Yacht Tavern, Woolston (Currently closed)

Currently closed until further notice - 23 Aug 2023 

I keep trying the Yacht because it's in a half decent location by the river, and on the way home from Phocea's school. I've been here with the family and we had an acceptable meal in the lounge bar. And popped in with or without friends several times over the years, mostly to get a drink and take it across the road to Itchen beach. There's always been a cask beer available, but more often than not the beer was not fresh. So I haven't been back for a while. But "under new management" has been outside for a few months so I popped in today to see what's changed.

Well there's two cask beers, and the pump handles have been moved to a more prominent position. One cask is off. The new owner says there wasn't enough demand so it went off. Well at least he stopped serving it, which is good. The remaining one is Doombar, not my favourite beer. It's served very cool which does somewhat mask that it's not in peak condition. Drinkable though.

The pub has a number of middle aged to older men, and varied pop music plays in the background. There is an echoey, empty vibe even with around 8 or 9 people in the public bar.

Wednesday night is Bike Night when a burger and chips is under £5 and the pool table is free. Sunday nights there is a meat draw.

It's an OK place. Not one to draw in people from outside the area, but works as a low key and friendly local. If only the beer were better!

Ambiance

Date: Aug 2019  Score: 5

Two room pub - traditional public bar and lounge. The public bar is plainer, but is the most popular, and has a pool table. The lounge bar is better dressed, but is often empty, with the bar staff on the other side of the wall in the public bar. Near to the river, yet also on a small industrial estate. There's a certain riverside charm about the pub and the location, but there's also the ugliness of the light industry. There is seating by the road at the front which is used by smokers. Across the road is a small mostly rubbish-strewn but nevertheless useful pebble beach which my daughter loves. You can take your glass across the road. There is a large enough car park at the back. 

The pub itself is quite decent. The clientele are normal folk - friendly and relaxed. There are live bands in the evening, and there is a sense of community about the pub. But there's a lack of charm and character about the place. It's OK - a solid pub. But there's nothing special enough to make it stand out. From what I've seen so far, it's the best pub in Woolston; though, to be fair, that's not a difficult achievement. There's food at lunch time and in the evening.Good prices and good value pub grub with veggie options. Two cask ales. Looks like Doom Bar is the regular with a guest ale as back up. The guest ale wasn't as crisp and fresh as it could be, so I suspect there may not be enough interest in cask to sustain two pumps. If you're in the Woolston area, this is the pub to head for, but if you're not in the area, then it's probably not worth making a detour for.

Date: Jan 2015  Score: 5 

As of July 2020 open for drinks. Does takeaway food. Holds live concerts in the back garden.

Date: July 2020 


As of April 2021, the back garden is open for drinks only. 

Date: April 2021  

Sea Road
Woolston
SO19 7QZ

Opening Times

11-11 Mon-Thu; 11-Midnight Fri & Sat; 12-10.30 Sun

Meal Times

12-2.30, 5-7 Mon-Fri; 12-2.30 Sat; Closed Sun

History

Unknown pub, Itchen Ferry - possible site of The Yacht?

The Yacht is on a street corner of what used to be a thriving community. Itchen Ferry was one of the oldest continuous settlements on the east side of the Itchen River. It was a fishing village, a home for yachtsmen, and was the base for the Itchen ferry, which for hundreds of years was the main method of crossing the Itchen. The creation of the Woolston Floating Bridge meant the decline of the ferry, but the community of fishermen and yachtsmen continued until the German bombing raids in September 1940. The Spitfire factory was on the edge of the village, and during two heavy nights of bombing the village was totally destroyed. There are two houses on the waterfront which appear to be the only survivors. The village had three pubs. It was government policy to repair or rebuild pubs as they were morale boosters. Given the total destruction of the village it is no surprise that only one pub, The Yacht, was rebuilt. 

The Royal Oak, Itchen Ferry

* A useful blog on Itchen Village
* Some brief details

Websites

* Facebook * WhatPub  * TripAdvisor

Pubs in Woolston