THE 'good old days' of the British boozer are back with the opening of Worcester's first micropub.

The Bull Baiters Inn in St John's opened its doors to customers at noon today (Friday) with the landlord raising a glass to the return of the old-fashioned English pub.

Landlord Chris Hankins, aged 64, who was born and bred in St John's, has gone back to basics, serving local cask conditioned real ales and ciders.

The furthest away he goes for the beer is Gloucestershire and he hopes the pub will showcase the best local beers, served in pint or, unusually, in a third of a pint glass (known as a stick of beer) or two thirds of a pint glass instead of a more customary half.

The pub minus lacks the extras that have become a such a prominent feature of modern bars and pubs including televisions, music, karaoke and gaming machines.

Instead the free house aims to keep the focus firmly on the beer and cider and, of course, the craic as micropubs continue to buck the trend of Britain's shrinking pub scene.

The pub has a quaint, intimate atmosphere with benches around the sides and at the back and plenty of room in the centre for people to stand and chat.

Mr Hankins, who co-owns the business with wife Kelly, said: "It is all about the appreciation of beer. It's going back to how pubs used to be - conversation and good ale.

"This is the only micropub in Worcester. There aren't many places you can open one. I think there will be a real market for this in Worcester. The Facebook response has been amazing.

"When you look around it feels like it has always been a pub. It was a Polish food shop and, before, that it was part of Foregate Patisserie. It hasn't been a pub before."

The interior has been re-plastered with new panelling fitted and a new floor with furniture and a bar built from scratch.

Pictures are already hanging on the wall depicting historic scenes of bull baiting for which this part of St John's was once well known before it was outlawed.

From medieval times to the early 1840s the land between St John's Church and the New Road roundabout was more level than it is today, forming an arena for the popular spectacle of bull baiting where dogs were set on tethered bulls.

The pub is already steeped in Worcester's history and even boasts a mini museum in the window which so far includes a vintage crank-operated cash register, a Bavarian beer font, a European tankard, vintage cask ale hand pulls and copper ale measures.

Mr Hankins hopes a few donations may be able to swell the number of exhibits on display.

He added: "Worcester City Council has been really helpful and supportive. I believe it will bring people into Worcester and complement other pubs in the city.

"It is harking back to the good old days and old-fashioned values."

The opening hours are Friday and Saturday noon to 9.30pm, Sunday noon to 2pm, Monday to Thursday noon to 2pm and 5.30pm and 9.30pm.

The Bull Baiters will be available for hire Sunday evenings for organisations, meetings and family groups.