Masons Arms pub in Bury St Edmunds receives a visit from SuffolkNews' Secret Drinker

Welcome back to a fresh series of pub reviews by SuffolkNews’ own Secret Drinker, who will make their way round the county’s watering holes and give you their honest opinion.

How important would you say the atmosphere is when visiting a pub - particularly in the evening?

Sitting outside in the lovely courtyard garden of the Masons Arms in Bury St Edmunds, with maybe about 40 people in total chatting in their respective groups, it felt very much like a place where you could be all night long and I’m not talking Lionel Richie.

I was impressed as I entered the pub, which dates back to the 16th century, and I immediately had a sense of belonging and genuine appreciation for the set-up and the reassuring, homely feel of the place.

Outside, there are a good number of tables and chairs in the large courtyard that is not only clean, well-lit and fairly well-spaced out, but also with nice touches of flowers and ivy that really help make it an attractive area.

Who was the absolute genius that thought of that simple yet brilliant idea?

Having heaters is a masterstroke and it really goes a long way in someone enjoying their experience if they choose to sit outside rather than inside, especially as you have the control to be able to turn your table’s heaters on or off.

It’s on the level of Cristiano Ronaldo when I say that it is absolutely clutch.

Moving now onto arguably the dealbreaker of a pub experience – the drinks.

When deciding on my alcoholic beverage, I was glad to see a very respectable range of ales and lagers to choose from and I decided to opt for a beer that’s been growing on me recently – Amstel.

At a price of £5, it’s probably about average for a pint of this in the area so I was fine with that and felt even better after a few sips.

Light, pleasant and with a mildly bitter taste, I was certainly happy with it.

While it was being served, the bar staff came across very well and were helpful and smiling which is always a real positive.

This was then followed by my second drink of the night. I was in the mood for a Corona and two minutes later I was left slightly raising my eyebrow when I saw that I had just forked out £6.20 for it…

The inside of the Masons Arms may not be as exciting as the courtyard outside, but it’s still very nice - apart from a wobbly table, which is always a little bit irritating.

After you arrive through the entrance, there is a see-through glass panel on the floor which looks down onto the cellar below with its beer barrels. A really great touch I must say.

Something that did make me laugh was the size of the sink in the men’s toilets. Don’t ask me why.

While on the topic of the toilets, without getting too detailed, it was a bit cramped. I felt the urinals were a tad too close together which I wasn't too ha-pee about (yes I slightly forced the pun in there).

Although I’ve not experienced it myself, there is apparently a popular quiz night on a Tuesday and I may not have tried any food but the menu honestly looked excellent and it’s certainly something I’d want to sink my teeth into in the future.

As a big music fan, one minor criticism I have is that it would be nice to have some quiet music in the background while sitting outside just to add another layer of atmosphere to the place.

On the whole though, I left the pub at around midnight and was very much satisfied with my couple of hours in the Masons Arms and would happily return again.

The scores out of five:

Decor: Very impressive stuff from the Masons Arms here. The courtyard is a real gem all-round as well as a number of cool picture frames inside and of course the see-through glass panel. Best pub garden I’ve come across in Bury. 4.5/5

Drink: No issues here whatsoever and I enjoyed both drinks which were cold, refreshing and tasted great. 3.5/5

Price: Probably the biggest negative of my experience at the pub as it was more on the expensive side of things I feel, but not outrageously. 2/5

Atmosphere: The key factor to why I had a good evening I’d say and it makes me want to go back again. It really adds to the overall vibe and I absolutely loved it. 4.5/5

Staff: Can’t fault the staff who did everything I would expect of them and more. A smile always goes a long way. 3.5/5