Knowing all too well that pubs which open in a blaze of glory can quickly descend into mediocrity, Pub Spy revisited Ounce in The Tything, which launched in May 2018.

When I first visited Ounce Bar and Kitchen I enjoyed an upmarket feel with a lot more sophistication and class than your average city bar or pub – but would that still be the case now the pub has been open almost eight months?

Based at 40 The Tything, Worcester, at what used to be the Marwood and, before that, the Green Man, much thought and attention to detail has gone into the decor.

The style is contemporary yet with a sufficient number of personal touches so that it remains cosy and inviting, including paintings of music legends David Bowie and John Lennon.

Like many pubs and bars in this part of the city, Ounce has a narrow facade but the footprint reaches a long way back. Naturally, this means the interior is much more spacious (one might almost say cavernous) than you might imagine if you were standing outside, looking in.

Perhaps because of this aura of sophistication, you may feel that perhaps a suit or at least smart trousers and a neatly ironed shirt would be the appropriate attire. However, when a group of young men in T-shirts and jeans came in and began talking about their Tinder conquests and about the vast quantities of alcohol they intended to imbibe throughout that day, I changed my mind on that.

A waitress took me to my seat and I found her to be well-dressed, friendly, attentive and courteous, so much so in fact that I felt obliged to leave a decent tip, something uncommon for one so penurious as myself.

Music was playing but the volume was at a comfortable level which added to the atmosphere rather than overwhelming the listener.

I decided on one of the sourdough sandwiches from the lunch menu, served between noon and 5pm. The one that appealed to me was ‘The Butcher’s Sarnie’, a refreshingly unpretentious title. The sandwich contained ground beef, caramelised onions, mushrooms and melted cheddar cheese. It was was very tasty, clearly prepared using fresh ingredients and by an accomplished chef who cared about quality and presentation.

Even though it’s clearly labelled on the menu as ‘buy one get one free’ in bright red letters I somehow managed to miss this. The waitress returned and told me about the offer and asked me if I would like two. I agreed readily.

Though the food was delicious I struggled to eat both meals. However, I succeeded. One portion would be enough for most mortals but Pub Spy’s gastronomic feats are already legendary. The meal in total cost £14.50 (£11 for the sandwich and £3.50 for the pint of Doom Bar).

This would be a bargain for a couple or even for someone who arrived alone like me but possessed a superhuman appetite. Some of the other sourdough sandwiches included smoked salmon and dill creme fraiche and mushroom and brie.

Also available were marinated olives and homemade focaccia with hummus and herb oil and a choice of meals from the butcher’s block including various sizes of sirloin, ribeye or fillet steaks.

As you can see, Ounce is still as impressive as when I first visited and so remains highly recommended.