All I knew about the Victoria in St Werburgh’s before visiting last week a few days after it reopened was that this pub’s sign used to depict Vicky Pollard, the baby-swapping-for-a-Westlife-CD Bristol schoolgirl made famous by Matt Lucas in Little Britain.

That sign is now gone, and the Silent Hobo’s portrait of Vicky has now been placed with Victoria, Queen Victoria, an unsmiling black and white photograph of “the Grandmother of Europe” now a much more subtle option.

Far from modernising this pub, its new owners have refurbished it by simply tarting up what was here before, and this is very much still a drinkers pub.

There is a fresh new red patterned carpet and a dark wood bar curving around the main room, a smaller room off of which has a pool table. The other entertainment on offer here is a juke box, fruit machine and a television which when I visited was playing pop videos from a music channel.

I ordered a Doom Bar, but the barrel had just run out so I was left with no ale option other than Gem, the third tap also out of action. The three ciders on tap fared better: Stowford Press, Blackthorn and Thatcher’s Gold.

On an unfeasibly warm Saturday evening in February, the beer garden out the front was a particularly popular spot. It’s a welcome return for the Victoria, Vicky or no Vicky.

UPDATE, February 29 2012, 9.08am. According to Guriben on Twitter, “The Victoria had a *massive* refurb this time round, not just ‘simply tarted up’.” If that is the case, then apologies. My memory must be failing me. Mine’s a Blackthorn.

The Victoria, 40 James Street, St Werburgh’s, Bristol. 0117 941 3682.