Stratford-Upon-Avon is, of course, the birthplace of historian George Macaulay Trevelyan, James Richton, the keyboardist from indie rave act The Klaxons, Corrie actor Daniel Brocklebank, and...nope, no-one else comes to mind.
The Warwickshire town welcomes over 2.5 million visitors a year. The sub-zero temperatures and the post Christmas/New Year lull didn't seem to be deterring anyone at all.
The central streets and the footpaths alongside the Avon were bustling with people, Gail's Bakery was doing a roaring trade, Bridge Street was proving a traffic nightmare.
We headed away from all this, walking to the smart terraced streets of the old town where our first pub of the day lay beyond the reach of most tourists.
The central streets and the footpaths alongside the Avon were bustling with people, Gail's Bakery was doing a roaring trade, Bridge Street was proving a traffic nightmare.
We headed away from all this, walking to the smart terraced streets of the old town where our first pub of the day lay beyond the reach of most tourists.
Which meant it was very quiet. For the first...and almost certainly not the last...time in 2026, PropUptheBar visits an almost empty pub at off-peak time. Saturday lunchtime, but a Saturday when many folks were reflecting on how much they've spent over Christmas and faffing around with Dry January.
The staff at the bar took the opportunity to take the bottles off the back shelves of the bar for a bit of deep cleaning.
The Bull has been an Everards house since 2023, providing us with this cask choice...
'Festive Ale' for me. A top option for the cold weather, brewed with dark malts and molasses, served in fine condition and disappearing from the glass far too quickly.
We sat in the back section of the pub, on some jazzily colourful seats, with the weather forecast handily displayed on the TV screen.
We sat in the back section of the pub, on some jazzily colourful seats, with the weather forecast handily displayed on the TV screen.
Inevitably, little of excitement to report from this quiet pub visit.
Which is when I resort to taking a picture of pub toilet signage...
Which is when I resort to taking a picture of pub toilet signage...
The intention was to stop at the GBG '26-listed Dirty Duck for lunch, but everyone else seemed to have had the same idea and there wasn't a seat to be had.
The alternative was the Rose & Crown...
This is a Tudor-framed pub which dates back to the late 16th century. It stretches back a fair way with various dimly-lit nooks and crannies, the long bar counter towards the rear in a barn-like extension. Hand pumps served an 'Abbot Reserve' or Tim Taylor 'Landlord'.
The Rose & Crown seemed to have attracted a mix of tourists and real Stratfordian folks, perhaps those banished from Wetherspoon's across the road, or drawn here by the sport on the TVs in the back section.
From one Tudor-fronted, wooden-beamed pub to another.
We strolled up the road to the historic 'must visit' hostelry in town...
This photogenic building traces its history back to 1596, part of a building boom that followed a couple of wicked fires which ripped through the town in the two prior years.
The Garrick is on the left, Harvard House (built by the grandfather of US University benefactor John Harvey Harvard) on the right. The pair are sandwiched between the slightly less impressive Fresh sandwich baguette emporium and Hoorays Gelato Kitchen.
The Garrick has a flag-stoned corridor leading to a a rear room, but you really want to be diverting through the first door into the tiny front bar...
This would be a classic pub room if only it featured uncomfortable bench seating rather than a couple of hideous high tables with leather cushioned seats which seem out of place in this olde worlde setting.
Cask offering was a the regular Greene King 'Abbot' or the pleasing sight of a North Cotswold 'Hung Drawn and Portered'. The latter for me - a delicious chocolatey dark brew that went down a treat.
I hadn't visited the Stratford micro since 2014, so figured it was high time for a return.
I hadn't visited the Stratford micro since 2014, so figured it was high time for a return.
Opened in 2013, this is located in a run of modern retail outlets on Greenhill Street where there is not a timber-framed building to be found. It's a cracking single-roomed place, with beery decorations, seating at high tables, beer straight from the barrel, and a friendly welcome.
It was also doing a roaring - seemingly 90% local - trade.
The midlands cask selection came from Slaughterhouse, Milestone, Froth Blowers, and Bewdley Brewery. The Froth Blowers 5% pale 'Hornswoggle' was my pick - a lovely pint packed full of flavour and served in top condition.
We settled on the big round table by the window, where we could rest our glasses on Bass beer mats, peruse the local papers, or catch-up on the latest from Anfield.
Hang on a minute, that's a signed football programme - a less honest punter would have pocketed that and stuck it on e-bay, although I have no idea who it's signed by.
We settled on the big round table by the window, where we could rest our glasses on Bass beer mats, peruse the local papers, or catch-up on the latest from Anfield.
Hang on a minute, that's a signed football programme - a less honest punter would have pocketed that and stuck it on e-bay, although I have no idea who it's signed by.
We actually tackled the next pub in the dark, but I rather prefer my picture from the early-afternoon pass-by when we failed to nab a table...
The Dirty Duck (Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6BA)
In a super spot by the river, a few minutes from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Dity Duck is a pub of two names. There has been an inn here for many a year and one known as the Black Swan since 1776 - and that's still the name on the signage today. Yet, somewhere along the line, it acquired the nickname 'The Dirty Duck'. The Food and Drink Guide tells us this is the only pub in the country to be licensed under two names.
Inside, there are various sections to the pub surrounding a central bar counter, although it's the Actor's Bar to the right which is the best spot in the house...
The Coach House (42 Rother Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6LP)
We braved the bouncers on the door, although what they were bouncing I'm unsure - most of the evening trade seeming to consist of gentlefolk diners and the Coach House was relatively quiet within.
It's a Grade II listed building, originally a 16th century house, although inside this is very much a recently refurbed pub, the beer adverts, tiles, and leather cushioned seating reminiscent of the decor of other Davenport's outlets I've visited.
With a choice of their IPA or Gold Ale on cask.
Stratford is far too well-heeled and respectable to deliver mild smut in the gents, but the Coach House did provide a saucy seaside postcard collection...
With the Davenport's branded glass empty, it was time to call it a night.
Yep, Stratford isn't Warwickshire's top pub destination, but it had served us well for one winter evening with some characterful old inns and NBSS 4 beer in the Alehouse. Unfortunately, it's the second time I've visited when craft bar Ya-Bard has been closed, and there is no chance to drink Windmill Hill beer al-fresco from a Dutch barge in the middle of winter.
I also seem to have forgotten to include any culture on the blog post and neglected to take a picture of the swans. Business as usual in 2026, then.
In a super spot by the river, a few minutes from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Dity Duck is a pub of two names. There has been an inn here for many a year and one known as the Black Swan since 1776 - and that's still the name on the signage today. Yet, somewhere along the line, it acquired the nickname 'The Dirty Duck'. The Food and Drink Guide tells us this is the only pub in the country to be licensed under two names.
Inside, there are various sections to the pub surrounding a central bar counter, although it's the Actor's Bar to the right which is the best spot in the house...
The walls are covered in signed photos of people I've mostly never heard of. The seating includes some great wooden settles, and cosy spots to nestle down in on a chilly evening.
This was our third Greene King pub of the day, meaning the beer range includes more Abbot Ale and GK IPA, but my seasonal 'Fireside' wasn't half bad.
This was our third Greene King pub of the day, meaning the beer range includes more Abbot Ale and GK IPA, but my seasonal 'Fireside' wasn't half bad.
We figured we could squeeze one more beer in on the walk back to our lodgings for the evening. I fancied the chance for a pint of Davenport's - a West Midlands beer that doesn't make it the extra few junctions down the M40 into my neck of the woods.
Apologies to the Coach House for the usual lacklustre night-time photography.
Apologies to the Coach House for the usual lacklustre night-time photography.
We braved the bouncers on the door, although what they were bouncing I'm unsure - most of the evening trade seeming to consist of gentlefolk diners and the Coach House was relatively quiet within.
It's a Grade II listed building, originally a 16th century house, although inside this is very much a recently refurbed pub, the beer adverts, tiles, and leather cushioned seating reminiscent of the decor of other Davenport's outlets I've visited.
Yep, Stratford isn't Warwickshire's top pub destination, but it had served us well for one winter evening with some characterful old inns and NBSS 4 beer in the Alehouse. Unfortunately, it's the second time I've visited when craft bar Ya-Bard has been closed, and there is no chance to drink Windmill Hill beer al-fresco from a Dutch barge in the middle of winter.
I also seem to have forgotten to include any culture on the blog post and neglected to take a picture of the swans. Business as usual in 2026, then.
