As wine bar chic sweeps the city centre traditional locals like the Ribs of Beef are becoming a dying breed. But after 20 years at the helm, landlord Roger Cawdron is proving there's more to a great night than wine bars and chain pubs.

As wine bar chic sweeps the city centre traditional locals like the Ribs of Beef are becoming a dying breed. But after 20 years at the helm, landlord Roger Cawdron is proving there's more to a great night than wine bars and chain pubs.

Barmaid Paula Eaglen sums up the free house as “the friendly local for all ages in the city centre”.

While the pub is very traditional, with chatty “old boys” sitting at the bar, at the weekends it is heaving with an eclectic mix of drinkers, who flock to enjoy a genuine and friendly atmosphere combined with a fabulous beer menu.

Twenty four-year-old drinker Mathew Philpot explained: “The Ribs is great because it's cosy and personal with a great selection of ale - attributes you don't get from soulless trendy bars'.

Standing on the edge of the Wensum, the Ribs is a long thin tavern decorated in warm colours, which gives it a cosy feel.

There's a traditional layout with slightly warn red carpets and matching stools around the old wooden bar.

Sporting memorabilia from the pub's football team adorns a corner while the rest of the building is peppered with pictures of Norwich's past, beer adverts and drinking cartoons.

There's a dart board on the wall and Sky Sports and music channels on TV.

A riverside balcony attached to a little-used basement seating area is the Ribs' most unique feature.

This long thin terrace is almost at water level and provides a fantastic alternative venue to enjoy a cold beer on a hot summer's day.

Drinkers can just kick back and relax while the river flows by beneath their feet.

Attractive, outward-going barmaids serve one of the best beer selections in the city centre with 10 ales, six lagers and a wide selection of international bottled beers.

The adventurous selection of ale is served to a good, although not exceptional, standard and there is always mild available.

Bitburger and Kronenbourg Blanc will keep discerning fans of the fizzy stuff happy and there are high quality bottled beers from Belgium, Germany, Spain, Japan, Italy, the USA and the Czech Republic.

The usual selection of nitro kegs, wines and spirits are also available.

It's well worth popping down to the Ribs after work because there is a happy hour during the week between 4.30pm and 6.30pm when less adventurous drinks like Carlsberg cost as little as £1.40 a pint.

A pint of courage is also a bargain anytime at £1.60.

The Ribs has a good lunchtime menu of well priced pub grub for between £3.45 and £6.95 that served from noon to 2.30pm

The Ribs is a proper pub with proper beer that shows that you don't need a trendy bar to have a good time.

It provides the best of both worlds at the weekends by being packed with plenty of lively young people, but having the kind of friendly atmosphere you don't find in city centre bars.

Price of a Round

t Pint of Real Ale £2.40 - £2.70

t Pint of Courage Bitter £1.60

t Pint of Bitburger £2.90

t International Bottled Beer £2-£3

t Large Glass of Wine £3.35

t Shots £2.10