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Picture of Althorp Coaching Inn (Fox & Hounds)
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Submitted on Friday, 13th January 2017
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Althorp Coaching Inn (Fox & Hounds), Northampton

Pub added by elizabeth mcgraw
Main Street
Great Brington
Postal town: Northampton
NN7 4JA
Phone: 01604770651
Correct details

Served areas

Reviews of Althorp Coaching Inn (Fox & Hounds) (Average Rating: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Nick Davies left this review about Althorp Coaching Inn (Fox & Hounds)

Very attractive village pub that's been providing hospitality for around 400 years. I'm not sure about the "Coaching Inn" bit, I suspect the Fox and Hounds is the original name and the rest came later. I arrived expecting a load of Lady Di nonsense for the benefit of the tourists but thankfully they've resisted the temptation. We have a rambling set of rooms around a central courtyard. Bar at the front with a pubby area to the right, restaurant to the left, then there's another eating room accros the courtyard. All stone floors, exposed beams and wooden settles, and lovely outdoor seating areas.

Beer is sadly unispiring, Tribute, Doombar and so on, with the exception being the local Nobby's Swift Nick, which was equally uninspiring. I suspect at 4PM I'd had the first pint all day. On this showing it's not worthy of its GBG entry. Food is, as you might expect, upmarket.

We called on a midweek afternoon and it was well worth the trip for the surroundngs alone. I expect it's a nightmare at weekends.

On 18th August 2017 - rating: 8
[User has posted 567 recommendations about 559 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Thuck Phat left this review about The Althorpe Coaching Inn

Original Review - March 2010
This is possibly the best pub in Northamptonshire. Stone floors, beams, real fire, welcoming and knowledgable staff, friendly clientele, decent food but, most importantly of all, top quality, well kept ale. They tend to have around 8 real ales on including 3 or 4 ubiquitous beers such as Greene King IPA, Speckled Hen, London Pride and Abbott. These always go down well with the less adventurous although I've never bothered with them due to the ever changing and high quality selection of guest ales. Recent highlights have included Kelham Islands Cadillac Ranch, Cheddar Gorge Goats Leap and Abbeydale Absolution. There is always a range of strengths and beer types and they are invariably well kept. An absolute must if you're looking for a decent pint in this part of the world.

Update - April 2012

Having continued to use the place regularly, there has definitely been a change of policy on the ale front which needs noting. All the positives regarding traditional building and cosy interiors with an open fire mentioned above still hold. It's also worth noting that there's a decent sized garden and an attractive courtyard for pleasant days as well as an unusual and well used smoking area. The food remains consistently decent higher end pub food and it's a very popular dining pub. The welcome is perhaps a little less friendly than it's been in the past but it's a busy boozer and staff does turnover.
Beer: there continues to be 4 or 5 available from the larger brewers including GK IPA, Abbot, Tribute and Pride. There are also 5 guests still available but whereas these were previously thoughtfully sourced across a range of smaller brewers, strengths and styles, now the choice inevitably contains one, two or three beers from the nationals or larger regionals. My most recent visit found Woodyard, a regular brewed for the pub by an unnamed brewer, Bombardier, Thwaites Original, Hop Back Summer Lightening and Great Oakley Fly the Flag. For me, trying to avoid the readily available nationals, that left a choice of 3 out of the 10 available, one of which is a regular here and I'm not keen on. Thank heavens for Summer Lightening.
This is still a great place to come for a beer, or a meal, in an atmospheric country pub but the ale simply isn't what it was hence I've taken the score from 10 to 7.

UPDATE - January 2013

What a shame.
My most recent visit, on a chilly day, found the fire laid but unlit and the welcome marginally cooler than the pub.
There are still 10 handpumps with one bank of five displaying their ever present range of nationals including GK IPA, Abbot, Pride and St Austell Tribute and the other five featuring guest beers. On the latter 5 was one cider, Brains Rev. James, St Austell Trelawney, Silverstone Pole Position and Hopping Mad Balmy Days. The latter two are local breweries so that's what I went for. The Pole Position was vinegar, I suspect from hanging around for too long rather than that being the dominant characteristic desired by Silverstone's brewer, and the Balmy Days was cloudy and insipid. I settled on Guiness.
A deep disappointment from this once delightful pub and for the restricted ale selection and chilly environment I've taken another two points off bringing it to 5.
I'll be avoiding this place where possible in the future and would advise others to do the same.

On 7th January 2013 - rating: 5
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Stephen Goulden left this review about The Althorpe Coaching Inn

i use this pub on a semi regular basis,guest beers are many and varied and always well kept.
you can always ask for a 'taster' before buying a pint.
food is very good.
if your in the area,pop in,you won't regret it

On 14th October 2010 - rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]

External web links for Althorp Coaching Inn (Fox & Hounds)

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Pub location see interactive map of local area
Map location corrected by Jonathan Wilde
Long Buckby, 3.82 miles, 1 hr 13 min walk (show)
Northampton, 6.69 miles, 2 hr 9 min walk (show)
Rugby, 13.72 miles, 4 hr 24 min walk (show)
Latest updates View all updates for Althorp Coaching Inn (Fox & Hounds), Great Brington
3rd Nov 2022, 12:30
Web Link submitted by Nick Davies approved
 
3rd Nov 2022, 12:30
Web Link submitted by Nick Davies

Pub Details

Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.

  • Hot Food : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
  • Real Ale : Yes last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
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