PUB Spy took a stroll into the city centre this weekend to pay a visit to a recently opened pub.

The weather was dreary, so I was looking forward to getting in the warm and trying out Francesca’s, which opened its doors to customers in November last year.

My friend and I headed straight to the bar to order our drinks where we were disappointed to discover that the pub doesn’t serve food.

I found this a bit frustrating considering the Worcester News carried a story before the pub’s opening which stated that the venue would serve home-made food until 5pm before switching to an upmarket bar.

I was hungry and had planned to have lunch there. So, it was a bit disheartening as I had been looking forward to some home-made grub.

We decided to stay put and just have a drink.

I ordered a pink gin and lemonade while my friend had a Doom Bar, which came to £7.30 in total, which I thought was reasonable.

There were plenty of television screens dotted across the venue.

It was great to see that the football was on TV – Arsenal against Crystal Palace – not that I support either of these teams, but it’s good to know that the pub shows sport for a future visit.

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We had earlier reported how the venue in the Corn Market, which was previously called the Maltster and Bar 12, had been renovated by Ace of Hearts, run by John Spencer.

I had only been in the Maltster once before it shut down, but I had noticed how lifeless and dull it was.

It was a Saturday night and there were barely any customers in there, despite having a live musician performing.

Maybe this was a one-off, but it meant I didn’t fancy returning.

Francesca’s certainly offered more light and had a better aura about the place.

The décor in the pub was quite rustic and quirky.

The owners have described the pub as an ‘upmarket’ bar, due to the fact it has a smart bar and a separate cocktail and gin bar.

It was interesting to discover that the wine is locally sourced from Herefordshire.

There is a large selection of alcoholic drinks on offer in the menu – and if I had more time and if I hadn’t been working, I would have liked to have tested a few of these out.

There was a variety of seating options to choose from – you could either sit on a sofa and chill-out, sit at a table, or on a stool.

It’s clear that the owners are enthusiastic about music and have a good taste in tunes. There were pictures on the wall of famous bands, such as the likes of Mumford & Sons and Kings of Leon.

The owners have said the aim of the venue is to host events, such as live music every week and also hold speed dating and quiz nights.

If this was organised, I reckon it would go down a treat in Worcester and it would be the sort of night I would enjoy with friends – perhaps not the speed dating part.

All in all, if you fancy a drink in the city, it’s the place to be. However, I would suggest food to be served for us foodies to enjoy.

SCORES

Atmosphere: 7/10

Decor: 8/10

Staff: 7/10

Drink: 8/10

Price: 7/10

Overall: 8/10