STOMPING RHYTHM 'N' BLUES

SATURDAY 23 MARCH


 Welcome to The Flowing Spring, an independent, family-run, multi-award winning country pub. It's unique, quirky, full of character and extremely sociable. It's a place to properly wind down, take a deep breath and enjoy the unique surroundings in great company.

We're known for our top quality live music, our wonderful home-made food to suit people with dietary requirements, and, of course, our well-kept real ales.


We specialise in catering for those with dietary needs, with all allergens clearly displayed on our menu. These include gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian and vegan. We hold events throughout the year, both indoors and in our large garden, including our Gigs in the Garden season of outdoor concerts and entertainment on The Smaller Stage from October to April and, being former CAMRA Pub Of The Year and Pub Of The Seasons, we serve a wonderful range of well-kept real ales from selected independent breweries.


Find out What's On at The Flowing Spring by clicking  here.

See our Opening Hours by clicking  here.

Find out the Latest News by clicking here.


Gluten-free fish and chips to take away!

CIDER-BATTERED COD AND CHIPS TO TAKE AWAY - GLUTEN-FREE - JUST £10.95! AND NOW HADDOCK TOO - JUST £11.95!

Call us on 0118 9699878 to order your super-tasty, award-winning gluten-free fish and chips, available to collect during our kitchen opening hours. You have a choice of cod and chips for £10.95 or haddock and chips for £11.95, both gluten-free.

We've been making our own gluten-free battered fish and chips for 12 years. 

Call us to pre-order or pop in.

The Flowing Spring in Playhatch, Oxfordshire, nestles on the edge of the Chilterns on the Henley Road just minutes from Reading, Caversham, Sonning, Shiplake and Henley-on-Thames. It is a friendly, cosy, traditional country free house. It serves fresh, home-made food, including a wide range of meals suitable for vegetarians, vegans and those with intolerances to gluten, dairy and various allergens.


MULTI-AWARD WINNERS
We're so proud to have been awarded gold in the Creme de la Creme category (the top award) at the FreeFrom Eating Out Awards 2018 at the ExCel in London. This is a massive achievement for our little pub. In 2017 we were awarded gold in the pub restaurant category and in 2016 we were awarded silver place. Read more
here
In November 2015 we were presented with an award by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for being in the top ten vegan-friendly pubs in the UK - further recognition of our continuing efforts to cater for people with
dietary needs
We were absolutely flattered to have been voted South Oxfordshire CAMRA's Pub Of The Year 2018. This follows awards for South Oxfordshire CAMRA Summer Pub of the Season 2017 and Winter Pub of the Season 2018. We are proud to be listed in the 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 CAMRA Good Beer Guides: that's 12 years running!



ABOUT THE PUB

The 18th century pub, owned by Nick and Hazel who have run it for 13 years, is on a slant with almost a foot difference from one end of the bar to the other! At the rear is a huge garden with the ancient Berry Brook running around two sides. As it passes under the Spring Lane bridge, water from the spring joins it, wending its way to the Thames at Shiplake. Find out more about the pub and its history here. There is an abundance of wildlife and great walks.
 
Unusually, the pub itself is on the first floor with an excellent covered balcony overlooking the garden.
It is important to note that access to the pub itself is via an outside staircase.
 

There is plenty of car parking space, a toilet on car park level for disabled customers (with baby changing facilities) and Wi-Fi. It is popular with walkers and was featured in the Christmas 2015 edition of the Sunday Times for one of our magnificent
circular walks. Please ring us in advance if you plan to park here to go for a walk.
Runners, cyclists, bikers and dogs are very welcome, as are children but they must be supervised at all times.

We allow campervans and motorhomes to stop over for the night when booked in advance, but not on a Sunday or Monday evening. Please call us to check availability on 0118 9699878.


EVENTS
Exciting and original events happen throughout the year, both inside and out, from our
Gigs in the Garden series of top quality concerts  throughout the summer, supporting professional musicians, to our monthly classic car and bike meets in the garden (April to October), singalong nights, monthly unplugged nights, slightly plugged nights, murder mysteries, games nights, magic circle nights and charity fundraisers. All events are announced in the What's On page.


REGULAR DATES

Quirky Corner Unplugged Nights: first Tuesday of the month

Classic Cars and Bikes Meet: second Sunday of the month, 9:30am to 11am, April to October.

Sing-along-a-Nick Trio Singalong nights: 3/4 times a year.

Outdoor Gigs: from May to September in the garden. See our What's On page

Smaller Stage Events: from October to April. See our What's On page

  • The Flowing Spring pub, Reading RG4 9R

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    Relaxed, outdoor events

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  • Outdoor events in our lagre beer garden

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    Multi-award winners

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    Bikers welcome

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    Wonderful wildlife

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    Monthly classic car and bike meets

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    Dogs very welcome

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    Sharing the Thames

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    Still standing... since the 1700s

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    Chilli week: one of our special food weeks

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    Murder Mystery nights

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    Home of Sing-along-a-Nick

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    Real ales, vegan wines and more...

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  • The Flowing Spring pub, Reading RG4 9RB

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    The best live music

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LATEST NEWS

  • COMING NEXT: BLUE MOOSE!

    The legendary rhythm and blues band, Blue Moose, make a rare appearance here on Saturday 23 March. It's free admission when you register with us. You can also order food to enjoy before the gig. Click here.

  • PETITION FOR A FOOTPATH

    We have started a Petition to persuade Phillimore Estate to agree to a footpath from Playhatch Roundabout along the edge of their field to join up with the existing path leading to the Flowing Spring junction opposite Spring Lane. We have tried to involve the Parish Council in this on several occasions but nothing happens. Please come in and sign the Petition. Take a look at the Petition here.

  • OUR MENUS

  • FISH AND CHIPS TO TAKE AWAY - INCLUDING GLUTEN-FREE!

    We've received many national awards for our Free From meals over the past 12 years and our gluten-free Cider Battered Cod and Chips is one of our most popular dishes. 

    You can now pick up either our gluten-free cod and chips for £10.95 or gluten-free haddock and chips for just £1 more to take away. Just call us to order or pop in and collect during our kitchen food times. Call us on 0118 9699878.

    Our Fish and Chips are available during our food  opening hours. Please do check when our kitchen is open.

  • EXCLUSIVE! SHEPPY'S DELICIOUS RASPBERRY CIDER ON DRAUGHT

    We have managed to get Sheppy's Cider with Raspberries on draught, the only pub in the country to have it! It is gorgeous. Made with the finest cider and real, fresh raspberry juice, it is light, delicate and beautiful. Come and try it! And it's only 4.0% abv.

  • VIEW OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER HERE

    Each month we publish the Spring Times, our newsletter, which is sent to everyone on our mailing list. 

    You can read the latest edition here or send us an email and we'll add you to our Spring Times mailing list.

    READ SPRING TIMES FEBRUARY 2024 HERE

  • CLASSIC CARS AND BIKES MEET RESUMES IN APRIL

    We've been hosting our Classic Cars and Bikes Meets here since 2016 and enjoyed the sights and sounds of thousands of cherished cars and motorbikes.


    Our monthly Meet resumes in April 2024, running from 9:30am onwards into lunchtime


    By the way, if you're a member of any motor club (bike or car), and would like to arrange your own meet here, just give us a call on (0118) 9699878.

    Find out more on our What's On page.

  • FANCY A GOOD READ? VISIT OUR COMMUNITY BOOK SWAP

    We have shelves and shelves of fantastic books here for you to take home and enjoy. You can either swap them for something you're read that you'd like to share with others, or simply make a donation to one of our charities. Just pop in and browse our book collection in the dining room.

  • FLOWING SPRING GIGS YOU TUBE CHANNEL

    Take a look at our YouTube channel called Flowing Spring Gigs where we feature loads of our Gigs in the Garden live performances.

    You can also access many Sing-along-a-Nick videos from there!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MARCH

Sat 23: Blue Moose Live on The Smaller Stage

Fri 29: Slightly Plugged Night

Sun 31: Easter Sunday

APRIL

Tues 2: Unplugged Night in the bar, 7:30pm. Free entry

Sun 14: Classic Cars and Bikes Meet returns for another season, 9:30am onwards
Sat 27: Rocket Kings Live on The Smaller Stage

MAY

Tues 7: Unplugged Night, 7:30pm. Free entry

Sun 12: Classic Cars and Bikes Meet, 9:30am

GIGS IN THE GARDEN START HERE!

Sat 18: The Magical Mystery Four in concert

Sat 25: Quadrophonia in concert

JUNE

Sat 1: The Sing-along-a-Nick Summer Show with guests BoxSet

Tues 4: Unplugged Night, 7:30pm

Sun 9: Classic Cars and Bikes Meet, 9:30am

Sat 15: The Rolling Clones in concert

Sat 22: Backbeat Band Summer Soulstice

Sat 29: Ultimate Elton and the Rocket Band in concert

JULY

Tues 2: Unplugged Night, 7:30pm

Sat 6: Fleetwood Mad in concert

Sun 14: Classic Cars and Bikes Meet, 9:30am

Sat 20: CODA - A tribute to Led Zeppelin in concert

Sat 27: Never 42 in concert

AUGUST

Tues 6: Unplugged Night, 7:30pm

Sun 11: Classic Cars and Bikes Meet, 9:30am

Sat 17: Moonage - the best of Bowie tribute band

SEPTEMBER

Tues 3: Unplugged Night, 7:30pm

Sun 8: Classic Cars and Bikes Meet, 9:30am

Sat 14: 'Hat's Off to the Writers' - a day of live music in the garden celebrating original songwriters, 1pm onwards

OCTOBER

Tues 1: Unplugged Night, 7:30pm

Sun 13: Classic Cars and Bikes Meet, 9:30am

NOVEMBER

Tues 5: Unplugged Night, 7:30pm

DECEMBER

Tues 3: Unplugged Night

Fri 20: Sing-along-a-Nicktivity Show

Sat 21: Sing-along-a-Nicktivity Show


JOIN OUR MAILING LIST TO RECEIVE ALL THE LATEST NEWS. SEND US AN EMAIL AND WE'LL ADD YOU.

WE DO NOT SHARE YOUR INFORMATION WITH ANYONE ELSE.


SPRING OPENING HOURS


  • Mondays Closed, even on Bank Holiday Mondays
  • Tuesdays to Saturdays Open 12:00pm - 3:00pm and 6:00pm - 11:00pm. Food Times 12:00pm - 2:00pm and 6:00pm - 9:00pm.
  • Sundays Open 12:00pm - 4:00pm. Food Times 12:00pm - 2:30pm.


CALL US ON (0118) 9699878 TO BOOK  YOUR TABLE, PRE-ORDER YOUR MEALS OR ORDER YOUR TAKEAWAY


01189699878 info@theflowingspringpub.co.uk

The Flowing Spring, Henley Road, Playhatch, Reading, Oxfordshire RG4 9RB

Home of the Sing-along-a-Nick trio
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