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Detail Pages
The Boathouse, Shrewsbury
Frankwell
Postal town: Shrewsbury
SY3 8JQ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Boathouse
This old building makes a pleasant prospect when approaching from the opposite bank of the Severn, but once inside it's been tastefully modernised with plenty of grey paint, just like thousands of other gastro pubs up and down the country. There's an understated bar counter (with some traditional hooks), featuring six hand pumps. One of these had a real cider, while four others had real ales on at the time of my Friday afternoon visit. I went for Hobsons Twisted Spire (for other beers, see photo), which was in good condition, but not so good that I would make this a "must visit" if all you're after is a beer.
Date of visit: 18th October 2019
On 2nd December 2019
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3746 recommendations about 3483 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Boathouse
Modernised pub / restaurant in a great position on the outside of the River Severn loop adjacent to the 1922 pedestrian suspension bridge. Bar and dining room at street level on one side but forming the first floor when viewed from the Quarry on the town bank. Substantial patio and (part covered) decking terrace at the water's edge. Six of seven handpumps in use, featuring two from Salopian (Shropshire Gold and Oracle), Three Tuns Pale, Rev James Gold, Golden Sheep and Spitfire.
On 8th November 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Boathouse
Update – September 2015
The Boat House has had an unsympathetic refurbishment since my previous visit in September 2009 ( review below ) and now brands itself as a “riverbar and grill”. It also seems to like being referred to as “the boathouse” with that rather de rigeur habit of not using capital letters at all, which is also rather irritating. It’s all rather spick and span and, predictably, featureless. White painted wood dominates and it all feels a bit antiseptic, a bit like a hospital ward. The establishment’s advertising flyer refers to it as being “one of Shrewsbury’s most loved historic pubs”. There’s no sense of any history at all inside, even if you use your imagination, yet the phrase “most loved” is perhaps true as, on my recent Monday lunchtime visit, the place was doing a roaring trade by about 12.15pm, with food clearly the dominant factor.
As previously reported, the big draw here is still the fine outside seating area by the river and the range of real ales, which, notably, and perhaps contrary to what one might expect, seems to have actually increased when compared to my earlier visit.
Decent pints of Purity UBU and Three Tuns Pale Ale were enjoyed here with other local breweries also represented ( eg – Salopian ) . Note that the outside bar only has a limited ale range – you need to go up the steps and inside to see the full range.
It’s a decent place to sit outside on a fine day, but I'd recommend giving it a wide berth at other times and don’t expect a normal pub experience at any time.
ORIGINAL REVIEW - SEPTEMBER 2009
Well appointed riverside pub overlooking the River Severn, easily accessed by a footbridge from the park on the opposite bank.
Inside is a reasonably traditional and pleasant interior, but somewhat unremarkable. The big draw here is the fine outside terrace, which includes some decking and standard recreation park type seats.
Four real ales were on during my recent early evening visit - Woods Shropshire Lad, Everards Tiger plus 2 beers from Salopian - Darwins Origin and Lemon Dream. Perhaps surprisingly - as I didn't sense this pub had a lot of real ale trade - both the Shropshire Lad and the Darwins Origin were in excellent form, although prices were at the top end of my expectations ( Shropshire Lad - £ 2.80p ).
I quite liked this one - probably one to do more in the summer months, though
On 4th November 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Boat House Inn
A nice place to have a drink on a summer afternoon, if you can get a speck outside. 4 cask ales available. A bit cramped if you have to sit inside.
On 15th September 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Boat House Inn
Superb location. As expected on a sunny summer's day, absolutely rammed but the choice of several bars meant we didnt have to queue for long and there was still places to sit outside.
Nice range of Salopian beers and I went for a very decent pint of Gold.
Some photos at my blog - http://mappiman.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/270615-shrewsbury-pub-crawl.html
On 29th June 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Oggwyn Great left this review about The Boat House Inn
When the Sunday Supplements do one of those lists usually called "100 pubs you must visit" or the like , the Boathouse is usually near the top of the list .
The pub dates from the 15th Century and was used as a Charnel House during the great plague , to house victims bodies .
The pub used to have its own rope hauled ferry , the long low building at the edge of the beer garden was its Boathouse , the ferry was replaced in 1922 by the nearby Porthill Suspension Bridge .
The pub as we find it today is a clean and tidy looking place , from the front the white painted brick lower floor and half timbered upper give a hint of the pubs age , once inside it disapoints , a modern makeover has removed most of the pubs character , as the previous review points out its all a bit IKEA , the Swedish theme continues with several trendy fruit ciders on draught alongside the standard keg beers and seven handpulls with a selection of localish beers , 2 from Wye Valley , 2 from Salopian , 1 from Weetwood with a Theakstons beer being the only long distance traveller , i had a decent Three Tuns XXX.
A steep flight of steps leads to the large Beer Garden with its own small bar , set above a tree lined meander of the river Severn with views across the Quarry Park its a lovelly setting , trouble is the tables are crammed in with little room to get seated when busy , and at the first hint of sunshine it will be heaving .
Its a nice enough pub to visit , especially if you stroll from town through the Quarry and its award winning Dingle gardens , but the bland interior and over-crowded beer garden mark it down for me , a victim of its own succsess maybe .
A must visit pub , not really , for me its not even in Shrewsburys top 10.
On 21st June 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 797 recommendations about 683 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Boat House Inn
Quite a bit has changed here in the last 3 years or so. The whole of the inside has been modernised and it's now like sitting in IKEA. It's all pale wood and pine mirrors, although there was a real fire going in the hearth. Several handpumps on the bar but only 2 beer Salopian Darwin's Origin and Woods Shropshire Lad. The Salopian was a good pint though. Nice river views but a poor refurb in my opinion.
30/07/2009
Very nice looking pub in a fantastic riverside location just across the footbridge from Victoria Quay or across the Welsh bridge and bear left at the roundabout. Has six handpumps on the bar but only 2 beers were actually on, Shropshire Lad and Spinning Dogs Muttleys Revenge. They were pulling one of the empty pumps through as I left so I may just have been unlucky. I had a pint of Muttleys which was excellent. It's getting a bit of a spruce up at the moment as they were obviously painting (large pile of paintpots & brushes covered with a sheet in the corner). I suspect this place will be packed in summer. It's a good pub.
On 21st April 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Anonymous User left this review about The Boat House Inn
I came here a little worse for wear from my previous nights escapades. It was about 1pm and I settled on the idea of gently easing myself in to the drink by supping halfs. The pub itself has a very picturesque setting next to the River Severn and sits next to the suspension bridge.
Like a previous reviewer observed there was 'Shropshire Lad' by Woods brewery along with 'Darwins Origin' by local brewery Salopian. Personally I couldn't take to the Shropshire Lad, but I much preferred Darwins Origin. It had a pleasant citrus undertone to it and was refreshing.
On my particular visit they had set up a tent for their beer festival, but unfortunately it didn't start until 5pm that day. (I wished that I had gone on the Fri and come home on the Sat now.)
Bar meals along with its own pizzeria and a special deal on fish and chips on a Fri.
Worth the short walk from central Shrewsbury, although they could utilize the unused handpumps on offer.
On 8th October 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 0 recommendations about 0 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Boat House Inn
A popular pub on the banks of the river, the main draw here is undoubtedly the large outside seating area, and a notice outside proudly proclaimed that it was “Shropshire’s Best Beer Garden” although it didn’t specify who has decided that. The outside area consists of both wooden decking and a patio area, with much of it having some good cover as well in case of any inclement weather, and this offered good views of the river, the park opposite and the nearby footbridge.
The pub itself is U-shape with a fairly traditional interior, dark wood flooring, low beamed ceiling, etc., although it’s not perhaps quite as cosy as many places. Lots of windows along the back also make the most of the river views. A brick chimney with a wood burning stove were at one end of the bar, and around the corner to the left was a carvery counter. The lower part of the walls were clad in burgundy painted wood panelling, with either lemon or lime paintwork above.
Although we didn’t try the food, the menu looked to be extensive and offered a good selection of “pub grub” dishes at around the £8.50 mark, as well as a good selection of burgers.
Beers on tap were Bombardier, Salopian’s Darwins Origin and Stonehouse Station Bitter. Ciders were Strongbow and Stowford Press.
On 20th September 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Oggwyn Great left this review about The Boat House Inn
As other reviewers have pointed out this pub is in an exelent location , the views from the beer garden across the Severn into Quarry park are lovelly , the pub itself is fairly narrow and cramped , it was busy with diners on my visit so i went out into the beer garden which was suprisingly full on the chilly evening of my visit . Half the beer garden was partioned off for a private party whos music was booming out ruining the pleasant atmosphere of the gardens . Usual keg stuuff plus 3 real ales , Salopian Shropshire Gold , Wood Shropshire Lad and Three Tuns 1642 which i had , it was OK if not that great . This pub could and should be so much better , worth a pop in for the garden views if not the beer
On 26th September 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 797 recommendations about 683 pubs]