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Detail Pages
Ship Inn, Bridgnorth
Highley
Postal town: Bridgnorth
WV16 6NU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Ian Mapp left this review about Ship Inn
Walking from the Severn Valley Country Park - I checked on google to see if this place was open and doing food. It was.
Arrived and immediately saw the front fenced off, but there was a hand written sign saying "Entrance". The reason for the derelict look is that they had a fire in July 2022 and have been repairing it since.
This means that the toilets are now in a portacabin outside.
But you cannot knock their enthusiasm for keeping going.
Beer wise - I think there were 4 on - Wye Valley and hobsons - which was far too many for the turnover. Tuesday night and the other punters were ordering Carling (asking for it to be in a Moretti glass, bizarrely). I should have followed suit with keg but tried a Hobsons Twisted Spire that was on the turn. Looked good, vinegary taste.
Food is honest pub grub and freshly prepared.
Lovely patio overlooking the river - but if you say you are going outside, they will serve in plastic glasses.
Felt quite sorry for them - this is summer, the sun was shining and they are trying hard but half a dozen punters and just two eating aint going to pay for the renovation work.
On 7th June 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1344 recommendations about 1330 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ale Monster left this review about Ship Inn
This is a nice free house that was built around 1770 as a private house for a successful local bargeman, it is in a prime spot on the riverbank of the Severn and next to Highley station on the preserved Severn Valley steam railway line. The interior was previously very traditional and rustic but it was refurbished and slightly modernised a couple of years ago although some original features have been retained. There are two rooms with three distinct areas, a public bar at the front with a dining area called the Fisherman's Plaice in the back left corner of the main building and a second dining room called the Jolly Roger in an extension on the left of the building. The public bar is on two levels with an exposed stone dividing wall across the middle, this has a large tropical fish tank built in to it. The pine wood bar counter is across the back wall with a large inglenook fire place and timber lintel dominating the left stone wall on the higher level next to the counter, this is flanked by some rather amusing miniature brass cannons! There is also a small log burning cast stove in the right wall at the other end of the counter, there are beams across the ceiling and modern leather arm chairs. I only briefly popped my head in to the two dining areas but they were minimalist with red carpet and modern pine dining furniture. At the front of the building is a pine decked area which is raised up above the level of the riverbank, this has picnic style tables and large parasols.
Regular ales are currently Marston's Pedigree, Banks's Mild, Brakspear Oxford Gold and Hobson's Town Crier with a single changing guest beer which on this occasion was Marston's English Pale Ale. I tried the Town Crier which was very good in my opinion. Bit of a shame that the owners seem to have chosen to tie the pub to Marston's brewery despite being a free house, I guess this is for convenience as Marston's do offer a fairly wide selection, but there are already many Marston's owned pubs in this part of the country already. Not so long ago they did have a house bitter called Jolly Roger Ale although it was absent on this visit.
A good pub in a lovely spot where you can sit outside and watch the river slip by and glimpse the occasional steam engine through the trees up the hill behind the pub. Personally I think they are missing a trick regarding the beer selection, for me the main attraction of a free house is the potential to source unusual beers from wherever you fancy. The pub is also a Bed and Breakfast with four very nice looking rooms, there is an emphasise on food and they do a Sunday carvery. I have not eaten here but maybe one to take the family to for a bite to eat in the future, I would return.
On 28th October 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 199 recommendations about 199 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Idris Thomas left this review about Ship Inn
Had a simply superb carvery meal at the Ship today.If you knew the place before.The transformation is great from what it was. A much smarter place and worth searching out.The staff are helpfull and friendly,with a selection of beer as good as you get anywhere.
On 14th November 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3 recommendations about 3 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Darren Redmond left this review about Ship Inn
Well, what to say really. I agree with many of the comments below about it being an idyllic location overlooking the River Severn but unfortunately my visit to the Ship Inn will be very much remembered for the extremely poor customer service delivered by venomous tongue of the self-lauding bar staff. In my experience, visiting the Ship Inn is the perfect way to completely ruin a family day out!
We were celebrating my granddads 90th birthday on the Severn Valley Railway and stopped off that Ship Inn for some lunch, being greeted at the door and welcomed at the bar is always a pleasant customer experience…but if that’s what you want, then I suggest that you steer clear of this place!
Usually, asking for a round of drinks at a bar is a straightforward and encouraged process, but this really felt like I was asking for above and beyond the services offered, although the biggest frustration came with the food order. After an hour, we were still without or food, then after chasing for the first time we were told that it was being prepared, again after 1hr 20mins we were told that it was on its way out. 1hr 55mins later, after again chasing, we were told that we’d just have to wait like everyone else, no apologies, no indication of when we could expect our order and no offers of refunding a % of the bill. Now, obviously a little frustrated by now, I asked if this is the correct way to treat a customer, to which I got the response “We can because we’re popular “ and “I don’t have to listen to a lecture from you”, now really, is this the type of place that you want to go to? I don’t think so. Needless to say we promptly left without paying for the meal.
I really didn’t want to sound bitter in this review but the so called customer service on Saturday 23rd July 2011 in the Ship Inn was the worst I’ve ever experienced. I only hope that the other groups who also went through the same ordeal on Saturday (we spoke to 3 groups, 1 of which had waited 3hours for food which still hadn’t arrived when we left!) also post their experiences!
On 25th July 2011
- rating: 1
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Ship Inn
In an idyllic location overlooking the River Severn, the Ship has a large wooden deck ioverlooking the river as well as tables nearer the bank. Inside however it is very unpubbish and feels more like a Habitat shop with out-of-date designer decor, stone-effect feature walls and strange furniture. It does have a fair selection of beers though, mainly Marstons group. Not my personal idea of a good pub, although there are many much, much worse.
On 7th June 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3352 recommendations about 3289 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Andy Ven left this review about Ship Inn
What a transformation! The last time we came here, around 2009, we kept our sense of humour. The pub decor was dated, the crisps and bottled beers were out of date and the ale was not good. Not surprisingly there were no other punters in. Thereafter we referred to it as ‘the pub that time forgot’. I’m happy to say that it’s now a very different place.
A wooden decking patio has been built at the front so that customers can enjoy views over the River Severn – a great place to be on a sunny day. The 1970’s stone walls remain but it would be picky to highlight them because it has undergone a refurb and is under new management. There are now new carpets, light coloured wood, wooden beamed ceilings, an attractive wide fish tank in between the upper and lower levels and a rustic fireplace with armchairs in front.
Ales on handpull were Banks’s Mild, Brakspear Oxford Gold, Jennings’ Tom Fool, Martson’s Pedigree and Hobson’s Town Crier.
As we entered on a Saturday afternoon it was obvious that this is now popular with diners, mainly in the ‘middle age plus’ age bracket. I looked at the food menu – not a cheese and onion cob in sight. A much much smarter place than it used to be and now has a new lease of life. Just a short walk down the hill, towards the river, from the Severn Valley Railway station at Highley (it can also be reached by road). Maybe on my next visit I’ll make an evening of it.
On 16th May 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 244 recommendations about 240 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Joy Ridgway left this review about Ship Inn
Having found this pub by chance, WHAT A FIND..the setting is iddylic, a good range of cask ales, wines and spirits. The food, at first glance prices seem a little steep, please don't be put off by this, because it is absolutely fantastic. All freshly prepared, portions are large so beware if you order starters first. We went back a second time with a highly critical Chef, who agreed with us. Our starter, a mixed platter with an abundance roll mop, prawns, salami, cheeses, olives and so much more, left us feeling rather full and we still have Paella for our mains.....simply superb, will be visiting with more friends and realatives soon....A great place to be seen and with a gorgeous sun deck with panoramic views what more could you want...BLISS....
On 27th March 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]