The first refreshment stop was at the historic Kings Head at the top of the market square.
It's set back behind the buildings that face that square, accessed via a cobbled alley between Adam's Travel and the waffle shop.
King's Head (Market Square, Aylesbury, HP20 2RW - web)
"One of England's best preserved coaching inns" according to the National Trust, who own the pub but leave the day-to-day running to the Chiltern Brewery.
The pub claims to date back to 1455, with an ancient courtyard and stables, tales connecting it to Oliver Cromwell, Henry VI and Anne Boleyn, and the odd ghost haunting it.
To be honest, I expected not to like it. Staff in uniforms, rosemary almonds for £3.50 on the snack menu, old farming implements attached to the ceiling.
"One of England's best preserved coaching inns" according to the National Trust, who own the pub but leave the day-to-day running to the Chiltern Brewery.
The pub claims to date back to 1455, with an ancient courtyard and stables, tales connecting it to Oliver Cromwell, Henry VI and Anne Boleyn, and the odd ghost haunting it.
To be honest, I expected not to like it. Staff in uniforms, rosemary almonds for £3.50 on the snack menu, old farming implements attached to the ceiling.
But it was great. A good mix of custom and a good beer range, with fine keg options and a run of hand pumps serving the reliable Chiltern Brewery brews - an enjoyable 'Ruby' for me.
Leaving the pub we headed back across the market square to the southern side where you'll find the lion statues, the County Hall (where the Great Train Robbers were on trial in '64) and the 15th century Bell Hotel in the corner.
The Bell Hotel (40 Market Square, Aylesbury, HP20 1TX - web)
This is a 'Ghost Spoons' - it still feels every bit like a 'Spoons, retaining the local history pictures, carpet, generous early opening hours and JDW style signage to the loos (a fair trek upstairs, of course).
But Wetherspoon's sold this to the Red Cat Pub Co in 2022 - you've now got to walk round the corner to the main road to the White Hart if you want the real thing.
Gone is the wide choice of real ale, but at least there's still a local brew in the shape of Vale 'Gravitas' at a very sensible price.
Perhaps a little too quiet on a Saturday lunchtime, although the customers were spread throughout a number of different areas which make up this old pub.
This is a 'Ghost Spoons' - it still feels every bit like a 'Spoons, retaining the local history pictures, carpet, generous early opening hours and JDW style signage to the loos (a fair trek upstairs, of course).
But Wetherspoon's sold this to the Red Cat Pub Co in 2022 - you've now got to walk round the corner to the main road to the White Hart if you want the real thing.
Perhaps a little too quiet on a Saturday lunchtime, although the customers were spread throughout a number of different areas which make up this old pub.
Bowie's connection to the town is via the Friars club, set up by a teacher from the Grammar School. Using any available space, initially on Monday evenings when bands were at a loose end and happy to get a gig somewhere, Friars became something of a destination for long-haired prog rock types. The club grew into larger venues and ended up playing host to an enviable list of acts over the years, including Pink Floyd, Queen, Can, Roxy Music, Tangerine Dream. Wow!
On the 15th July 1972 David Bowie picked Aylesbury to unleash Ziggy Stardust on the world, at what was to become one of Friars most famous shows, commemorated by the statue.
On the 15th July 1972 David Bowie picked Aylesbury to unleash Ziggy Stardust on the world, at what was to become one of Friars most famous shows, commemorated by the statue.
Anyway, enough musical nostalgia. Let's head a little way out the centre to the Hop Pole.
Hop Pole (83 Bicester Road, Aylesbury, HP19 9AZ)
This was the first pub I ever visited in Aylesbury, when it was the destination for the Buckinghamshire real ale enthusiast, dishing out beers from the on-site ABC microbrewery. I quite enjoyed those Aylesbury Brewhouse Co beers, so it's a shame to see they stopped brewing in 2020.
It's not quite the ale house it used to be - the 'Craft Beer and Grill' signage above the door raising a frown.
And it may just be me, but those white pillars and beams are too white and neat and crying out for pump clips to be stuck to them.
This was the first pub I ever visited in Aylesbury, when it was the destination for the Buckinghamshire real ale enthusiast, dishing out beers from the on-site ABC microbrewery. I quite enjoyed those Aylesbury Brewhouse Co beers, so it's a shame to see they stopped brewing in 2020.
It's not quite the ale house it used to be - the 'Craft Beer and Grill' signage above the door raising a frown.
And it may just be me, but those white pillars and beams are too white and neat and crying out for pump clips to be stuck to them.
Not all of the ten hand pumps were in action, but there was still a good choice, my pick being a decent Vale 'Lock Prop and Barrel'.
Just behind the bar, as you're heading into the back room, is a small beer shop with some fine Belgian bottles on wooden shelves.
The Hop Pole and King's Head were the town's two entries in the 2023 Good Beer Guide.
So where to go when we'd visited both of them? How about New Zealand?
Just behind the bar, as you're heading into the back room, is a small beer shop with some fine Belgian bottles on wooden shelves.
The Hop Pole and King's Head were the town's two entries in the 2023 Good Beer Guide.
So where to go when we'd visited both of them? How about New Zealand?
The New Zealand (175 Buckingham Road, Aylesbury, HP19 9QF)
The pub is named after a hamlet long-since swallowed up by expanding urban Aylesbury.
The New Zealand is a recently refurbished locals pub which very well may not have been here.
A quick search for the pub brought up a listing on the Lost Pubs Project website where, in 2013, it was on its way to being demolished for housing.
So, good to see it open, with a reasonable number of locals settled in for a Saturday afternoon session.
I'd prepped myself for something smooth and chilled from a keg, so it was a nice surprise to find a sole hand pump serving Tring 'Side Pocket for a Toad'. Predictably, no one else in sight was on the cask, but still it was on reasonably good form.
I think we'd picked quite well - a decent town pub with pool table, darts, locals who looked like they'd still be there at closing time, and sport on enormo TVs.
The pub is named after a hamlet long-since swallowed up by expanding urban Aylesbury.
The New Zealand is a recently refurbished locals pub which very well may not have been here.
A quick search for the pub brought up a listing on the Lost Pubs Project website where, in 2013, it was on its way to being demolished for housing.
So, good to see it open, with a reasonable number of locals settled in for a Saturday afternoon session.
I think we'd picked quite well - a decent town pub with pool table, darts, locals who looked like they'd still be there at closing time, and sport on enormo TVs.
Craftyard is just around the corner from the market square and a stones throw from the bus station.
Craft Yard (23a Walton Street, Aylesbury, HP20 1TZ)
This is one of three Craft Yard venues in Bucks, the first being in Tring, the other in Wendover. There are rooms either side of the front door with Chesterfield sofas, regular tables, log burner and fancy lighting. The bar is in the back room with a patio beyond which was dominated by a hen party on our visit.
Lots of table reservations suggested this place is popular at a later hour.
For my final beer in Aylesbury, I had something crafty, hoppy, and murky.
Sat on high stools next to the indoor fake foliage wall...
This is one of three Craft Yard venues in Bucks, the first being in Tring, the other in Wendover. There are rooms either side of the front door with Chesterfield sofas, regular tables, log burner and fancy lighting. The bar is in the back room with a patio beyond which was dominated by a hen party on our visit.
Lots of table reservations suggested this place is popular at a later hour.
For my final beer in Aylesbury, I had something crafty, hoppy, and murky.
Sat on high stools next to the indoor fake foliage wall...
Whilst Mrs PropUptheBar got carried away with her cocktail order...
Cheers 🍺
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