The Star, Stone

The Star is a lock side Marston’s pub with picnic tables down the canal side of the pub to allow for waterside drinking. Having arrived by foot I entered through the car park past a couple of picnic tables to the entrance where I found some steps up to the left where the main L-shaped bar counter is found. Standard and premium keg were available, but unfortunately only Bank’s Amber was being drawn from the four hand pumps. To the right of the entrance some steps lead down to a flag stone floored area with an old worn brick fireplace, but it was lights out down here during a recent late Tuesday evening visit. I think this pub must come into its own when the downstairs bar is open and passersby alongside canal folk are utilising the facilities. During my visit it could have been any mediocre high street boozer on a quiet week night.

A decent well kept pub with a traditional interior as you would expect for its idyllic location. We called on a Friday afternoon around five with the sun blazing, so the beer garden was full to capacity with numerous bottles of chilled white wine served in stainless steel wine coolers. Four handpumps on the bar with three in operation, Bank's Bitter, Pedigree and Sunbeam. We went for the Sunbeam which was decent enough.