Cheltenham Festival
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Cheltenham pubs
Guide to Cheltenham Festival pubs and nightlife - updated 5th March 2012
Below is a brief guide to a selection of good and not so good Cheltenham pubs. A good route for a pub crawl is to start in The Fiery Angel, The Swan or St Paul's Tavern after racing and then work your way into the Town Centre and up to Montpellier, before finishing in Tivoli or the Suffolks. You can then do the reverse in the morning and repeat the pattern until Saturday or when you fall down...whichever comes first!
Or you might want to consider avoiding the town centre and going to Montpellier, Bath Road and Tivoli which now have a better range of pubs than the centre of town and will be a bit quieter too. My NAP pub for Cheltenham Festival 2012 would be Revolution in the centre of town; an oldie but goodie.
Racecourse side of town
The Conservatory, Winchombe Street - the closest bar to Prestbury Park offering bacon butties and full English breakfasts from 9am as well as post race music from a DJ. Booking for breakfast is advised. If you're in a large party or with a corporate then it's worth asking about their marquee. After you've had breakfast turn left as you exit and walk straight up the hill and in just over 10 mins you'll find yourself at the racecourse.
Fiery Angel, Hewlett Road - in the same ownership as The Beehive below and a similar place ie a well run modern pub with character and atmosphere with a good selection of beers. Well known for its Open Mic nights and pub quizes. It's located on the racecourse side so it's busy with racegoers before and after racing. They do a good breakfast and a free minibus up to the course. A good first stop after the walk back from Prestbury Park.
The Swan, High Street - great pub and friendly atmosphere which has a strong following from locals. Good beer and great service. They make an effort and look after customers well. Heaters and plenty of room outside for smokers or those seeking fresh air.
The Brewery Complex and Apres, Henrietta Street - Apres is a Scandinavian style large bar with lots of TV screens including the biggest screen in Cheltenham for watching the racing if you can't make it to the course or want to watch replays in the evening. Some good drinks deals here but avoid the Peroni unless you've backed at least 6 winners as it's pricey! The Brewery restaurants such as Frankie and Benny's will be serving breakfasts throughout the week.
St Paul's Tavern, St. Paul's Road - The recently refurbed 'Tav' won't get many mentions elsewhere but is a real find. It's a really great student/local type pub with great food and excellent prices run by landlady Nicola. If you want somewhere friendly and a bit quieter than town centre pubs this could be the place.
Embassy Nighclub, Pittville Street - A night club that has just opened on the site of the former Mbargo Club. The launch night was apparently poor and the completion appears to have been rushed so you have been warned.
Town Centre
Montys Brasserie, St. Georges Road - Upmarket and sophisticated basement cocktail bar in basement with restaurant upstairs - try the Cotswold lamb if you're eating - that's part of The George Hotel. Descend the elegant spiral staircase before indulging in a luscious cocktail for about £10. Good place to celebrate a big win with a quick cocktail but it can become cramped as it gets busy. Suggest you head here after the races for a couple of cocktails before moving on elsewhere. If you stay too long you'll have trouble climbing the staircase to get out.
Revolution, Clarence Parade - aka Vodka Revs. Large venue with great cocktails, drinks and food menu at reasonable prices. If you're eating I'd recommend the steak which is delicious. Good atmosphere, good music (cranked up as it gets later) and you might even get a seat as there's plenty of room. Likely to be an eclectic mix of young skimpily dressed hotties and suited and booted punters. You may well spot JP at the bar.
The Bank House, Clarence Steet - aka new Weatherspoons, aka posh Weatherspoons, aka 'where Que Pasa used to be'. Has gone down well with locals and Guinness here costs about 60% less than the racecourse and it serves cheap pub grub too. A better option than the Moon Under The Water aka 'Old Weatherspoons' on Bath Road on the other side of town.
Yates Wine Lodge, Crescent Terrace - Loud dance hits from the DJ and a younger crowd knocking back cheap shots. Lots of pushing and shoving sometimes resulting in fights. One of the few pubs in town that has Racing UK.
Tailors, Cambray Place - great sports pub with nice open area out front with tables and benches. Easy to spot as it's a big building covered in Ivy. Large selection of ales as it's a Wadworth pub. Plenty of large flat TV screens both upstairs with Racing UK and they'll show re-runs of the day's Cheltenham races in the evening. Basement bar houses a live band. Great looking bar staff. Hearty full English breakfast is recommended or if you're around at lunch try the Caesar Salad.
21 Club, Regent Street - a night club that's popular with the racing fraternity particularly jockeys. Not much room to throw shapes on the dancefloor but lively friendly atmosphere and loud dance music. Popular with local hotties although less so during race week. Cool outside bar.
Boogie Lounge, Imperial Square - not sophisticated but cool in a retro way. Classic tunes from the 80s and 90s with a few chart dance hits thrown in. Very friendly crowd and good atmosphere. Dirty toilets.
Montpellier
Montpellier Wine Bar - known globally as 'the Wine Bar' it's not to everyone's taste as viewed as a bit snobby by some. But that's not the case in Festival week. Great atmosphere and fun to drink outside on the pavement and get involved in some racing banter as punters walk by. I've met journos, newspaper photographers, the World Spoof Champion and a few actors/actresses in here. If you're a middle aged gent on the pull this is the place for you.
O'Neills, Montpellier Walk - Great atmosphere, good range of drinks, horse racing themed, live music and it's loud. You can eat here if you get back from the course quickly. Expect some promos from the Guinness girls.
All Bar One - Modern bar previously known as Ha Ha Bar. Great atmosphere. Probably not the obvious choice for brunch but it's great and they do tasty coffee. Cocktails aren't bad either and good choice of lagers and spirits. I haven't been impressed with the food which is also overpriced.
The Queens Hotel - Overrated and extremely crowded although you will see racing 'faces' there. Unless you are staying here or have booked a chair in the bar to sleep in (I kid you not!) I wouldn't bother. Much better to skip the Queens and go to the adjacent Blanc Brasserie cocktail bar which adjoins the hotel. Great atmosphere and popular with the middle aged.
Tivoli
The Jolly Brewmaster, Painswick Road - local type of pub with excellent selection of real ales and several draft ciders all reasonably priced. Plenty of room in the garden for smokers. Quite difficult to find (and therefore not as busy as town centre pubs) as in middle of a residential street. Worth seeking out for the good quality drinks and friendly relaxed atmosphere.
The Tivoli, Andover Road - recently re-opened under new ownership after a £1 million refit and it was money well spent. Very classy and great atmosphere. If you want somewhere a bit quieter and upmarket this is the place. If you want to eat you'll need to book.
Lansdown
Lansdown Inn - very much a sports pub with lots of flat screen TVs so great for watching the racing if you can't make it to the course. Younger punters go here. Quite busy despite not being in the town centre. Not a bad place to get a quick dinner after the races alhough it's the other side of town.
Train station
The Midland Hotel aka Betfair Arms - this pub comes alive during race week and for the duration of the Festival is rebranded the Betfair Arms complete with marquees and special offers from the best known betting exchange. The bar is about 60 seconds walk from the platform so not long to walk to get your first taste of Cheltenham. Their prices are very reasonable with Guinness considerably cheaper than the racecourse and it's nicely poured too. Great lively atmosphere both day and night with two session of live music every day.
The Suffolks
The Retreat - Like the Montpellier Wine Bar lots of well healed punters here eyeing up the horsey hotties (generally ex-Cheltenham Ladies College gels) in tweed. Small garden outside for smokers. Smart, trendy, not too busy and everything is red. Get's busy from about 7pm.
The Beehive - the atmosphere really buzzes here - geddit. A good modern 'local' with a great mixed crowd. Garden outside for smokers where's there'll be plenty of racing chat. Great choice of real ale, lagers and cider. Good place for chatting to other racegoers and Cheltenham residents as it's friendly.
Bath Road
The Brown Jug, Bath Road - Up and coming pub on the Bath Road that is worth the walk. Great pub food including breakfasts and daily specials plus a wide range of beers as it's a Wadworth house. Also great for sport on TV as they have Sky Sports and ESPN.
The Exmouth, Bath Road - Trendy pub on Bath Road popular with old and young alike. Serves good food and there's plenty of room including a huge garden. Lively atmosphere and a great alternative to Town Centre pubs.
Guide to Cheltenham Festival pubs and nightlife - updated 5th March 2012
Below is a brief guide to a selection of good and not so good Cheltenham pubs. A good route for a pub crawl is to start in The Fiery Angel, The Swan or St Paul's Tavern after racing and then work your way into the Town Centre and up to Montpellier, before finishing in Tivoli or the Suffolks. You can then do the reverse in the morning and repeat the pattern until Saturday or when you fall down...whichever comes first!
Or you might want to consider avoiding the town centre and going to Montpellier, Bath Road and Tivoli which now have a better range of pubs than the centre of town and will be a bit quieter too. My NAP pub for Cheltenham Festival 2012 would be Revolution in the centre of town; an oldie but goodie.
Racecourse side of town
The Conservatory, Winchombe Street - the closest bar to Prestbury Park offering bacon butties and full English breakfasts from 9am as well as post race music from a DJ. Booking for breakfast is advised. If you're in a large party or with a corporate then it's worth asking about their marquee. After you've had breakfast turn left as you exit and walk straight up the hill and in just over 10 mins you'll find yourself at the racecourse.
Fiery Angel, Hewlett Road - in the same ownership as The Beehive below and a similar place ie a well run modern pub with character and atmosphere with a good selection of beers. Well known for its Open Mic nights and pub quizes. It's located on the racecourse side so it's busy with racegoers before and after racing. They do a good breakfast and a free minibus up to the course. A good first stop after the walk back from Prestbury Park.
The Swan, High Street - great pub and friendly atmosphere which has a strong following from locals. Good beer and great service. They make an effort and look after customers well. Heaters and plenty of room outside for smokers or those seeking fresh air.
The Brewery Complex and Apres, Henrietta Street - Apres is a Scandinavian style large bar with lots of TV screens including the biggest screen in Cheltenham for watching the racing if you can't make it to the course or want to watch replays in the evening. Some good drinks deals here but avoid the Peroni unless you've backed at least 6 winners as it's pricey! The Brewery restaurants such as Frankie and Benny's will be serving breakfasts throughout the week.
St Paul's Tavern, St. Paul's Road - The recently refurbed 'Tav' won't get many mentions elsewhere but is a real find. It's a really great student/local type pub with great food and excellent prices run by landlady Nicola. If you want somewhere friendly and a bit quieter than town centre pubs this could be the place.
Embassy Nighclub, Pittville Street - A night club that has just opened on the site of the former Mbargo Club. The launch night was apparently poor and the completion appears to have been rushed so you have been warned.
Town Centre
Montys Brasserie, St. Georges Road - Upmarket and sophisticated basement cocktail bar in basement with restaurant upstairs - try the Cotswold lamb if you're eating - that's part of The George Hotel. Descend the elegant spiral staircase before indulging in a luscious cocktail for about £10. Good place to celebrate a big win with a quick cocktail but it can become cramped as it gets busy. Suggest you head here after the races for a couple of cocktails before moving on elsewhere. If you stay too long you'll have trouble climbing the staircase to get out.
Revolution, Clarence Parade - aka Vodka Revs. Large venue with great cocktails, drinks and food menu at reasonable prices. If you're eating I'd recommend the steak which is delicious. Good atmosphere, good music (cranked up as it gets later) and you might even get a seat as there's plenty of room. Likely to be an eclectic mix of young skimpily dressed hotties and suited and booted punters. You may well spot JP at the bar.
The Bank House, Clarence Steet - aka new Weatherspoons, aka posh Weatherspoons, aka 'where Que Pasa used to be'. Has gone down well with locals and Guinness here costs about 60% less than the racecourse and it serves cheap pub grub too. A better option than the Moon Under The Water aka 'Old Weatherspoons' on Bath Road on the other side of town.
Yates Wine Lodge, Crescent Terrace - Loud dance hits from the DJ and a younger crowd knocking back cheap shots. Lots of pushing and shoving sometimes resulting in fights. One of the few pubs in town that has Racing UK.
Tailors, Cambray Place - great sports pub with nice open area out front with tables and benches. Easy to spot as it's a big building covered in Ivy. Large selection of ales as it's a Wadworth pub. Plenty of large flat TV screens both upstairs with Racing UK and they'll show re-runs of the day's Cheltenham races in the evening. Basement bar houses a live band. Great looking bar staff. Hearty full English breakfast is recommended or if you're around at lunch try the Caesar Salad.
21 Club, Regent Street - a night club that's popular with the racing fraternity particularly jockeys. Not much room to throw shapes on the dancefloor but lively friendly atmosphere and loud dance music. Popular with local hotties although less so during race week. Cool outside bar.
Boogie Lounge, Imperial Square - not sophisticated but cool in a retro way. Classic tunes from the 80s and 90s with a few chart dance hits thrown in. Very friendly crowd and good atmosphere. Dirty toilets.
Montpellier
Montpellier Wine Bar - known globally as 'the Wine Bar' it's not to everyone's taste as viewed as a bit snobby by some. But that's not the case in Festival week. Great atmosphere and fun to drink outside on the pavement and get involved in some racing banter as punters walk by. I've met journos, newspaper photographers, the World Spoof Champion and a few actors/actresses in here. If you're a middle aged gent on the pull this is the place for you.
O'Neills, Montpellier Walk - Great atmosphere, good range of drinks, horse racing themed, live music and it's loud. You can eat here if you get back from the course quickly. Expect some promos from the Guinness girls.
All Bar One - Modern bar previously known as Ha Ha Bar. Great atmosphere. Probably not the obvious choice for brunch but it's great and they do tasty coffee. Cocktails aren't bad either and good choice of lagers and spirits. I haven't been impressed with the food which is also overpriced.
The Queens Hotel - Overrated and extremely crowded although you will see racing 'faces' there. Unless you are staying here or have booked a chair in the bar to sleep in (I kid you not!) I wouldn't bother. Much better to skip the Queens and go to the adjacent Blanc Brasserie cocktail bar which adjoins the hotel. Great atmosphere and popular with the middle aged.
Tivoli
The Jolly Brewmaster, Painswick Road - local type of pub with excellent selection of real ales and several draft ciders all reasonably priced. Plenty of room in the garden for smokers. Quite difficult to find (and therefore not as busy as town centre pubs) as in middle of a residential street. Worth seeking out for the good quality drinks and friendly relaxed atmosphere.
The Tivoli, Andover Road - recently re-opened under new ownership after a £1 million refit and it was money well spent. Very classy and great atmosphere. If you want somewhere a bit quieter and upmarket this is the place. If you want to eat you'll need to book.
Lansdown
Lansdown Inn - very much a sports pub with lots of flat screen TVs so great for watching the racing if you can't make it to the course. Younger punters go here. Quite busy despite not being in the town centre. Not a bad place to get a quick dinner after the races alhough it's the other side of town.
Train station
The Midland Hotel aka Betfair Arms - this pub comes alive during race week and for the duration of the Festival is rebranded the Betfair Arms complete with marquees and special offers from the best known betting exchange. The bar is about 60 seconds walk from the platform so not long to walk to get your first taste of Cheltenham. Their prices are very reasonable with Guinness considerably cheaper than the racecourse and it's nicely poured too. Great lively atmosphere both day and night with two session of live music every day.
The Suffolks
The Retreat - Like the Montpellier Wine Bar lots of well healed punters here eyeing up the horsey hotties (generally ex-Cheltenham Ladies College gels) in tweed. Small garden outside for smokers. Smart, trendy, not too busy and everything is red. Get's busy from about 7pm.
The Beehive - the atmosphere really buzzes here - geddit. A good modern 'local' with a great mixed crowd. Garden outside for smokers where's there'll be plenty of racing chat. Great choice of real ale, lagers and cider. Good place for chatting to other racegoers and Cheltenham residents as it's friendly.
Bath Road
The Brown Jug, Bath Road - Up and coming pub on the Bath Road that is worth the walk. Great pub food including breakfasts and daily specials plus a wide range of beers as it's a Wadworth house. Also great for sport on TV as they have Sky Sports and ESPN.
The Exmouth, Bath Road - Trendy pub on Bath Road popular with old and young alike. Serves good food and there's plenty of room including a huge garden. Lively atmosphere and a great alternative to Town Centre pubs.
Show More
Great post cheers. Just booked a table for the Monday night at Monty's after reading good reviews. A step down from last year's dining at Lumiere and Champignon Sauvage but looking forward to it nonetheless.
Great effort crazy dave,reckon i've been in most of them but the memories and anticipation of just over 5 weeks is mouthwatering 
Thanks Dave used your guide in the past. Although not my type of pub, the barmaid in the fiery angel last year had one of the biggest pairs I have ever seen
Also, think Copa is worth a mention (opposite slug and lettuce)
Also, think Copa is worth a mention (opposite slug and lettuce)
Glad to hear, Rhinestone; looks excellent by all accounts. Lumiere was incredible last year but just takes a bit long when you want to hit the pubs/bars Monday night. I can't believe we're only 5 weeks away! We must savour these few weeks, they're the best of the year and it's a bloody long time til next March
Montpellier
Montpellier Wine Bar - known globally as 'the Wine Bar' it's not to everyone's taste as viewed as a bit snobby by some. But that's not the case in Festival week. Great atmosphere and fun to drink outside on the pavement and get involved in some racing banter as punters walk by. I've met journos, newspaper photographers, the World Spoof Champion and a few actors/actresses in here. If you're a middle aged gent on the pull this is the place for you.
Thanks for the comprehensive info. This bit caught my eye!
Montpellier Wine Bar - known globally as 'the Wine Bar' it's not to everyone's taste as viewed as a bit snobby by some. But that's not the case in Festival week. Great atmosphere and fun to drink outside on the pavement and get involved in some racing banter as punters walk by. I've met journos, newspaper photographers, the World Spoof Champion and a few actors/actresses in here. If you're a middle aged gent on the pull this is the place for you.
Thanks for the comprehensive info. This bit caught my eye!
For those interested in watching the racing in town, then all 20 will be shown on a big screen at the St Stephens Sports & Social Club in Tivoli Street. If you can find the Tivoli pub, then the Club is on the other side of the road from the pub garden entrance.
It is a member's club and normally you have to be a member, or a member's guest to be able to use it. They have agreed for race week only to offer a temporary membership of £1 per day (your name and address details will have to be recorded). Go into the Club (opens from noon) and ask for Andy or Rod behind the bar and tell them that you would like to make use of the Club for the day(s)as posted on the Betfair forum.
In addition to RUK and the big screen, the Club has free wi-fi and a well stocked, very reasonably priced bar. Very well kept real ale - local CAMRA has put the Club forward for the next issue of the Good Beer Guide.
It is a member's club and normally you have to be a member, or a member's guest to be able to use it. They have agreed for race week only to offer a temporary membership of £1 per day (your name and address details will have to be recorded). Go into the Club (opens from noon) and ask for Andy or Rod behind the bar and tell them that you would like to make use of the Club for the day(s)as posted on the Betfair forum.
In addition to RUK and the big screen, the Club has free wi-fi and a well stocked, very reasonably priced bar. Very well kept real ale - local CAMRA has put the Club forward for the next issue of the Good Beer Guide.
you're all welcome to crash round my bedsit
AGAIN
AGAIN
I've discovered a quite fantastic pub lads.
30 seconds walk from the Tivoli, tucked away down a street - THE ROYAL UNION.
A real old fashioned pub. Coal fire, loads of real ales. I haven't eaten there but I've heard some very good reports.
I couldn't recommend the place more. Just a really nice place to have a few pints.
30 seconds walk from the Tivoli, tucked away down a street - THE ROYAL UNION.
A real old fashioned pub. Coal fire, loads of real ales. I haven't eaten there but I've heard some very good reports.
I couldn't recommend the place more. Just a really nice place to have a few pints.
Cant fault the bank , as daft as it may sound it really is a posh Wetherspoons , a great breakfast in pleasant surrounding's
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