The venue is grandiose and the range of beers is mouth-watering but the potential of the setting hasn’t quite been realised.

The Venue
Bennett’s is an enormous, nay, monumental Marston’s pub which was originally the home of the National Provincial Bank Of England - which later went on to become the old NatWest Bank we all know and (ahem) love. It still shrieks of empire building and the power of money with its immensely high, decorated, vaulted ceiling, massive columns in the middle of the room and art deco statuettes of Egyptian slaves bearing the lamps on the window sills.

There’s also a vast Leonardo Da Vinci style mural covering all of one wall and the only difference between it and the original is that it looks like it’s been done by a five-year-old. There’s lots of eating and drinking space on raised areas and there’s a separate room called The Boardroom with comfy high-backed armchairs to flop into.

The People
Bennett’s is great for a casual business meeting and it’s not too racy for grannie so it’s perfect for family get-togethers. It’s popular with visitors to the city and with the big nine-to-five crowd who populate the area. And you're never on your own in Bennetts because it's apparently haunted so there’s bound to be a resident ghost looking over your shoulder or a film crew trying to collect 'evidence'. If you're lucky Yvette Fielding might turn up.

The Food and Drink
The bar has an impressive range of lagers, bitters and real ales on draught including Marston’s Smooth, Kronenbourg, San Miguel, Pedigree, Carling, Guinness and Foster’s. In fact there are no less than six alternating cask ales which, on the last visit, included Wychwood’s Fiddlers Elbow, Jenning’s Cocker Hoop and a lovely crisp and dry 303 from the Hook Norton brewery.

There’s Leffe in bottles as well as Sol, Bulmers, Peroni, Beck’s and Budweiser. The wine list is not amazingly imaginative. You’ve got ten bottles each of white and red wine costing upwards of a tenner and two large glasses of wine get you the bottle for nowt. But the Chilean Santa Helena is worth a go with its plummy finish for £11.95 a bottle. Cocktails are all £3.95 and there are a dozen or so on offer. Food is served till nine and incorporates sandwiches, salads, tapas dishes and main courses, but the quality is variable.

The Last Word
Bennett’s is housed in one of the most impressive pub settings in the city but apart from its great beer selection it somehow hasn’t made the most of a great opportunity.

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