Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Blood Bay
A lovely little pub just off the Market Square, one might well surmise that this hasn’t changed at all for decades. That said, it has in fact only been here for about seven years when it was converted from a shop. Whether or not the shop had a similar décor, or whether it’s been very well planned to make it look old, I’m not sure. In keeping with the Victorian style of the pub, mobile phones were banned and this rule was enforced.
The front bar is quite small, with the bar counter taking up the back wall, and a few small tables and chairs. Much of the wall was wood panelled and painted a deep salmon colour, with the flooring being old wooden boards. A few old pictures were dotted around, including a portrait of Queen Victoria, and above this a small bookshelf. At the rear was a similar sized room that was broadly similar in terms of décor, but with green painted wallpaper on the walls. This served both as a corridor to upstairs but had also been further partitioned off to create a cosy snug. The partitioning included both etched and stained glass, whilst the snug had padded bench seating on either side, and more old pictures. There was also a small hatch to get service directly from the bar.
Beer selection seemed to be limited to just a pale ale, a bitter and a stout and on this occasion, these were represented by Cotswold Lion Brewery’s Shepherd’s Delight, Uley Taverner and Chantry Diamond Black respectively. The solitary cider meanwhile was Barbourne Traditional which went down very well. Oddly though for a Victorian style pub, there was no gin available. Overall, a cracking pub, and whilst the barmaid seemed a little standoffish to start with, she was quite pleasant once she got chatting.
On 2nd April 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2060 recommendations about 1962 pubs]
Tris C left this review about The Blood Bay
Perfectly described below and unknown to me I didn’t realise this was a shop conversion of Victorian era, garnering an Outstanding Conversions and Restorations award from CAMRA; the interior is largely original.
There were four ales on unclipped pumps, named on a blackboard to the rear, with a cider, Pale, Bitter and Hobsons Dhustone Stout, £2.10 a half and excellent, served by the mildly eccentric but effusive barmaid.
With the hearty, friendly and chatty locals in on my Friday 9.00pm visit, I really enjoyed my brief stay; the lack of a car would have kept me in for longer, this making for a great double with the Blue Boar and triple with the Rose & Crown, if you like Joule’s beers.
On 18th August 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Blood Bay
A cracking little pub, converted from a shop. Very dog friendly as there were 3 in during our visit and 2 of them were huge, which doesn't leave much room for humans in the two tiny rooms. A very friendly welcome from the barmaid. No pump clips , but there is a chalkboard benind the bar. Ther's another room upstairs, which is impressive, but it was empty, so we sat in the rear room. No electronic devices allowed, so conversation rules. We both loked it and would happily call in again.
On 28th September 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3286 recommendations about 3196 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Blood Bay
The pub is named after a local prize winning horse, and the painting of this horse can be found on the left hand wall in the front bar. The pub is themed on a Victorian beer house and hosts a curved mahogany serving counter and old handpumps. All the décor throughout is Victorian in style and I especially liked the first floor room, which looked like a room from a museum. There were no pump clips to be seen in keeping with tradition and two beer names were chalked up behind the bar. I tried both an IPA and a Stout. The Stout was very good and prices reasonable, I noticed they didn't charge Victorian prices, as I had my penny to hand. Beware! Beware! no mobiles or laptops allowed in here.
The barmaid and locals were friendly and chatty. Would I return? No! I like the modern day too much with phones and pumpclips.
On 11th January 2020
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about Blood Bay
A good little two roomed place. The servery is in the front room and a number of handpulls are to be found (4, if I remember correctly). Beers were from Swan(?),Brewery and were fine. Please note that, like my mate, you will be barked at if you use your mobile. I didn't venture into the back room as my mate had a bit of a huff on after being reprimanded. Despite its arcane rule I did like this pub.
On 14th May 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Oggwyn Great left this review about BLOOD BAY
Ludlows newest pub converted from a 19th century shop , done out in late Victorian style , the beer range will be based on original hand written recipes from a local brewery dated to 1898 .
On 9th June 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 797 recommendations about 683 pubs]