ALL BAR ONE
8 Montpellier Walk
www.allbarone.co.uk
No surprises, and All Bar One is what you’d expect from a highly successful chain catering for city tastes. Drinks selection is typically eclectic and the location is excellent for the modern crowd. Big selling point for those heading to the races is the excellent breakfast offered, and there are courtesy buses heading to the track just yards away. Perfect.
BAR 50
50 Suffolk Road
www.bar50.co.uk
Not far from bustling Montpellier is Bar 50, which tends not to feature in many guides, possibly as proprietor Julian Hawkins prefers to close than deputise on his days off. Customers know what they get with Julian, though, with a convivial but genteel atmosphere and a focus on Champagne and cocktails, although he has sensibly installed a Guinness tap to cater for a wider audience. If you prefer to socialise in smaller groups, or far from the madding crowd, then Bar 50 is certainly worth a visit.
THE BAYSHILL INN
85 St George’s Place
www.bayshillcheltenham.co.uk
Off the beaten track, but actually very close to the middle of town if you know where to look, and is a well-run local pub which has been extended and renovated. Another to note for those looking for home-cooked but unpretentious food and/or live music.
BREWHOUSE & KITCHEN
The Brewery Quarter, Henrietta Street, Cheltenham
www.brewhouseandkitchen.com
A newish addition to the circuit, but a recent visit shows that the Brewhouse is well able to hold its own, and it does an excellent range of beers and ales which are created on site. Doesn’t serve Guinness, but plans are afoot to produce a Dublin-style stout for March, and the porter I drank when there was top-notch. Also does an impressive line in traditional pub food reworked for the contemporary market.
THE BEEHIVE
1-3 Montpellier Villas
www.thebeehivemontpellier.com
The Beehive is now famous as one of the best pubs in Cheltenham for raceweek, serving breakfast in the morning and laying on minibuses to the track for their patrons. The same large Irish contingent has been coming back for years, and Monday and Tuesday in the Hive has the feel of a reunion, while the restaurant upstairs is worth the visit alone. Arguably living on past reputation to some degree but comes alive during the Festival.
BENTLEY’S BAR & KITCHEN
76 High Street, Cheltenham
www.bentleysbar.co.uk
Given the bar’s gimmick of offering those who buy a round the chance to toss a coin to get the next round for £1, Bentley’s ought to be the kind of place that makes blokes of a certain age cringe, but it can be relied upon to be open when other bars have called it a day. I must admit that I’ve always enjoyed my trips there. It’s definitely a guilty pleasure.
THE CLARENCE SOCIAL
Clarence Parade
www.theclarence.social
A Regency-themed venue across three floors which panders to an upmarket clientele. I’m reliably informed (by fashionable girl about town, Susie) that it does a very good breakfast, so is popular with racing ladies in particular as a stopping-off point. It also offers a range of dining experiences and, most intriguingly, a ‘secret bar’ in the basement, making it the ideal place for the social butterfly to recharge the batteries, or simply end the night in chilled-out style.
COPA
66 Regent Street
www.copa-cheltenham.co.uk
Scores highly for location, and has an impressive lunch menu. On the downside, service is pedestrian, and you’re not going to be there for lunch anyway.
THE COTSWOLD INN
17 Portland Street
www.cotswoldhotelcheltenham.co.uk
By no means the most salubrious venue in town, but its lack of pretentiousness gets it plenty of friends, and one of the better places for live music. Definitely no frills, but easy to find, and handy for late-night eating spots.
THE FROG AND FIDDLE
313-315 High Street
www.frogandfiddle.butcombe.com
Live music a speciality, but this no-nonsense bar also does a good range of beers and shows live sports, which attracts a predominantly younger crowd. Not top of the list, but the best pub on the north end of the High Street, which can be a little ropey.
THE FEATHERED FISH
104-106 Winchcombe Street
www.thefeatheredfish.co.uk
Formerly The Conservatory, this is an improved model, and one of the quickest pubs to get to from the racecourse. The décor is kind on the eye, and while the pool tables which are a feature outside of raceweek (as the Festival must always be termed if you’re a local) get removed along with some of the seating, the end result is a spacious pub with a friendly vibe and a decent array of drinks.
HARRY COOK FREE HOUSE
23 Montpellier Walk
www.harrycookcheltenham.co.uk
Once O’Neill’s, one of the most popular locations in town in raceweek, and while the reinvention is light on the if-you’re-Irish-come-into-the-parlour shtick, it still draws the crowds, and promises great food, craft beer and good times. I can confirm that it delivers on all three promises.
HOTEL DU VIN
Parabola Road
www.hotelduvin.com
Put in the shade perhaps by 131, but Hotel du Vin is still one of the most luxurious locations around. It’s a relative haven in busy Montpellier, offers a high-class dining experience alongside an extensive bar, and will appeal to racegoers of a more refined status.
THE JOLLY BREWMASTER
39 Painswick Road
A very solid pub, if just a little too far from the other pubs if easy access is important. Lively and renowned for its range of real ale, and frequently pops up in local lists of the most popular pubs in the region, so if you want to stay put for the night, it hits the spot.
JOHN GORDONS
11 Montpellier Arcade
www.johngordons.co.uk
An upmarket wine and whiskey merchant, John Gordons also doubles as a classy and intimate bar, in contrast to Brasserie Blanc across the road, which can’t be faulted as an early evening dining experience, but does get particularly raucous later at night. That may be exactly what you’re after, but if the madness gets too much, a trip to John Gordons is the perfect tonic, if you’ll excuse the pun.
THE LANGTON
189-191 London Road
www.thelangton.co.uk
The Langton is a modern country pub particularly proud of its stylish European food and extensive wine list. Out of town in Charlton Kings, but one of the more renowned eateries in the area, so sneaks in for that reason.
THE LANSDOWN
Lansdown Road
www.lansdown-cheltenham.co.uk
Primarily a sports bar, and out of the way if you’re already ensconced in town, but it does offer a good stopping off point if you are going to or from the train station.
THE MIDLAND HOTEL
247 Gloucester Road
www.midlandcheltenham.co.uk
Like the Lansdown, you won’t go out of your way to find it, but you can’t miss it if you’re arriving or leaving by train, and it does bumper business through the week.
MONTPELLIER WINE BAR
Bayshill Lodge, Montpellier Street
www.montpellierwinebar.co.uk
One of the establishments which relies on its reputation of 30 years ago, and probably not quite the force of old. On the other hand, it has definite charm, and tends to attract a crowd who have been frequenting it for years, which leads to a cosy but lively atmosphere. A good starting point if you intend bar-hopping in Montpellier.
MORAN’S EATING HOUSE
123-129 Bath Road
www.moranseatinghouse.co.uk
A classy family-run wine bar and restaurant on the upper Bath Road, which means it’s out of the way of the main crush. Offers a varied menu, but always scores highly for quality and service and the range of beers at the bar is impressive. If you want to move on, there are several decent pubs further up the street, and Montpellier is five minutes’ walk in the opposite direction, so while isolated to some degree, it offers the best of both worlds.
THE RETREAT
10-11 Suffolk Parade
www.theretreatwinebar.co.uk
If shabby chic is your thing, then The Retreat, a hugely popular wine bar and bistro, is the place to be. It’s a magnet for the cool young crowd, which probably explains the surprisingly large number of lecherous old men in attendance. Loud, vibrant and fun, which is terrible if you don’t like that kind of thing.
REVOLUTION
Clarence Parade
www.revolution-bars.co.uk
‘Vodka Revs’ to its devotees, and will appeal to the younger reveller as much as the 50-year-old having a midlife crisis. Housed in a former church which means it’s good for people-watching, but those of a religious persuasion may be concerned about bursting into flames. Risky.
THE ROYAL UNION
37 Hatherley Street
www.theroyalunion.com
Tucked away in a quiet corner of town, and makes no effort to attract a racing crowd, but exceptionally well run, and does good food and good booze in an intimate atmosphere. A great place to find if you want to escape the crowd. Also has a good range of board games, but that might be taking things too far.
SANDFORD PARK ALEHOUSE
20 High Street
www.spalehouse.co.uk
Not a pub which will be bending over backward for new custom, but merits a strong mention as one of the highest rated pubs in the country according to real-ale aficionados. If you are planning a High Street pub crawl, you’re better starting here than finishing.
SOHO BAR
2 Rotunda Terrace, Montpellier Street
www.sohobarmontpellier.com
Excellent location, and one of the trendier Montpellier venues. Describes itself as a “vibrant European-style bistro” during the day, and transformed into a cocktails-and-fizz nightspot in the evening. Smashing, if you like that sort of caper.
THE STRAND
40-42 High Street
www.strandpub.co.uk
Just up the street from the Sandford Park Alehouse, it’s not the biggest venue, but popular with 20-something locals and has a good selection of lagers. Debatable whether it’s the archetypal venue for festival-goers, but scrubs up well and merits a mention.
THE SWAN
35-37 High Street
www.theswancheltenham.co.uk
Like The Strand in that it’s popular with younger locals and is a well run pub which has a wide range of beer and lager, but doesn’t specifically set its stall out for the racing crowd. Low-ish ceilings make it feel intimate but pretty cavernous inside.