August 2025. Tamworth.
The trip from Sheffield to Atherstone is quite straightforward; head down to Tamworth on CrossCountry, then one stop on West Midlands Rail towards Euston, not much over an hour.
HOW MUCH !!!!
No wonder it had taken so long to take Stafford Paul’s advice and head for North Warwickshire’s unsung pub town.
Obviously there’s many ways to get that price down.
Split the journey (Derby always works well),
travel after 9am for off-peak rates, and of course BE OFFICIALLY OLD.
£27.75 rather than £120 for a Proper Day Out, probably a few quid cheaper with fixed train times, and all smooth till Tamworth.
39 minutes delay, that sounds like just long enough to walk the 10 minutes from station to Tap.
Now, there are alternatives to the Tamworth Tap, but we’d only been talking about its pros and cons that afternoon, so I felt almost obliged to give it a third go.
You’ll see the biggest “con” immediately.
That queue. Like trains, best time your visit off-peak, rather than Friday night.
Can you really complain a pub is too “polite” * without sounding like a prat ?
Well, I certainly have, and there’s something a bit over-enthusiastic about the jam jars and tasting notes about the Tap, but can I really criticise a pub that serves Bathams ?
Probably not, and it’s cool and beautifully presented (NBSS 3.5), if not actually the most enjoyable pint.
But that’s more to do with the seating than the beer.
*They were playing “I want to know what love is” for goodness sake !
retiredmartin 
It’s £6.30 for the Stafford and Atherstone Off-Peak Day Return that I’ve done four times so far this year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Until I looked at train services from Atherstone I hadn’t realised you had such a direct line there, Paul.
LikeLike
I use the TrainSplit feature on the Rail UK Forums website although most of my journeys are local so there isn’t much to be saved.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your second picture suggests that the front room suffers from “wall-cluttering” while the fourth one indicates the middle of the pub being marred by overcrowding. Upstairs toilets and closure on Mondays and the next three afternoons are further reasons for me to use the next railway station. I never mind a pint of Batham’s though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Tamworth Tap is a victim of its own success, a bit like the Magnet in Stockport, though that has more comfortable seating.
LikeLike
“HOW MUCH !!!!”
(faints) bleedin’ ‘eck!
“and of course BE OFFICIALLY OLD”
I’m enjoying that over here. Cheaper haircuts, the local Drug Mart (i.e. food, plus other goodies) 20% off regular priced goods every Thursday; free ferry rides Mon-Thu. It certainly helps when one is on a fixed income. 🙂
“that sounds like just long enough to walk the 10 minutes from station to Tap.”
Ten minutes there, ten back, and 9 for a half?
“You’ll see the biggest “con” immediately.”
(looks down at pic)
Oof.
“Can you really complain a pub is too “polite” * without sounding like a prat ?”
Yep. Especially if they are SOOO polite they start to border on condescending.
“but can I really criticise a pub that serves Bathams ?”
Er, no? (that’s a wild guess BTW)
“if not actually the most enjoyable pint.”
Blimey. A pint in under 10 minutes?
You sir, are definitely not OLD. 🙂
“But that’s more to do with the seating than the beer.”
Some might call that… eclectic? 😉
“*They were playing “I want to know what love is” for goodness sake !”
If I don’t know what love is by now, in over 40 years of marriage, I have definitely been doing something wrong.
Cheers
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d be interested in what you made of a pint of Batham, but I’m certain you can’t get beer that tastes like that out your way !
LikeLike
Sadly no. But I’ll keep an eye out. Ya never know. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I finally made it to the Tap in early September (can never manage to track you down)
The seating is very good but as it was a gorgeous afternoon we sat outside, good beer, great cobs and an excellent courtyard.
Tamworth is an interesting little town. One drawback, last bus to Lichfield 9.30pm
LikeLiked by 1 person
Neil,
But there’s three trains after that to Lichfield Trent Valley, at 9.35, 10.08 and 11.11pm – with connections arriving into Lichfield City at 10.12, 10.42 and 11.32pm.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I shall take that info on board for next time.
Definitely a place to re visit, and Atherstone looks interesting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Neil,
Atherstone’s so interesting that today will be my sixth visit this year and Martin’s second in two months.
And it’s only fifteen minutes from Lichfield Trent Valley.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ouch ! That’s far too early.
LikeLike
Have a great day!
LikeLiked by 1 person