterior of the pub of rolling hills. Or the fact it sits next to St Werburghs City Farm, home to a range of livestock including sheep, goats and pigs.
Either way there’s a great selection of local cider to warm you up.
The quaint garden
Where? , West Berkshire
The large beer garden here overlooks the rolling countryside of the North Wessex Downs, an Area Of Natural Beauty and has become a popular pit stop for walkers and cyclists.
The pub has stood its ground since 1640 and is an integral part of the Inkpen village.
A sailcloth fabric cover and heaters have been added to the patio where a menu of hearty pub classics is served. And there are ten rooms in case you want to stay over too.
The cutest garden
Where? , Birmingham
This golden oldie is set inside a Grade II listed building that dates back to 1368.
Redecorated in January this year with vibrant bunting, old-fashioned suitcases and pom poms, the pub beer garden takes on a cute vintage feel.
A pinstripe cover is pulled over when it rains and bold colourful murals on walls outside keep it from looking dreary.
It’s a community pub popular locally for its weekly garden parties and themed quiz nights.
Canal views and patio pitstop
Where? , Manchester
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A popular spot for drinks and delicious food close to Deansgate and perched on Manchester’s famous canal.
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This patio beer garden is a sprawling space perfect for social distancing and delightfully decorated with pretty trees, cushioned benches and huge white
umbrellas to protect from rain fall.
And we all know it falls hard in this city.