Pubs, Clubs & Festivals in Hereford

We thoughts we would finish off our Golden Ticket weekly blogs with Pubs, Clubs & Festivals – as for most students these are all pretty important things!

As we have already mentioned, Hereford is famous for cider, and also has a lot of great local breweries and distilleries – and you won’t find many pubs in Hereford that don’t serve their products. In the heart of the city you will find The Barrels (above), a down to earth pub with a great selection of beers brewed at the Wye Valley Brewery. Each year on the August bank holiday The Barrels holds a beer festival, with live music and a great atmosphere, you do not want to miss it! Just outside the city centre you will find Beer in Hand, a firm favourite with past HCA students. Converted from a laundrette this micro pub serves up all the best local beers and ciders, and has a great pub quiz and live folk music once a month. Hereford Beer House is another you are going to want to know about. The clue is in the name; these guys are passionate about beer! Stocking bottles and cans from all over the world, you can drink in or take away.

If a country pub is more your thing, Hereford has a lot to offer! The Secret Garden is a modern take on a country pub, with a relaxed vibe and great food. Famous for its carvery, The Bunch of Carrots (above) is just a short car or bike ride from Hereford, and serves up a roast 7 days a week – what more could you ask for?! The Moon Inn is a traditional pub, and a great choice if you want to sit in a beer garden and soak up some sun, or get cosy by the open fire in the winter, either way you are going to want to try the epic pub grub.

Live music is big in Hereford, and you will always find somewhere offering something, whether it’s a chilled out acoustic night, or a full on metal band.  Speakeasy (above) is the place to go for underground music trends, decked out like a 1920’s speakeasy from the prohibition era, it’s one of the coolest places to go in Hereford.  Just next door you will find De Koffee Pot, and every Saturday during the summer months you’ll find buskers on the bandstand creating a wonderfully chilled vibe on the riverside courtyard. Gordon Bennet’s is an independent pub in the heart of the city, with live music every Friday & Saturday night from 9pm, and it’s always free entry! If you are wanting to dance, you will want to head to The Venue, Rubix Bar or Play which are all open to the early hours.

Finally, let’s talk festivals. Hereford (usually, when we are not in a global pandemic) has a pretty great summer of music festivals, covering every music genre you can think of. Nozstock (above) , which has been happening in Hereford since the late 90’s is a sonic escape boasting eleven stages of entertainment with surprising sights and intimate, secluded areas of arts and theatre. The 2021 line up is already confirmed, with acts like Sister Sledge, Bill Bailey, Gentleman’s Dub Club and Andy C it’s going to be a good one. El Dorado is a boutique festival from the magical minds behind Cirque Du Soul, held in the grounds of Eastnor Castle. El Dorado lays on a weekend of delightful shenanigans, and a diverse musical line-up that spans across everything from house and disco through to garage, drum and bass, jungle and dubstep.

It’s not just music festivals we have to offer, Hereford Food Festival and Eastnor Chilifest are a must go for foodies, as well as Hereford’s famous Beer on the Wye for all things beer & cider. If you are after something a little more cultural check out Hay Festival, Ledbury Poetry Festival and How the Light Gets In.