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Bunch of us doing our annual pre-Crimbo 'pub crawl'.
Not as rowdy as it sounds though...mostly in our 40s with one or two in 60s...looking for good atmosphere pubs that sell nice ales and looking to get food somewhere late afternoon. On it from 1ish til 9 then train back.
What's good/bad? Go! - not expecting much uptake on this one 😉
If feeling flush, start off at The George. I have never felt so out of place when I was there last year for some hot choc and cake. Lovely venue tho.
Just watch out for the squaddies 🙂
The Tobie Norris may be what you’re after.
I've not been out a great deal in Stamford, but even the Wetherspoon's is a half decent place to get a drink and they have a good choice of ales; it's called The Stamford Post, I think.....
There's a few pubs within throwing distance too - The Golden Fleece & The London Inn.
Sunday lunch at The London Inn is very good, but I've not eaten there at any other time. It's always busy with people eating though.
If you fancy a cocktail at some point Cosy Club is also only a few steps from any of the above suggestions.
They also do decent food - probably best to pre-book a table.
What direction is your train coming from?
Anyway, Stamford has some of the best Ale houses in the area. I would (Pub crawl done many times) start at the bull and swan, then the George then the queen Marys vaults. Next would be the kings Head then the Toby Norris. Lord Burghley next then off to the crown. green man next them out the back door, through waitrose car park to the jolly brewer. From there off to the Melbourne Bros then round to the golden fleece. Finally a pint in the weather spoons before the train home
If your train is coming from Leicester, its worth having a cheeky pint in the grainstore at Oakham. Pub is on the platform and is excellent.
The grainy used to be my local, go if you fancy a vibe similar to the deep south of the united states. Because the only thing it is missing is the guns and accents....
This sums up the grainy....
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I still love it though, as I'm a country bumpkin at heart.
The Nelson is great and the Indian style burger they do is amazeballs...
I reckon Oakham is a better shout than Stamford for country pubs tbh.... I'd do the Grainy, then the Wheatsheaf and the Nelson for food. Stamford has a nasty edge to it on a night out that Oakham just doesn't, even with the influx of squaddies.
I miss the place really...on a brisk December evening the walk between the pubs in between the Church and Oakham Schools chapel and the stocks is really quite beautiful and spooky when you're smashed.
Lots of fond memories..
If you're doing the pub crawl described by Rents I would add the Cellar Bar after St Marys Vaults.
Jamie - Member
If feeling flush, start off at The George. I have never felt so out of place when I was there last year for some hot choc and cake. Lovely venue tho.
You should try it on the Saturday night of the horse trials. You'd love it. 😈
Only stayed there twice for Burghley though, as we usually stay at the Haycock instead.
Meh, used to work with the head chef of the George... if you are posh enough to go to the horse trials.... stay in Hambleton Hall Hotel instead.
Wrong side of the estate for the member's car park, Tom. 🙂
Tom where abouts are you from? I grew up in Oakham! I remember getting smashed in the grainstore on Stella when it cost £2.50 a pint. Only needed a tenner! Those were the days!
Oakham mate, since I was about 4!
Cheers for the replies.
Coming from Leicester so will be coming through Poke’um. Not sure we’ll be able to alight there to have a few beers and then get back on train as part of a return fare from Leics though - nice idea in theory 🙂
Hmmm....didn’t realise Stamford had a bit of a ‘nasty’ squaddie edge to it....not enough to give it a miss in favour of Oakham?
Oakhams got more bases near it.... squaddies aren't the issue, I just remember getting in a lot more scraps in Stamford than Oakham.... it definitely gets rowdier. Despite how pretty it is, it definitely has or had an edge to it on a Friday or Saturday night.
Definitely second the recommendations for Tobie Norris and Cosy Club.
If you're planning on heading to the George, make sure everyone is dressed up. You'll be thrown out if you don't meet the dress code.
Nasty edge? I have never seen or been involved in any trouble in Stamford. And squadies? Never had any issue.