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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum

Image posted by Just a quick pint, then I'm off
Submitted on Monday, 18th December 2017
With picture contributions to 10780 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (18 more images)
Detail Pages
Shakespeare, Canterbury
Canterbury
CT1 2JR
Served areas
Reviews of Shakespeare (Average Rating: 6 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 Shakespeare
Modernised pub in a historic building off a narrow lane that's almost an alleyway. Must once have had a lot of character, although much of the building's fabric remains so the various seating / dining area are still small. Also has a linked wine bar across a small rear courtyard. As a Shepherd Neame house, I found Master Brew (£4.50) and Spitfire from two of the four handpumps.
On 29th January 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Shakespeare
Traditional pub interior with a Gastro style eatery at the rear, it was quiet on our early doors visit. The bar had four handpumps, with three in operation. I wanted a pint of Spitfire, but the pub clip was turned back. The young barman, made a suggestion towards their craft keg served in the kitchen area. We settled on a couple of halves of Late Red, which was tasteless.
On 10th November 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3644 recommendations about 3644 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Shakespeare
Shepherd and Neame, at WTF are you playing? What was once and should still be a fine, traditional city pub has undergone a ridiculous and wholly unsuccessful conversion into a cafe-style hole. It completely fails to be a wine bar, pub or American-style bar. The music is dire. Overpriced non-traditional contrived snacks are served on bits of wood – presumably plates are no longer 'cool'. Most of its Jacobean character has been removed. The staff are irritating and argumentative. The décor is naff and they forgot to remove the gaming machine. The courtyard is piled with empty boxes – is this an artistic statement, or have they just been too idle to take out the rubbish? The clientele were mostly pretentious morons. I am reminded of the Simpsons episode where Moe's Tavern is transformed into 'M'. There were 3 ales on. I managed to persuade the bar-thing that I really, really DID want a pint of Spitfire and not one of the alternatives he tried so pitifully to sell me, and found the beer to be in good condition but served much too cold and drastically overpriced. Until this place gets over its mid-life crisis I cannot envisage enjoying a return visit, but if you have an incontinent chihuahua, a straggly beard and delusions of 1970s trendiness, this IS the place for you.
On 28th January 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3516 recommendations about 3480 pubs]
View more reviews of Shakespeare (4)
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- Official site of The Shakespeare - www.shakespearecanterbury.com
- Facebook - The Shakespeare
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Shakespeare - whatpub.com
Canterbury East, 0.79 miles, 15 min walk (show)
Sturry, 2.53 miles, 48 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.
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 16 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Beer Garden : No last updated 16 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Car Park : No last updated 16 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 16 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Jukebox : No last updated 16 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Pinball : No last updated 16 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Pool Table : No last updated 16 November 2013 by Pub SignMan
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 16 November 2013 by Pub SignMan