The Saddle Inn is a rock-themed pub, live music venue and hotel at 21 Grosvenor Street in Chester, England. The pub has a history dating back to at least 1850, when Thomas Taylor was recorded as its landlord. It operated under the Saddle Inn name for more than a century before becoming The Chester Bells in 1996. The original name returned in 2016, followed by a relaunch in March 2017 with live rock music and an extensive music theme at the centre of the business.

The building stands on a corner in Chester’s historic city centre, with a distinctive black-and-white timber-framed upper floor above the red-brick ground level. Inside, the traditional pub setting has been transformed with guitars, records, photographs, posters and other rock memorabilia filling the walls and corridors. The details extend throughout the building: beer taps are made from guitar necks, parts of the bar are designed to resemble Marshall amplifier cabinets, and drum shells have been repurposed into furniture and other decorative objects. Even the staircase joins in, with “Stairway to Heaven” written for those heading upstairs and “Highway to Hell” greeting those coming back down.

The rock theme continues onto the food and drinks menu, where names play on famous musicians and bands. Items includes Judas Peach, Ozzy Orange, Lemmy-ade and Spiltnot, adding another layer of music references to the pub.

Upstairs are nine guest rooms, of which are individually dedicated to particular bands: AC/DC, Kiss, Black Sabbath, Pantera, Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, Jimi Hendrix and Guns N’ Roses. The rooms go considerably further than simply hanging a few band photographs on the walls. Each has its own band logo and themed decoration, guitars associated with the artist, framed memorabilia and information about the band included in the hotel information book. Tables made from drums continue the musical design inside the rooms, while the corridors between them are also filled with rock memorabilia.

Live music is another major part of The Saddle Inn. Regular performances range from classic rock and tribute acts to punk, hard rock and heavy metal. At the rear of the property is G21, a dedicated music space housed in a converted outbuilding and equipped with its own PA system and drum kit. It is used for concerts, rehearsals and events featuring original bands.

The heavier side of G21 has included North West Doom Fest, a multi-band event dedicated to doom and sludge metal, bringing acts such as Pantheist, Froglord, Mage, Helve and Old Horn Tooth to the venue. Open mic evenings, acoustic performances and other music-related events also form part of the programme. The Saddle Inn received the Best Entertainment Pub award at the National Pub Awards in 2022.

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ADDRESS:
21 Grosvenor St, Chester CH1 2DD, United Kingdom

Back to Chester.