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Detail Pages
The Great Western, Bewdley
Wribbenhall
Postal town: Bewdley
DY12 1BY
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Great Western
An unprepossessing building, though smart enough in a recent paint job, but the interior is gorgeous. Given the pub's name and its association with the Severn Valley Railway, it's not surprising to find plenty of railway themed stuff, but an April 1910 Bradshaws railway guide was not something I had anticipated seeing in a pub; almost as good were the displays of tiles (see photos). The bar had seven hand pumps, with two ciders and five real ales. The beer I went for was Bewdley Jubilee 4.3%, but it was a blend of the 3.6% Worcestershire Way and 5% "2857" (named after the steam locomotive with that number), and poured as such by the young lass behind the bar.
This is a super pub, clearly frequented by beer tourists like myself but also locals coming in for some excellent real ales, and just a quiet sit down after work or a chat with friends and neighbours (there's some background music but at an ignorable volume while I was here on a midweek afternoon).
Date of visit: 4th May 2022
On 9th July 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3740 recommendations about 3477 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Great Western
The interior along with the outside is finished in chocolate and cream which was Great Western Railway's livery at some point. This is a good sized pub when you include the upper lounge plus rear patio area. Six pumps with four beers on, Enville, Bewdley Platinum, Worcestershire Way and 2857. The barmaid explained that the locals have a 50/50 mix of Worcestershire Way and the 2857, so I went for that which was a very good mix. The cobs and pies are also excellent.
On 22nd June 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Great Western
Friendly comfortable pub with 5 ales available with three from the local Bewdley brewery. We chose 2857 and the Jubilee Ale which were fine, although I found it strange that although there is a proper pumpclip on a handpull for the Jubilee Ale, they make it up by mixing Bewdley 2857 and Bewdley Worcestershire Sway in your glass.
On 14th October 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Great Western
Another solid pub on the way into town with a choice of 5 ales. We went for Bewdley 2857 and Worcestershire Way. Both were fine. Good cobs and pork pies on sale. I would happily call again.
On 11th April 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1656 recommendations about 1556 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Great Western
Smart pub, with inviting advertising lettered on the outside offering a choice of refreshments - with "Revivers" being the most interesting.
Mezzanine floor makes it a split level pub - upstairs has a couple of comfy sofas and a fine picture of Bewdley, in case you forget where you are.
Beer wise - a touch disappointing on my visit. A couple of speckled hens and assorted Greene Kings and a Worcestershire Way from Bewdley Brewery - which was selected. A lively number that took a long time to settle down so that you could see through it.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2mV8xsi
On 31st March 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 277 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Great Western
Close to Bewdley's Severn Valley Railway station and offering good views of the steam trains passing over the nearby viaduct, the Great Western is an unusual open plan pub on the edge of the town centre. The pub was built in the 1840's and was originally known as the Rifleman and according to an info board in the pub, had its own brew house until it was forced to cease production due to malt rationing during WWII. The front door leads into the mid section of the pub which is bare boarded and has a remarkably high, two storey ceiling. The upper storey has some fine coloured mosaic tiling that looks fantastic from below, whilst the lower section at ground floor level is half panelled with plain uppers. There is a nice fireplace on the back wall and just the one lone table with regular chairs next to it. Railway themed pictures predictably line the walls and there are a few old jugs and pots on a first floor ledge alongside various hanging plants. The servery is over to the left, with a modern counter and bar back. A couple of small tables have been squeezed in between the end of the bar and the front windows and I noted a good selection of proper pub snacks behind the bar including pork pies, cobs and some very tasty sausage rolls. The main seating area is over to the right, also with exposed floorboards but under a regulation height ceiling. A lit fake fire on the back wall generated a bit of warmth in what otherwise felt like a cold, open and plain area served by a mix of chair, sofa and low stool seating with a few more railway themed bits on the walls including an old Paddington station sign.
A pretty good selection of cask ales comprising Morland Old Golden Hen, Bewdley Worcestershire Way and 2857, Ruddles County and Three Tuns 1642 was supplemented by two real ciders. I tried the 1642 - a new beer for me from a brewery I usually find pretty reliable, but this one wasn't in the best of shape and didn't seem like the most interesting beer.
I found this pub a bit too open and plain for my liking, creating a rather sterile atmosphere which was a shame as the building clearly has some interesting features that make a visit worthwhile. The poor pint didn't help matters but the friendly service and top quality bar snacks went some way to making amends. This one definitely has potential and perhaps a visit at a busier time would have given a different impression, but it was the weakest pub on my Bewdley mini-crawl.
On 14th March 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]