Bristol has established something of a student-avoiding speakeasy scene with off-the-beaten-track bars such as Hausbar and Hyde & Co. Like its predecessors, this venue has a strict knock-and-entry policy: in this case, you need to call from an old telephone box outside an unassuming shop-front. Once inside, a red neon sign points the word 'Sex' down a stairway of padded red leather walls. However, Red Light doesn't quite live up to its seedy promise and the decor isn't quite as fussy as Bristol's other prohibition-influenced cocktail bars – although drinks are well up to the mark. ‘House’, ‘hip’ or ‘daddy-O’ versions of classic cocktails including old fashioned and Rob Roy are safe bets, while sours, highballs and the odd curiosity such as the Bristol connection (Appleton 8 rum, Dubonnet, cider syrup and orange bitters) show off the mixologists' skills.