A UNIQUE bar in a quirky Chelmsford location has celebrated serving real ale to drinkers for a year.

The Ale House, based in two of the viaduct arches next to Chelmsford railway station, toasted 12 months of success at the end of April.

Inside the venue customers have been sampling beers and real ales conjured up from brewers in Britain and across the world along with lagers, spirits and wines.

Looking back at the first year of the business, Warren Shepherd, one of the bar’s managers, said the recent popularity of ale drinking has been important to the pub’s success.

Mr Shepherd said: “Beer and real ale has gone up massively in popularity in young drinkers and we have seen a rise in young drinkers coming here.

“What we are also seeing is a lot of women as well coming to have a pint of beer.

“We are the only place like this in Chelmsford and the fact we have such a wide selection of beers has really helped us too.

“We are very popular with beer tickers as well and I am always keeping them up to date with what drinks we have coming in.”

Around 40 or 50 casks of beer are kept in the cellar of the German beerhouse-styled building which runs directly under the platforms of the station.

Logos of the beers which has been pulled through the pumps in the past can be viewed on the wall behind the main bar, ranging from brewers based from the city to more further afield.

Future plans for bosses at the venue include a beer festival being held inside the bar later this month along with starting their own microbrewery by the end of the year.

What has pleased the team most is the recent news they have been chosen to appear in the 2013 edition of the Good Beer Guide.