Pen & Parchment, Stratford Central, Stratford-Upon-Avon

Great Pub even better since the refurbishment after the terrible water business, always welcoming, many a morning I have visited this pub only to be greeted with a smile, beers are GK ales and are always served correctly and with a smile. Coffee is on the menu to compliment the great meals offered, the big red bus can hide this pub but in any case outside tables for the summer plenty to choose. Good day Sheila worth a visit DC......

This is a picturesque detached Old English Inn chain pub and eatery in undressed brick, though clad in creeping ivy, or some other climbing plant, next to the bridge and River Avon, with a nice front patio The interior is an open plan L-shape around the serving bar that faces you on entry. It is laid out for food, with a slightly raised area to the right on entry, so there is no bar as such, but some tables do have comfy seats and an odd bar stool! The décor is a mix of cream, beige, green, white, undressed brick, with a few ceiling and support beams. There is a part wood floor, around the serving bar, with the rest carpeted. I didn’t eat here, but there were 2 for £10 selections and the food looked fine. There were a few old photos and bits and pieces on the walls and I am glad to say I saw no evidence of a ‘slagging off’ notice board and the service I received was fine. The music was mixed and at a decent level and the TV was on silent, with the news on. Beer; tap stuff, with a Greene King owned range on handpull; Sunchaser, Abbot, IPA and Hardy & Hansons’ Olde Trip, which was decent This place is tidy enough, but is aimed at the food market really, which often gives me a feel of a place being soulless – however, I preferred it here than at the Red Lion – I would return here to eat, but unless I go out onto the patio, I wouldn’t simply want to drink.

The Pen and Parchment is a delighful pub that always has a great atmosphere helped by its friendly staff. I often frequent this pub when visiting Stratford, and have found the food to be excellent (I usually have the beef and ale pie or the Sunday carvery, which I highly recommend!) and the staff most helpful with our two young ones. They have a good selection of drinks; when I have been in there are usually two guest ales out of the choice of four, with the other two being from the Greene King family. In my experience the level of service and quality of food has been significantly greater in The Pen and Parchment than in the near-by Cox's Yard, and would most definately choose to eat there over most pubs in the town. Highly recommended! Ben Timms

This pub has been ripped out and “improved” like most pubs in Stratford. It’s only small but still manages to be soulless, it probably used to be a nice little local. It’s aimed at the tourist trade with the whole place being full of dining tables and chairs. It’s got exactly the same menu as The Garrick and The Dirty Duck so they’re probably all owned by the same people. Four handpumps on the bar all serving beer from the Greene King stable. GK IPA, Abbot and XX Mild (a bit of a surprise that one) plus Morlands Old Original. I had a pint of the mild which was pretty good. Now for the bad news. We asked at the bar where Cox’s Yard was as we knew it was nearby, but couldn’t spot it in the dark. We were pointed in the right direction but were told “You don’t want to go there, they don’t sell real ale (they do) and the foods crap (it isn’t)”. They then gleefully pointed out a large framed poster on the wall of a newspaper article criticising the other pub. Sorry guys this really isn’t on, you don’t slag off your nearest neighbour by having negative reviews about it on your walls. Grow up.