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Disappointment of the week with Bucking Fastard
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Submitted on Saturday, 25th February 2017
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Detail Pages
The Bear, Stratford Central, Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon
CV37 7LT
Served areas
The Bear Freehouse & Kitchen
We are Ready .... are you? #thebear #stratforduponavon https://t.co/H8EIVPgyXV
8:24 AM May 13th 2021 from Twitter for iPhone
Reviews of The Bear (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Bear (Macdonald Swan's Nest Hotel)
The bar for the Macdonald Swan's Nest Hotel, incorporated within the old part of the establishment, but operating very much as a pub for the general public. Comprises two connected rooms of similar size, with fairly traditional furniture and generally dark decor. Features a wide and changing selection of beers from a bank of eight handpumps which were sampled during a two-night stay. Overall, pretty good for a hotel bar and has won several local Camra branch awards.
On 17th September 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Bear
The Bear is the bar for the Swan's Nest hotel but once inside it does feel more like a real boozer than a hotel bar which is, I suspect given the seperate name, the intention.
It's well situated over the river from the theatre with a a decent sized garden over the road overlooking the river. This was very popular on our sunny afternoon visit.
The interior is all wood floors, wood panelled walls and leather sofas. It's comfortable enough without quite losing the corporate feel.
The service from the young barman was friendly and enthusiastic and even during the afternoon there were a couple of regulars propped on stools by the bar in addition to the tourists and visitors in search of refreshment on a warm afternoon.
Beer on was Wye Valley Butty Bach and HPA, Old Hooky, Stratford Stratford Gold, Thwaites Wainwright, The Bear - brewed by North Cotswold, Hook Norton The Drayman's Drop and one reversed Purity Gold pump clip. Five of these are regulars including the HPA, Purity Gold and Stratford Gold. It looks a wide selection but is in fact dominated by low strength, pale beers. The Stratford Gold was alright but didn't warrant a second so our attention strayed to the Purity Lawless and Longhorn IPA on keg. The Longhorn IPA was good but, as with most keg beers, cost £3 million for a round of two. Well £5.60 a pint.
A decent enough stop if you're thirsty and fancy a low strength, run of the mill, pale beer but not really worth crossing the river for otherwise.
On 10th May 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Bear
The hotel bar for the McDonald Hotel owned Swan's Nest,there is an entrance off the road,although you will have to use the loos by the hotel reception.The square room is in two section split by a central chimney breast and real fireplace.The front is set for dining yet has some leather sofas ,while the rear has a bar to one side,a Sky flatscreen above the fireplace and a set of benches which looks like the place to settle down for some ale.The bar itself is quite ornate and the rest of the interior has wood panelling and looks smartish.There must be good wifi,as a lot of the youngish punters were staring at their laptops and it did have the feel of a student hangout on my Tuesday afternoon visit.The bar staff were quite young as well but at least were happy to have some 60's soul at modest volume as the muzak.There is a fridge for bottled "world" beers.
There are 8 handpumps in this GBG listed bar which meant on my trip GK Old Hoppy Hen & Old Golden Hen,Wye Valley Butty Bach,Old Hooky,Stratford Gold (a malty brew)Purity UBU ,Church End Goats Milk and a North Cotswold brewed house beer called The Bear 3.8%.I though the range was uninspiring with 4 brews below 4%,nothing higher than 4.6% and too many similar beer styles.I really couldn't summond up the enthusiasm for a second.Quantity of real ale is no substitute for quality,but maybe the local CAMRA branch disagree with that viewpoint.
On 5th June 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
View more reviews of The Bear (7)
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- Official site of the Bear, contains menu, wine list and real ale details - www.thebearfreehouse.co.uk
- Facebook - The Bear Freehouse
- Twitter - The Bear Freehouse & Kitchen
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Bear - whatpub.com
Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway, 2.13 miles, 41 min walk (show)
Wilmcote, 3.77 miles, 1 hr 12 min walk (show)
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.
- Accommodation : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Car Park : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Function Room : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Live Music : Yes - Mondays & Fridays - last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Micropub : No last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Real Cider : No last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
- WiFi : Yes last updated 12 December 2018 by ROB Camra
