We visit the Bristol cocktail bar serving seriously delicious £6 drinks by the river

Bristol is known for its nightlife and the many pubs, bars and places to enjoy yourself with a drink in hand. The city centre in particular is home to many boozy establishments to make any night out that little more sociable.

However many Bristolians, myself included, do not drink alcohol. Whether it is for money, religion, health or just a personal choice, young adults now are more likely to be non-drinkers when compared to other generations, according to data from Drinkaware.

I had heard about The Wellhead when looking for places to go on a night out without drinking and I wanted to see if it measured up to the recommendations online. The Wellhead is located at Finzels Reach, overlooking Castle Park and the river, so it already gained marks for being in a beautiful location to relax and unwind.

I walked into the bar and the staff were immediately so friendly and warm, seeming to want to engage with customers and get to know them. They talked me through their seasonal menu, which changes every few months.

The Wellhead at Finzels Reach serves some of the best mocktails I’ve ever had.

The zero-alcohol mocktails looked and sounded lovely, and I was drawn to the ‘Placebo Paloma’ containing Caleño Light & Zesty, pink grapefruit, salt, lime and soda. It’s a take on the Paloma cocktail, which is usually tequila-based.

Each of the mocktails was £6, not including the green tea option, while regular cocktails start from £9 each, with most priced at £10. Beers and ciders start from £3.20 with a changing selection and there is also a range of hot drinks including teas, coffees and hot chocolate.

The first drink I had was the ‘Placebo Paloma’ with Caleño Light & Zesty, pink grapefruit, salt, lime and soda.

The ‘Placebo Paloma’ came out and honestly with my experience of mocktails, I wasn’t expecting much. But I was completely blown away by it, it was so sweet yet tangy and refreshing.

It felt like it was thoughtfully made with non-alcohol drinkers in mind, rather than being an afterthought just to please the minority. I was so impressed by the mocktail that I decided to risk another drink called the ‘Bloody Shame’.

The next drink I had was the ‘Bloody Shame’ with Big Tom spiced tomato, Henderson’s relish, Tabasco and lemon. It had a big kick!

It was a mixture of Big Tom spiced tomato juice, Henderson’s relish, Tabasco and lemon, and I was reassured when staff checked: “How spicy do you want it?” Never before have I been asked that about a drink, but it was thoughtful to check.

I went for the full spice, and when I first sipped it was taken aback by the kick of it. After the initial surprise I quickly got used to it and it felt a bit like a comforting tomato soup – it was enjoyable and the spice gave the perfect warmth, especially considering it was torrential rain outside.

The last drink I had was the ‘Zobo Iced Tea’ and it was gorgeous. This contained hibiscus, black tea, pineapple, ginger cordial and Angostura.

I couldn’t leave without trying the ‘Zobo Iced Tea’, which listed ingredients of hibiscus, black tea, pineapple, ginger cordial and Angostura, which the staff told me was the favourite of the team. I couldn’t wait to try it and I can not stress this enough – it was THE best alcohol-free drink I have ever had.

It took all my strength not to chug it down at once. It was sweet and chilled with a gentle floral note, and the froth was so good. It was full of flavour but not overwhelming and I could have easily gone for more.

With no expectations I found The Wellhead incredibly surprising – it is tucked away from its big neighbours and has that community feel which is so rare in the city centre. It has that special something to draw you in and backs it up with amazing drinks and an atmosphere where you really can just unwind.

For me, it was the perfect place for a quiet night out without drinking and one I will not forget anytime soon.