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Detail Pages
The Railway, Cheltenham
Cheltenham
GL50 3QL
Pub Type
Leased (Marstons)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Railway
Situated to the western side of the town centre, the Railway was my favourite pub of the day in Gloucestershire. Whilst there are undoubtedly better pubs in Cheltenham, I would certainly include this in any crawl of the town.
As you enter, there is a door into a small snug to the right-hand side with the main bar and dining areas through a door to the left. There is one long and narrow room with further outdoor space beyond. Many tables (including in the snug) were reserved. In fact, when we passed by again much later in the evening, the pub was doing a roaring trade with food. My only slight criticism was that it was all a little dark inside, with the paint job not doing much to help.
We were there only for drinks. With 3 real ales and a cider on handpull, it was a good choice to have. The 3 real ales were Bristol Beer Factory Fortitude & Power Couple & Gloucester Session IPA. The cider was Pulp Pornstar Martini.
With friendly staff and a nice atmosphere, this was a good start to a short crawl around Cheltenham on foot.
On 26th March 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Railway
A back street pub that’s hard to read, two bars; a snug and a lounge, the snug was empty so I used the lounge. Tables and chairs by the counter and on a balustraded area up a ramp, further back it has bench seating, pews and tables and chairs giving a restaurant feel to the place. Four pulls of small West Country brewery beers and ten kegs mostly of interest. An eclectic mix of decor stuff, the light fittings are old kettles with the bottoms cut off, there’s a boar’s head, pressure gauges, a railway map and a load of mirrors. Studenty clientele or maybe some thirty somethings not letting go. It’s GBG2022 listed. The snug, from what I could see was much more basic. Nicely fitted out gents. It also has a garden-y bit.
On 11th September 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Railway
Large bar and lounge serving 3 real ales & “craft keg”.
On 10th March 2020
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Railway
A traditional and reasonably attractive looking pub located a short stroll from the town centre and right behind the Waitrose supermarket, it has apparently only been open since 2005 although the building is clearly older than that.
First impressions were not great with a distinct disinfectant smell upon entering, although to be fair to them they were just opening up as we got there so perhaps that was simply the result of some over vigorous cleaning during the afternoon. The fact that there was nobody else in there also meant it lacked much in the way of atmosphere, but it’s a pleasant enough pub and I’m sure that would not be the case if it were busier. The bulk of the pub is to the left of the entrance door, and this was divided in to two with a small area around the bar counter and a larger area up a couple of steps and separated with some wooden balustrade that was full of tables and chairs and perhaps more intended for dining. The flooring in here was wood strip, with mustard coloured paintwork on the bulk of the walls, with some dark brown shades lower down. A number of gauges showing steam pressures and so on were dotted around the walls, presumably in a nod to the trains that used to run past. A small brick chimney breast and wood burning stove was shoehorned in to one corner and looked a little odd. A boar’s head was mounted next to the bar counter and a pile of board games was on a shelf nearby. There was quite a bit of fake foliage around, both in pots and hanging from the ceiling and a number of the light fittings were made from old tea pots and kettles. The snug to the right was broadly similar in terms of décor, although with quarry tiles on the floor rather than wood strip.
Beers on tap were Marston’s 61 Deep and Christmas Everyday, along with Sunbeam and Ringwood Razorback. Ciders meanwhile were Thatcher’s Gold and Stowford Press. All in all, not a bad pub, but certainly noting to get excited about and I probably wouldn’t bother with the detour to get here if visiting again.
On 1st January 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Railway Inn
The Railway is a comfortable two roomed pub situated to the south of the High Street close to former St James station & coal yard.
Formerly a Whitbreads pub before it was bought by Banks in 1991, recent refurbishments have removed all signs of the past and it is now a bit of a plain white box from the outside. Internally it’s got a bit more character, although with a very modern decor.
There is a small cosy bar area with a stone flagged floor, leather seats and tables and a leather settee area around the fireplace. And then a door takes you into a wooden floored larger L shaped lounge room with a lower level around a working fireplace with comfy sofas at one end and a long thinner section mainly with wooden tables and chairs at a slightly higher level, which then leads to an external garden area with terrace for smokers.
The food menu is focussed on Sausages and the menu has over 20 different options with different Mashes.
It still sells Banks or more accurately Martsons Beers in the shape of Jennings, Ringwood, Wychwood and Brakspears brewery ales and Ringwood Best, Hobgoblin and Brakspears Oxford Gold were on the three hand pumps on my visit. Wasn’t particularly busy on the Sunday lunchtime I visited so no problem with the service and my Ringwoods Best was well kept.
Not one I would rush back to when next in town , but I found it comfortable enough.
On 21st May 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]