Portland Arms, Cambridge

A Barclay Perkins 'Improved Public House' re-built in 1930 which was possibly designed by renowned architect Basil Oliver (1882-1948). It originally consisted of a saloon bar, public bar, off license and snug - photos of some of these rooms are in frames on the walls of the saloon bar and/or on their website. Despite changes there are a lot of original fittings in the present two main bars but the saloon bar counter and bar back are not in their original position.

The left door leads to a small lobby with a terrazzo floor and beyond is the present saloon bar which is an amalgamation of the original saloon bar (on the left), off license and snug. The left part of the room has fielded panelling on the walls to picture frame height and the original Tudor shaped stone fireplace but it has lost its brick interior and now houses a wood burner. The wooden seating bays are a modern addition as the old photographs show loose seating but they do not detract from the overall feel of the room. On the right at the rear of the room is the original bar counter and bar back (wood is the same style as on the panelling) but it was originally positioned in the wide gap between the two halves of the room - the photo on the wall shows there was a panelled wall on the right of it and two windows i.e. the front ones. The right hand are of the room originally contained the off license and the snug - there are three doors into the present saloon bar.

The public bar is accessed via the door on the right leading to a small lobby with terrazzo floor. It retains the original panelled bar counter (confirmed by old photos) but the bar back fittings look to be a mixture of old and new. The original 1930 brick fireplace also remains. At the rear in an extension is a concert room that was completely renovated in 2011 to make a dedicated live music venue.