Pubs in Newtown

Lion

Short Bridge Street, Newtown SY16 2LR

Originally a coaching Inn – the Red Lion Hotel dating from c1720 the Lion no longer performs that function and some of the property has been sold off, supposedly it once stretched to the corner of High St though the adjoining shop next door bears the name Lion as well. An outdoor drinking area for smokers is found down the ex carriageway & arch, inside the current landlord markets it as a Newtown’s top sports pub and sky screens and sport tv abound. The bar is located on the left hand side and towards the backs there is raised area which has been given over to Karaoke and Discos at the weekend. Recently the one hand pump has had its badge steadfastly turned around and it appears the serving of real ale has been given up.

Monty Club

11 Broad Street, Newtown SY16 2LU

This was a hotel (the Unicorn) up to 1918 and then became the British Legion, the date 1696 is prominent above the main entrance. A few years ago the declining membership decided on a rebrand and rename to reflect modern times. Despite its club name it does function as a public house and is used by all ages. Its location right in the centre of town and with a taxi rank outside makes it popular with the older members of the community. A pool room is to be found to the right of the main entrance with a long lounge to the left the bar is some way back in the middle of the building a large function room is to be found to the rear and upstairs there are small rooms which can be used for meeting and further pool and snooker tables. Pictures, paintings and other wall furnishings reflecting the clubs military associated heritage are prominent throughout. The club has been shortlisted for a GBG entry a few times. However, in the past with only one ale on and the odd poor quality pint reported it has been marked down. A recent makeover has improved the interior with fresh paint and new wooden flooring, and two changing guest beers may soon be on offer.

Pheasant

14 Market St, Newtown SY16 2PQ

Purpose built in 1939 on site of an older building that was also a pub of the same name. The Pheasant has to be fair cornered the towns hardened mid all week afternoon drinkers market who will be found in the public bar. However there is more to the place with a large games room to the left of the main entrance with the public bar to the right. There is a small but cosy lounge to the rear and at the back there is a large fenced in patio beer garden. Sometimes deck chairs are placed at the front for the comfort of smokers. The pub has recently changed hands (2021), and there are no plans to sell real ale.at the moment.

Queens Head

Pool Road, Newtown SY16 1DG

An old street corner pub that’s lost its adjoining terraced neighbours on both streets. Its only one of two pubs situated on the main road through town, limited car parking available next to the outdoor smokers area. Basic interior adorned with pictures of old Newtown including the floods from the early 1960’s. There’s a raised area with pool table toward the rear. Very much a regular community local with darts, dominoes and pool teams operating from it. The real ale on offer is from Tetleys

Railway Tavern

Old Kerry Rd, Newtown SY16 1BH

As the name suggests can be found near to the towns railway station, evening arrivals can produce a sudden surge as the tavern is the first port of call on way into town. The Tavern is single room establishment at the end of a terrace no larger than 2 rooms in a Victorian working class terraced house combined. Taff the current landlord has been here for 35 years and the pub has been in the Good Beer Guide continuously since 1996 possibly the smallest establishment to merit an entry UK wide? Despite its small size it has been one of the mainstays of real ale in Mid Wales for many years with three hand pumps always on, a tv shows sporting events, the jukebox is well patronised. The fire can make the place very warm allegedly a plot by the landlord to make customers drink more or so say the regulars! However to the right of it on the wall is a list of pubs/hotels that once existed in the town this is well worth a read as the current day town boosts 20 licensed pubs and clubs for its 12,000 population marvel at why it needed another near 50 in years gone by!

Sportsman

17, Severn St, Newtown SY16 2AQ

Formally the Monty’s Brewery tap. The Sportsman became a free house in 2020 when the brewery's lease ended. There are always 5 ales and a selection of real ciders on, making it a real ale/real cider Mecca for quite some distance, certainly on the Welsh side of the border! Not surprisingly this is the HQ for CAMRA Montgomeryshire! A former Good Beer Guide regular which featured in the first guide in 1972 the pub suffered a long decline in the late 90’s and closed in the mid 2000’s. Fortunately when Monty’s Brewery wanted to set up a brewery tap the building was boarded up and for sale, a complete refurbishment followed and re-opened in April 2010 with an experienced landlord on hand. The pub has gone from strength to strength which it needed to as it can only really do wet sales due to the small kitchen. With 15 licensed premises within a 5 minute walk for a town of 18,000 there’s plenty of competition. Its success is down to quality and offering something different. The building itself is a Georgian three story brick affair and a pub calling itself the New Inn was recorded in 1800. A comfy lounge area is to be found to the right of the entrance with the main public bar and log fire to the left. Through the archway toward the back is a pool table and TV screen and to the rear there’s a small outside drinking area mainly used by smokers. Voted Montgomeryshire branch pub of the year 2013 and Welsh cider/perry pub of the year 2014! Vaping is welcomed!

Victoria Vaults

15 Broad Street, Newtown SY16 2NA

One of Newtown’s single room establishments in the Irish/Scots tradition the basic no frills Vic Vaults is found in a three story Georgian building in the town centre. A rectangular bar sits in the middle of the one room which still has space for tv and jukebox, there are indoor toilets and an outside smoking area to the rear. Once owned by a James Nunn who had a short lived brewery to the rear of the property and these days an interesting and well kept guest beer is seen rotated on the bar. Like most pubs in the town it relies on wet sales and a steady number seem to drink here all day long, it tends not to get descended on by the youthful weekend crowd too badly and can be something of a haven on a busy Saturday night.

Waggon & Horses

Dolafon Road, Newtown SY16 2JB

Situated in an older residential part of town the opposite side of the River Severn to the town centre approximately three quarters of a mile walk. The building was originally the canal agents office for the nearby Montgomery Canal terminus, the last couple of miles of the canal was closed and filled in back in the 1930’s however restoration work has taken place and a pathway/cycle way now exists along the old canal bed all the way to Welshpool – the canal itself starts again 2 miles or so from the Pub but is not currently navigable. The Wagon as its known is part community local and part Restaurant with the best beer garden in the town by a long shot. The left hand bar has a television, photographs and trophies with strong emphasis on sport and a games room with pool table leads off from it. The right hand bar is now used more as a reception room for the restaurant which is located at the rear. The restaurant and the landlords cooking have a good reputation locally and booking is recommended. Its known as the restaurant in the garden and overlooks the beer garden which is fairly large, flat and child friendly with play areas, its also a sun trap on better days which makes it a rarity in the area.

Newtown AFC Social Club

Latham Park, Newtown SY16 1EN

Clubhouse for the adjacent football club. Rebuilt in the early 1990's after a major fire destroyed the original building.

Newtown Bowling Club

Back Lane, Town Centre, Newtown SY16 2NH

Social clubhouse next door to the bowling green. There are 3 full size snooker tables available.

St Giles Golf Club

Pool Road, Newtown SY16 3AJ

23 Social

12-13 Broad Street, Newtown SY16 2NA

Bar and grill situated in the old Woolworths building which opened in June 2021.