18/05/23 – Stratford Upon Avon

The Coach House

My first stop was The Coach House on Rother Street, just by the old market area. It stands in a Grade II-listed building dating from the 17th century, with a frontage changed in 1799. The pub was previously known as the Seven Stars and, more recently, the Lamplighter. After repairs and a major refurbishment, it reopened as The Coach House in 2021 under Birmingham’s Davenports Brewery. There’s a lot more to this place than its fairly smart exterior first suggests, and it’s lovely to see an old Stratford building still being enjoyed as a pub.

Inside, the Coach House brings together its old building and a more recently refurbished pub. The historic timber beams are a lovely part of the character, while the open ground-floor layout gives it a roomier feel than you might expect from outside. It’s quite a contrast with some of Stratford’s smaller, low-ceilinged inns. There’s plenty of space to settle in for a drink, and it made a pleasant first stop on an evening exploring the town. I especially liked that the building’s history can still be seen alongside its newer look.

There were three Davenports real ales available when I visited: Mild, Gold Ale and Original Bitter. I went for the Original Bitter, a tasty, easy-drinking session pint.

The Barge & Quarterdeck

After a walk towards the river, I headed to The Barge & Quarterdeck in Bancroft Basin. It was one of the more unusual stops of the evening, with the bar set aboard a traditional Dutch barge rather than in a pub building. The mooring puts you close to the River Avon, the theatre and some of Stratford’s busiest waterside sights. It’s a lovely spot to stop and watch the town from a different angle. I enjoyed the change from the historic pubs around the market, and the barge certainly made this visit stand out.

The barge has a very different feel from a traditional pub. You’re aboard a boat, with the long, narrow layout helping to give the place its character. One end was used for drinks, while the other was serving wood-fired pizzas during my visit. The setting beside the basin is a big part of its appeal, with the water and passing visitors so close by. There’s something nice about having a pint in this setting, especially after wandering through the streets of Stratford. A memorable little stop by the river.

The beers on board came from Windmill Hill Brewery in Royal Leamington Spa, with four to choose from. I tried the 4% Coronation Ale followed by the 3.8% Session IPA.

Stratford Alehouse

Stratford Alehouse was next, and this was one I was really pleased to return to after visiting in 2014. The family-run micropub opened on Christmas Eve 2013 and was the first micropub in the Shakespeare CAMRA branch area. It made a quick impression locally, winning the branch’s Pub of the Season award in summer 2014. The idea was to keep a small, welcoming place focused on conversation and interesting real ales, with beer served straight from the cask. It’s become a familiar part of Stratford’s pub scene and remains a lovely example of the micropub idea.

Inside, Stratford Alehouse is a cosy one-room micropub rather than a large, sprawling pub. The seating is close enough to give it a friendly, sociable feel, with the whole place centred around people enjoying a drink together. When I called in, it had that comfortable, welcoming character that makes a good micropub such a pleasure to visit. There was seating out at the front too, which is handy on a pleasant day. It was lovely to be back after so many years and to see it still doing what it does so well.

Four real ales were available, all served by gravity. I chose Tempest from Shakespeare Brewing Company, a full-bodied, tasty golden ale.

Shakespeare Distillery

I also stopped at Shakespeare Distillery’s town-centre shop. It’s a little different from the pubs and bars on this trip, but it fits in nicely with a walk around Stratford. The distillery produces spirits inspired by the town and its Shakespeare connections, and its central shop gives visitors a chance to browse the locally made range without heading out to the working distillery. I found a good choice of gins, along with local beers and other items. Worth a look if you’re exploring the centre and fancy taking something home.

Cafe Cocktail

A short walk from Stratford Alehouse brought me to Cafe Cocktail. This was a very different stop from the older inns, with a smarter, more modern bar rather than a historic pub setting. When I visited in May 2023, it offered draught craft lager, bottled and canned craft beer, as well as a good choice of cocktails. It was handy to find somewhere a little different while working my way around the town centre, particularly with several traditional real-ale pubs on the route as well.

Cafe Cocktail had a tidy, smart little bar feel on my visit. It was an easy place to settle in with a drink, and the choice went beyond the usual pub favourites. The cocktail side of things sat alongside the bottled and canned craft beers, so it made a nice change of pace between the historic pubs. It also felt quite different from Stratford Alehouse, despite being only a short walk away. That mix of small bars and old pubs is one of the enjoyable things about exploring Stratford.

I picked a can of Kaleidoscope from Bristol’s Wiper and True brewery. At 4.2%, it was a tasty, refreshing pale ale.

Old Thatch Tavern

Across the road was the Old Thatch Tavern, one of the town’s most recognisable pubs. The Grade II-listed building at 23 Greenhill Street dates from the 16th century, with later alterations and an extension from the early 1800s. The thatched roof is the feature that really catches your eye, especially when you’re surrounded by the usual shops and town-centre buildings. There have been claims of ale being sold on the site for centuries, although the age of the building and the age of the pub trade aren’t quite the same thing. Fuller’s acquired the pub in 2012.

The Old Thatch looks every bit the historic Stratford pub from the outside, with its thatched roof, timber-framed upper floor and old brickwork. Inside, the old beams are another reminder of the building’s age. It’s a place with a very different character from the newer bars I’d just visited, and that contrast makes it a particularly good stop on a walk around town. The corner position by the market area also makes it easy to spot. I always enjoy finding pubs where the building itself is part of the attraction.

Four cask ales were available, all from the Fuller’s family of breweries at the time. I went for Revelation from Dark Star, a really hoppy IPA packed with flavour.

The White Swan

My last pub of the Thursday evening was the White Swan on Rother Street. The building dates from the middle of the 15th century and was being used as an inn by 1560, when it was known as the King’s House. One of its most special features is a Tudor wall painting showing the story of Tobias and the Angel, uncovered during restoration work in 1927. The hotel was extensively refurbished after Fuller’s bought it in 2011. With so much old timber framing and centuries of history, it’s one of Stratford’s most fascinating places for a drink.

Inside the White Swan, there’s plenty to remind you how old the place is. Timber framing, old beams, leaded windows and a number of different seating areas give the hotel a warm, traditional look. The historic wall paintings are a real highlight of the building, and the older rooms have a character that you don’t often find in a modern pub. The refurbishment brought the place up to date without losing those important historic touches. It was a lovely choice for my final stop of the evening, right in the heart of Stratford.

There were five cask ales to choose from during my visit, including one from Dark Star. I went for Fuller’s Griffin IPA, an easy-drinking pint.

Ya Bard

I’ve included Ya Bard with these Stratford stops even though I actually called in the following day. It was closed for a holiday on the Thursday, and I wanted to keep the town’s places together. The craft beer shop and tasting room opened in October 2020 on Rother Street, set up by Dave Moore and Sam Thorp. Its Shakespeare-inspired name is a brilliant fit for the town. Unlike the traditional pubs, the focus here was on interesting beers from independent breweries, with bottles and cans to drink in or take away.

Ya Bard had a lovely welcoming feel when I visited. You walked past a couple of smaller rooms before reaching the bar, so it felt like there was more to the building than you might guess at first. There was also a small outside area at the back, along with a vintage shop upstairs. It was quite a different stop from the older pubs nearby, but still had plenty of individual character. Dave and Sam had created a friendly place for anyone who enjoys trying something a bit different, and I was really glad I returned the next day.

There were five keg taps and a big selection of bottles and cans. I tried Fruit Salad from Vault City, a fruity, sour and tart beer.