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Shady Oak pub, near Chester


RAB

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Planning trip to Chester and was wondering about mooring near the Shady Oak , possibly a few jars (would be rude not to!), or ploughing on to Chester for the night. Has anyone been recently? I know their evening opening hrs are limited, but is the beer / food ok?

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We moored there last year en route to Chester and spent a couple of evenings/afternoons in the pub. The meals and beer were very good. There is a pleasant walk up to the castle from there if you fancy dragging yourself away from the pub for a few hours. 

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We moored outside there for a week or so at the end of Feb. It was closed. It looked like it started to open just into March but I reckoned with so infrequent opening it was not really likely to have a range of real ales. I did try to go in once but the dog is only allowed in the side door and the side door was locked so gave up.

There is a big posh canalside eatery at Christleton called the Cheshire Cat which was surprisingly good, several real ales at a good price and treats for the dog.

Chester is full of good pubs. I like to moor in the basin right opposite Telfords Warehouse (am there right now). Good if you like drinking beer and loud music. Not good if you get upset by loud music late in the evenings at weekends.

...............Dave

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we moored there on towpath side in Feb, seemed open but we stayed onboard as we’d stopped at the Cheshire Cat earlier in the day.

spent two nights in Chester just down from The Lock Keeper, pleasant enough and easy access to Tesco etc., not the noisiest place we’ve stopped to be honest.

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13 hours ago, dmr said:

There is a big posh canalside eatery at Christleton called the Cheshire Cat which was surprisingly good, several real ales at a good price and treats for the dog.

If you stop at Christleton, you'll do even better to walk up the hill to the Ring O' Bells, excellent food and ale. We too ate at the Shady last summer and it was very good, but that pub changes so often I'd not count on it without checking it out again this year.

Edited by BruceinSanity
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On the Shady Oak subject, both Nicholsons and OS show a very short canal stub just next to the pub. This has gone and there are signs that it has only recently been filled in. The Shady Oak landlord seems quite keen on the camp site side of his business, are these two things connected? Was permission obtained? Does anybody know anything about this?

..............Dave

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57 minutes ago, dmr said:

On the Shady Oak subject, both Nicholsons and OS show a very short canal stub just next to the pub. This has gone and there are signs that it has only recently been filled in. The Shady Oak landlord seems quite keen on the camp site side of his business, are these two things connected? Was permission obtained? Does anybody know anything about this?

..............Dave

interesting, never noticed that, how far up did it extend? am assuming its the darker green area between the trees on the right of the pub beer garden?

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Yes that's it. I also tried looking at some old maps and am not 100% sure whether it really was a little canal arm or just a pond right next to the canal. Its still little more than bare earth with some marker post around it so it looks like something has been done recently.

Rumour has it that the Landlord is not a man of much integrity so maybe he's just taken it upon himself to do this.

..............Dave

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16 hours ago, RAB said:

is the beer / food ok?

If Toby Carverys are your thing you might like it. If you prefer a proper pub with decent real ale, forget it.

The Cheshire Cat at Christleton is much better. The Ring'o'Bells wasn't worth the walk.

For top class ale though, you need to go down into Chester. Was moored right outside the Harkers Arms (brilliant beer, no kids) near the Steam Mill on a Friday and Saturday night and it was surprisingly quiet once the pubs had shut. Telford's Warehouse is good with nice views across the basin but has live music at weekends. Brewery Tap near the river also good for real ale.

 

Edited by Señor Chris
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3 hours ago, dmr said:

On the Shady Oak subject, both Nicholsons and OS show a very short canal stub just next to the pub. This has gone and there are signs that it has only recently been filled in. The Shady Oak landlord seems quite keen on the camp site side of his business, are these two things connected? Was permission obtained? Does anybody know anything about this?

..............Dave

I seem to remember that a landlord long gone dug it out without BW permission and was renting moorings, got told to stop and it got blocked off. I may however be wrong... 

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2 hours ago, Señor Chris said:

If Toby Carverys are your thing you might like it. If you prefer a proper pub with decent real ale, forget it.

The Cheshire Cat at Christleton is much better. The Ring'o'Bells wasn't worth the walk.

For top class ale though, you need to go down into Chester. Was moored right outside the Harkers Arms (brilliant beer, no kids) near the Steam Mill on a Friday and Saturday night and it was surprisingly quiet once the pubs had shut. Telford's Warehouse is good with nice views across the basin but has live music at weekends. Brewery Tap near the river also good for real ale.

 

Hawkers Arms is part of the Brunning and Price chain, in fact I think it was the first one. They own quite a few canalside pubs, all are a bit posh but do good food and a good range of beers, if a little costly. Great thing for us is they almost all let the dog in. Much nicer than the 'spoons.

Others include the Rowbarge at Woolhampton (K&A), Waterfront in Manchester and a rather posh old mansion house (Sutton Arms) by the aqueduct moorings just outside Macclesfield.

Only 5 real ales on in Telfords warehouse last night. A paid entry student do tonight so could be a rest day for the liver.

...........Dave

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  • 1 year later...
2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Just to report The Shady Oak is open, looks friendly to boaters and offers 48 hr moorings out front

Yes we wined and dined there last week. Very nice indeed with friendly staff and nice beers and food.
Cheshire cat at Christleton is excellent too.

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