Cape of Good Hope, Warwick

Friendly and welcoming pub on the bank of the Grand Union canal. Six beers available, split between two sets of hand pumps but with all six pump clips displayed. My half of Purity Mad Goose was very good (NBSS 3.5). My enjoyment of the 1980s pop music on the juke box was a little spoilt by the cricket commentary on the radio in the background. Or should that be the other way around?

Official site of Cape of Good Hope - www.thecapeofgoodhopepub.com

Official site of Cape of Good Hope - www.thecapeofgoodhopepub.com

The Cape of Good Hope has a wooden topped exposed brick bar on the rear wall that serves a mostly wood panelled bar to the left and a bar with high tables that was full of people watching the Rugby World Cup on a big screen to the right. It must have been an antipodean match because my visit was late on a recent Sunday. I decided to sit in the empty left hand side as the sporty bar was very busy. Premium and craft keg was available, and on the hand pumps across both bars were Hook Norton Brewery’s Hooky, Wye Valley’s Butty Bach, Theakston’s Old Peculiar, Church Farm Brewery’s IPA and an offering from Tiny Rebel. The service was polite and the atmosphere was good so I’ll make a point of returning when next in Warwick, although maybe during the day so that I can appreciate the canal side location.

The interior remains much as described below, but I’m guessing standards have declined somewhat since the previous review.  Maybe this is because the bar staff mentioned have been replaced with a gaggle of young females who seem more interested in fashion and celebrity gossip than in serving beer.  Additionally, some of the locals were quite antagonistic towards us, though there were one or two dog lovers who showed interest in our pack.  All that said, the food was good value, and the ales remain on top form.  Butty Bach was the star of the line-up, alongside Frogbit, Church Farm IPA, Purity Wild Goose and Hookey, all tested and found in good order.  There were also two craft beers and Orchard Pig.  I’d be happy to come back and spend the evening enjoying the beer. 

As the skipper points out below the bar by the canal is the place to sit and enjoy a decent pint or two or even outside if it's warm enough. The bar is welcoming and staffed by two knowledgeable and jovial young fellows on our visit serving a variety of local clientele. Beers on were: Church Farm IPA and Harry's Heifer, Wye Valley Butty Bach, Hook Norton Hooky and Church End Pews Porter. All relatively local and the IPA was just too good to move from despite the Pews Porter also being good. Away from the town centre but the best ale selection I've seen in Warwick.

A charming canalside pub,but if you approach it from the road,you see a rather dull entrance which opens into the restaurant with a small servery.Go through the open doorway to discover the quarry tiled public bar,with a larger serving area and a door to the narrow terrace where boats are moored.There are some wooden benches here with an opening window through which you can order drinks if drinking outside.The public bar has two large bench seats,with a few high tables by the windows,although one of these obscures the darts throw.There is a BT Sport flatscreen,below which sits a wood burner.The juke box was playing some good sounds at background level and this back bar was traditional. This GBG regular has 6 handpumps and will regularly stock ales from Church Farm brewery and their IPA sailed through the three pint test.There is normally a lot of Locale here,and as long as you find the back bar,I would say that it would be a mistake to miss this pub when in Warwick although it's quite a long walk from the town centre.

Delightful and popular canal side pub although more than somewhat up itself, however it verges on being a restaurant with beer (very good beer).