The Folly Inn in Stratford-on-Avon - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Lovely location lovely food and excellent service. Nice Country side views and the Canal. Also not too expensive very reasonable prices.

Quirky and interesting interior, good food, welcoming attitude, cosy and friendly atmosphere, dog and family friendly. Our experience does not reflect the negative reviews at all. Very pleasant experience. Thank you.

Warm welcoming rural pub, a real gem, with good food at good value prices. Good atmosphere, dogs welcome after canal side walk. Wonderful local cider and by the way the local shop is well worth a visit too. Tim Boddington

Popped in on the way home to visit family in the area. Lovely service and great homemade food, everyone enjoyed! Not usually a pudding fan but that brownie was amazing! Looking forward to next time

We had fond memories of The Folly, having visited for a meal on 4th July 2020, when Lockdown restrictions were lifted - we had fish’n’chips in a marquee in the garden, served in plastic takeaway boxes. Not great food, but we were just grateful to be eating out again. So, after several years, and passing again on the canal, we were looking forward to an early Saturday meal after a long day cruising. We should have booked, of course, being Saturday night, but thought that we might be squeezed in at 6 o’clock - we asked a young lady if there were any tables for two ‘no, sorry, we’re fully booked all evening’ Disappointing, but our fault for not booking (but most tables empty, surely we could have been offered something?). We decided to have a beer before returning to our boat. There seem to be just three seats for drinkers at the two bars, all other seats are for diners. Fortunately, two of the seats became free, and we sat down with our beer, but were continually jostled by other customers trying to order food and drink at the tiny bar. While we were drinking, other people were ordering food to be served ‘in The Potting Shed’ - this turned out to be an outside wooden building, with plenty of tables free for dining… huh? No-one had mentioned this possibility to us! A young chap behind the bar, seeing the looks of disbelief on our faces, offered us a menu, but it was too late by then, we’d decided that this pub was useless. The serving staff were all young people, and obviously not trained at all, which is down to the landlords - while we were sitting at the bar, a customer came up to complain about his beer - the young guy behind the bar offered to pour the drink in to another glass, then said, ‘would you like it topped up?’ No no no, just pour the customer another pint! All this time, the landlord was watching, but not intervening at all. The final straw came when I finished my pint, and the landlord came over and said, ‘what are you waiting for?’ We couldn’t wait to get out…

I never usually write reviews but this is deserving of the worst. Arrived with some friends ready for a drink, was immediately hounded by what seemed like the owner, completely rude and intimidating, to order. Upon ordering was told to make my friends order and when they didn’t (because they were driving) were told to leave the pub. My friend asked why they were being told to leave to which the man replies that he has no obligation to tell us so we swiftly left. I’m sorry but as a pub that is SHOCKING, I’ve been to the folly before and have had a lovely time but this was completely unprofessional and i regret ever spending a penny in there - also fyi to the owner, we were planning on staying and drinking for a while so you lost out on the money you would’ve got had u not breathed down our necks upon arrival - DO BETTER.

Incredible, quirky, hospital pub. My favourite go to pub on the canal. Great food, lovely staff and great entertainment in the Potting Shed. Mark is an amazing charismatic publican, cannot wait to return.

Took our friends ( 5 others)with us Saturday 16th March, great food, fish N chips, chilli, sausage n mash, followed by music in the potting shed, made room for "crutch user" a must go to pub.

Took friends to The Folly last Saturday as they'd never been. Had drinks in the Potting Shed first and then we'd booked a table in the pub. It did not disappoint! The food was very good, as was the atmosphere and the music choice that night was great! Our friends loved it and plan to take their son on his next visit home.

What a great place to eat and drink. We were afforded a very warm welcome by the landlord, Mark who was a great host. We were there on the Saturday evening for food which was superb and we returned on the Sunday for lunch. On both occasions the food and service were fantastic. It’s been a few years since we last visited due to covid and the addition of The Potting Shed is fantastic! We’ll definitely be back soon!

We booked a meal for the Saturday evening and weren't disappointed, on arrival we were warmly greeted by the landlord and staff and shown to our table. The pub is very quirky but wonderful and the atmosphere is warm and friendly with a tasteful selection of music playing in the background. We ordered our meal from a varied menu and it arrived piping hot and well presented, the landlady was very attentive and asked if we required any additional condiments or drinks. Silence fell as we all tucked into the hearty meals that had been placed before us, everything was delicious and everyone enjoyed it so much we decided to book a table for the next days Sunday lunch. We later moved over to the "Potting Shed" which is a spacious room with comfortable seating, it's filled with plants, tool, plant pots, ladders and everything you would expect to find in a potting shed, it's tastefully designed and creates a very relaxing atmosphere. The next day we returned for Sunday lunch which was equally delicious and the service was exceptional. We would highly recommend the Folly Inn and we are already planning our return visit, we can't wait to experience it all again.

We visited the folly for an evening meal and drink whilst staying locally to visit family . The new potting shed is a lovely addition to the pub built since our last visit (pre covid) the food was good and the atmosphere was lovely. So much so we returned on Sunday for lunch, It was the best Sunday lunch I had eaten out in a long time. Just what we needed after a Sunday morning walk. It’s lovely to see a local pub serving good food and beer at a reasonable prices with no gimmicky offers. Thanks to all at the folly, we hope to see you on our next visit.

Frequently call in for supper. Best to prebook especially in the summer. Lots of outdoors seating. Great pub food. Ambience fab. A good drinking pub as well as for food. A real contribution to the village and has regular music and quiz nights. Hosts Mark and Caroline are great, welcoming and efficient.

This is the best pub in the UK. Literally. Thanks to the wonderful landlord. Set in an idyllic location it is a world away from reality. Flowers. Canal, narrow boats, olde worlde and an eccentric charming landlord. What more could you want? The pitting shed in the grounds is beautiful. The inside is a show in itself. Live bands on Wednesday and Thursday. Brilliant. Go.

Lovely quirky pub, great for a drink, but food - hmmm, not a patch on the Admiral Nelson at Braunston. Had cod and chips, the cod was awful!!!! Old, mushy, greasy and so far from fresh. I would have sent it back if any of the staff had come to check on our food. So VERY disappointed. Avoid fish if eating here!

Could be great but is stuck in 1980... I chose to ignore the many recent negative reviews on here which all comment on similar things surrounding poor service and rude management because I thought the pub looked lovely and I often think that people can be quite unfair in their comments... However the name "Folly" sums it up...in so many ways. If you like a cluttered dirty bar, basic pub food of the jacket spud or brown chewy steak and chips variety and a "Landlord" who stands drinking with "the locals" until he's sufficiently drunk to imagine that being rude to the rest of the punters is a great idea, then this place will delight you. Any normal person living in the 21st century may wisely choose to avoid this cheap homage to the days of Basil Fawlty and a phobia of people from 20 miles down the road. At first glance this pub could be truly great. It sits on the canalside and has an attractive outdoor bar and entertainment area called The Potting Shed. It looked lovely but was closed on the warm Thursday evening in early September when we visited. There are outdoor "builder's" toilets for use by customers for some reason which I couldn't establish. We went into the main pub which has an old fashioned public bar and a "restaurant", all of it very much of the not decorated (or cleaned) in 40 years feel. Cosy but grimy. Menus were well thumbed and sticky. Four of us sat in the restaurant and ordered dinner. Two of our main courses were the most expensive items on the menu. A Rib Eye and a Fillet steak (£27 and £30 respectively). The menu went to some lengths to explain that those in charge of preparing our dinner would not countenance cooking a steak beyond medium. Since we wanted rare and medium rare this was reassuring. Sadly what we got was, being generous, a medium Rib Eye and a well done and very dry/chewy Fillet. The reason was clear. The steaks were tiny and ludicrously thin so they cooked too quickly and the fillet was cut from the very end which has some connective tissue (sinew) which would normally be trimmed out. Cooking it to dark brown didn't help the dryness or chewiness either. Apparently they are sourced from My companion chose to eat his rib eye, I spoke to a lady at the bar and attempted to explain what was amiss with the fillet. She cut me off and demanded to know what I wanted her to do about it. I asked if I could please have a medium rare Fillet steak without the sinew. She didn't say another word but asked the "Landlord" to come and see us. He had previously introduced himself after he had left his pint of lager on our table and had seemed very pleasant and affable, commenting that he preferred "socialising" rather than serving behind the bar. He seemed fine and went to the kitchen to sort it out, he returned and said another was on its way. After a very long time (everyone else had finished eating and the plates had been cleared) a replacement arrived. No sinew but it was well done, brown and chewy again. I found the Landlord and apologised for making a fuss, I felt sorry for him as I realise it's difficult when one customer gets repeated faults in their meal so I just quietly asked him to take a look. He did and in seeing the overcooked meat he threw the knife and fork down and said "oh for f***'s sake" albeit whispering the swear part. I assumed he was annoyed with his chef, which would be understandable. He never returned, although I saw him staring at me several times from the other bar. Some time later a new meal arrived. It was OK, not great, still very thin and just about medium/well. I felt like they had done their best and it wasn't going to get any better no matter how many times they tried. However, was it worth £30 for this one dish? Not at all. Nevertheless we stayed on and had some more drinks including 4 measures of their most expensive whisky. In other words we were quite happy and happily paid our bill. When leaving I went to thank Landlord and apologised again for the situation as I felt that he was a pleasant man, doing his best, who had been let down by his Chef. I could not have been more wrong. He was drinking heavily with 4 or 5 cronies in the 'Public' bar and made it abundantly clear that he considered me to be the problem. Rude and unprofessional would be an understatement. I left it there, not wishing to have an argument with a man who was obviously quite drunk, but as I left one of the group drinking said loudly "that'll be on TripAdvisor tomorrow". I returned and gently pointed out that all I was looking for was my steak to be cooked the way I ordered it. The Landlord essentially told me where to go. All in all a terrible pity since it has a beautiful location and lots of potential but is badly let down by a dull, old fashioned menu and a terrible approach to customers the Landlord knows are on holiday and who he can get away with treating badly. Maybe this is a recent development after a hard summer since he seemed genuinely friendly to begin with but sadly if you're not local and a drinking buddy of the Landlord then expect to take pot luck on your meal and maybe be told to leave if you don't like what you get!

Well this pub truly lives up to it's name and you would be a fool to try the folly. We were cruising on the canal and had planned to stop here on Saturday night for our evening meal. Arrived about 4:30 and sat in the lovely garden for a few drinks. We asked about food and were told it didn't open until 6 so we had more drinks. At 6 o'clock we were then told then they were pretty busy with pre bookings but we could get served at 7:30. We confirmed that as long as they would serve us then we were happy to wait so had more drinks including our last round at 7:20 where they again said we needed to wait until 7:30. At 7:30 they then told us they were not serving customers without bookings! To say we were furious would be an understatement, having waiting around 3 hours and spending over £50 at the bar. As were we on a narrowboat we had no transport option and no option to go anywhere else at such a late time. Complained to the landlord as the lady serving us was then trying to make out she had been telling us all evening that it wasn't guaranteed - it if wasn't guaranteed we wouldn't have stayed! This really ruined our weekend. If they had only said bookings in advance only - we could have booked earlier in the day/week or at least planned for an alternative location.

Terrible experience GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. After sitting down after a long day of travel at around half 4 we sat down for a drink and food. The staff informed us that we could order food from 6 onwards and ensured us we would be able to order food. 6 o'clock arrived and we were then told to wait till half 7 to order food. After already waiting an hour we asked to make sure they could provide us food or if we should go else where but again they assured us they would serve us food. We decided to go in for a round of drinks at 20 past 7 and we asked to order food, they told us to wait 10 minutes to order so we paid for the drinks and as soon as we had paid for the drinks they informed us they were no longer serving food. By this point we had stayed for 3 hours and had purchased many rounds of drinks and completely wasted our time. We complained and asked for the Manager where the other staff members were rude and extremely unprofessional along with lying to the manager about her completely misleading information. Dont waste your time here. They clearly are happy for you to spend money on drinks and waste your evening leaving you hungry and unable to go elsewhere as there's no other pubs within walking distance.

First time and it won't be the last! Great food lovely friendly helpful staff. This pub is an absolute gem so pleased we found it. Great choice on offer and reasonable prices as well. Can't wait to return.....

Stopped off here for lunch last week whilst on the canals. Had a great time. The selection of beers on offer is good and a wide choice of food on the menu. We sat in the garden and enjoyed our drinks under a shady tree. The food arrived in pretty good time. The chilli con carne went down well, the burgers were good as was the gammon egg and pineapple. Another round of drinks and we were on our way. All in all a great little pub, great food, great beers and great service. Would recommend stopping off here if you can and only one minute from the canal!

Disobliging and rude staff. Cramped and full of noisy drunks. Limited space for dogs. We left and had an excellent evening at the Kings Head.

Went to Follys today, as hadn't returned since our bad food experience last August. Looked like a ghost town on May Bank Holiday weekend. Not serving food. In our opinion has definitely gone downhill over the past couple of years. Don't think we will return again, which is a shame. Like proper plates, cutlery and excellent food for the prices charged. Seems to me their excellent chef has left. We will not be returning. Will try The Kings Head instead. Shame really, as food and service used to be extremely good.

Located on the canal bank this tiny pub has a fine garden and is perfect on a summers evening. Food is competent and unremarkable, but the atmosphere and garden make this worthy of a stop.

I went here today for the first time, with kids and a dog in tow. I warned the staff as entering that it was dogs first time in a pub setting and she is anxious. The lady behind the bar was rude on arrival turning her back, huffing when my children didn't decide immediately what they wanted to drink. My dog barked twice in the approx 30 mins we were in there once at a member of staff who tried to give her a biscuit without asking first and second at a man who knocked on the window right next to her. The lady from behind the bar came over and said I'm going to have to ask you to leave as your dogs been barking the whole time - not true. I had lovely comments about my dog from the people sat on the table next to us. If you want to go somewhere with a dog or children I would not reccomend at all unless your children only talk when spoken to and your dog sits nicely under your chair without any movement or sound. Will not be returning. It is a real shame because the place itself was lovely just mot the staff.

The pub wasn’t open due to Covid but they had an alternative space called the Potting Shed which was truly amazing. The staff were really helpful and friendly, dogs were allowed in, the wood burner was on, there was a variety of seating - settees, armchairs etc and the area was beautifully presented with fabulous garden memorabilia, crammed with healthy and prolific indoor plants and just very atmospheric. They were only serving snacks but it didn’t detract from the experience. We would thoroughly recommend a visit. 5 stars indeed. Thank you.

Dog got lost, we found medieval ploughing ridges, fell over in a bog, watched a "not-starling" murmuration & came here for excellent beers in the covid ventilated bar. Oh, & found the dog!

The pub was nice with a nice atmosphere. However, I overheard what I assumed to be the Landlord, who was significantly older, derogatorily talking about younger members of staff in quite frankly a very disgusting way. He was commenting on a member of staffs love life calling her easy which made me very uncomfortable. He also was talking about a former member of staff and complaining about her level of notice. I find it very unprofessional that he was talking about these young staff members to and in front of customers.It’s a shame because the inside of the pub was lovely and I have heard great things, but I won’t support a business who talks so openly in a derogatory manner about younger members of staff. I won’t be visiting again.

Just had a wonderful lunch in The Folly pub. Great food, great service and lovely wine! Our dog was welcomed and the pub was cosy and friendly. Love this pub.

Haven't been back since Covid. Now serving in the Potting Shed instead of the original pub. Nice, but not the same cozy atmosphere as before. Pub drinks and menu about the same. Very good food, but served in carryout containers as they walk the food from the main kitchen outside to the Shed. Loses a little something in the delivery. But still very fine food. I'm partial to those giant meatball Faggots. Still the stop to make in Napton, especially when on the Oxford canal.

Excellent food, great beer, friendly and efficient staff and a wonderful atmosphere. Just wish it was my local!

I may be paying this place a disservice as we visited not long after Covid reopening. It comes highly recommended in boating guides etc. It is the first place after Napton Narrowboats where you pick up your boat and is situated before the flight of locks that get closed overnight. It is very busy. It is set up with marquees outside and an outside serving bar, a limited menu and bench table seating. They have obviously worked hard to keep going during Covid and this probably doesn't reflect what their previous delivery was. The food was OK, served in polystyrene boxes with plastic cutlery, nothing to write home about. We didn't visit on the route back, it wasn't worth the agro of trying to find a place to moor up.

Have been to The Folly Inn several times in the past and had great food and drink in the main building.This time it was disappointing with the main pub closed the bar and seating is outside in the garden.  The food was not up to a reasonable standard for the price paid and the portions were small served in the modern equivalent of a basket i.e. a formed box with throw away cutlery.  Other pubs in the same locality have worked out how to provide restaurant quality food on plates with proper cutlery so there’s no excuse.  I look forward to a return to previous standards.

First the positives, great location if you're traveling on the canal and the beer was in excellent condition. Not sure if we caught them on a bad night but the food was extremely average for the price they are charging and served in polystyrene containers with plastic knives and forks. Three members of our group had faggots and they all said it had an 'unusual taste' and gravy consisting of 3 blobs of brown jelly, I noticed a gentleman from another table complaining about this. I had read the good reviews about The Folly and was expecting a bit more than just oven chips. Sadly disappointing and bit pricey for what you get.

Extortionate price for Scampi and chips, retail £3.45 at Tesco, they charge £13.00 Limited menu on the night, not a good start to our Canal Holiday, Best pub up the road was the Kings Head

Waited for over an hour for the food and when it finally arrived it was in polystyrene trays with plastic cutlery - looked classy! The Folly burger had cremated bacon and there was concern for our teeth. The chips broke in half with a crisp and were crunchy. No idea why it was all overcooked and we had to wait so long - serve it sooner and it would be just right. Also ordered the sweet chilli chicken skewers - totally not worth the money, really small and looked like the satay chicken from Iceland. Would avoid if possible. There was no check back during the meal. Also if you wanted the toilet, be prepared to use a portaloo in the car park.

Most items on the menu were sold out. Ordered Madras chicken curry which contained one piece of chicken and that was burnt. Fish and chips had small piece of grey fish in large amount of batter. Both meals served in polystyrene boxes with a small wooden picnic fork and a small plastic picnic knife. Waitress was very apologetic and organised a refund but no sign of any management to deal with the complaint. Also one portaloo each for men and one for women. Dread to think what they might be like when the pub is busy. Supposed to have a good reputation locally but these locals definitely won't be back.

The Folly Inn at Napton bottom lock on the South Oxford Canal is a great pub which we've visited numerous times on our boating holidays. Having not been there for a good five years or so, this visit was somewhat different, as the eating area is now outside in the gardens and marquees, with excellent food served in disposable boxes with wooden knives and forks, as a result of covid. But it was still a great meal and if anything made almost better due to the quirkiness and setting. The food itself was excellent and extremely reasonably priced - our fish and chips, scampi and chips and chicken curry set us back about £35 and the portions were very generous. Beautiful setting and lovely staff. The owners are in the process of completing a further dining and bar area in a large wooden building called 'The Potting Shed' which looks like a great setting to enjoy the food and ales on offer. Looking forward to our next visit in the autumn when we'll hopefully get to experience that. Would definitely recommend the Folly.

Great garden area with lots of tables and a couple of marquees for wet weather. Lovely setting by the canal. Excellent scampi. Priced above average but so much better than Brake Brother's ubiquitous, but tasteless, morsels well worth the extra. Good chips too. Service, especially at drink/food tent was careful and attentive.

A lovely pub with lovely food, perfect location. The staff were very good and friendly. 10 out of 10.

Visited last night with friends to enjoy Mikron Theatre. They were brilliant.. but The Folly was a let down.Ordered the food at 17.40 and it arrived nearly 2 hours later just before performance.£13 for scampi and chips in a cardboard container with plastic cutlery arriving 110 minutes after ordering? really?And the toilet 'facilities'For the customers that at times must have numbered 100? 130? there was one plumbed in portaloo for the men, and one for the ladies.Is this even legal?So sad because the location is idyllic and the staff were charming.Come on management, sort it out!

After holidaying for two weeks we decided to treat ourselves to a dinner at The Folly. I rang in the morning to reserve a table and was asked for what time. When I said 6.30 the gentleman said ,” ideal.” We arrived on time and could not see a reserved table. A rushed waitress did not seem to know if any were reserved. We did find a table at the back of the garden on a slope and my husband joined a queue to order drinks and food. Within five minutes he was told,” we don’t take reservations and the kitchen is closed .” We planned our last day to be at the pub on time and were looking forward to our evening. The pub had certainly lured people there under false pretences. Others were turned away who had also rung ahead. The pub cannot cope and needs to be honest with customers instead of spoiling our evening and plans.We will not return and will ensure fellow boaters know of this.

Great place, the marquee set up in the garden is comfortable, with appropriate distance between tables. Napton's own "Lost Apple" cider is gorgeous stuff. The food is good but they are, frankly, taking the p*** with the pricing. You can't charge gastro-pub prices for simple food served in cardboard containers (well, they evidently can, but I'm afraid just the once in this case. The canalside location will help them get away with it.

Family lunch out. Good value and friendly service. Good honest pub food and excellent chips. Good selection of local beers etc.

Have been coming to the Folly on and off for many years but fear this is our last visit. The outdoor setting was well laid out and the drinks were delivered quickly to the table. As I was stood waiting to pay, the barmaid was told that there was now a delay with serving food. We put our food order in at 18:40 and it was delivered an hour and forty minutes later. Food has been much better in the past and we were not impressed. Other patron sitting close by could not order food as they had stopped taking orders.

We enjoyed a lovely evening meal with our family in the Folly garden, Celebrating a birthday. Our party included 4 adults and 2 small children. The outdoor undercover seating was well spaced making us feel very safe. There are numerous well kept pots and planters in bloom all around and there’s a lovely canal theme going on, creating a happy fun summer vibe. The homemade chips are the best we’ve had. The menu is full of homely honest food, with lots to choose from. Our meal was delicious. The service was excellent and the price is very reasonable. We’ll be back soon!

This pub has made the most of its lovely setting, and has a great outdoor area and covered too. Lots of smiling friendly young staff and a good atmosphere.The food, on the evening we ate there, however was not good. If they could address this, it would be an AMA place.

Camping nearby so popped in for a drink. A man was standing waiting to seat us when a woman walked over and talked to him. Turned out it was the landlady. We ordered drinks and the landlord was swearing at a man for not paying for his burger but he had so the barmaid got told off for not telling him. We paid nearly £5 for a plastic cup of beer each and no pub to sit in. The owners clearly only interested in money and not customers or staff. So we left at the same time the 20 or so that he’d shouted at. Shame as the pub is in a nice setting!

Decided to stop and eat at The Folly whilst holidaying in the area. The bar and undercover dining section was very well set out, plenty of space between the tables. The menu was varied, lots of choice, something for everyone. We ordered drinks and meals for three adults and two grandchildren. The bar and serving staff were friendly and attentive. Unfortunately it went downhill rapidly when the food arrived. Due to COVID it was served in cardboard containers and wooden cutlery, not easy to use but understandable under the circumstances. However the food itself was very poor. Cod was not fresh, the chips were reheats from earlier in the day. King prawns looked as though they came from a packet and the accompanying salad was limp and soggy. This is a great shame because the location and set up deserves better.

We visited much earlier in the year and really appreciated the opportunity to sit safely under a large tent with heating on a cold day. The menu seemed quite varied and we enjoyed our food and drinks.So, we decided to return this week. Lots of outdoor tables, safely spaced, friendly staff. However, we were disappointed with the food - more limited choices, lukewarm and as others have said, it seem to be reheated in polystyrene trays. Wouldn’t travel to return again.Shame as it s a lovely location and we enjoyed the drinks.

Fantastic pub on the canal, garden area is lovely with an outside bar. Food was great, good choices and very tasty a little pricey considering you our eating from disposable plates. Setting was perfect and an added bonus it was Ukulele night great fun

Was given the impression this pub served good food. Was really looking forward to it as it was our anniversary. Very disappointed had folly burger and chips (we even ordered extra portion of chips) bad mistakes looked and tasted like chips were re cooked from lunchtime. (See picture) burger not great Luke warm. Not worth £14 each .

Awful food excellent service. Outside dining to counter CovidStaff were brilliant helpful, friendly and efficient but the food was dire.. Quite clearly microwaved and served on polystyrene containers with wood cutlery. They have captive market on the canal but are taking the mickeyDon’t go there if they still doing outside catering. I can only assume when normal service is resumed it will be worth a visit

We moored up here on a Sunday afternoon and on the Wednesday afternoon. Both days had been scorchers and a cold drink was needed! On the Sunday afternoon we had baguettes and prawns. At first we weren't sure what to expect with the 'takeaway style' but to be honest it was delicious and professionally done - after all the hospitality trade has gone through lately, I think it was ingenious of the pub to serve the food this way. The setting is gorgeous with lots of flowers and marquee if you want to sit inside on 'proper seats' or pub benches with umbrellas. Drinks may be served in plastic glasses but not sure why people are whinging as they are covid friendly and we are eating outside - no one wants H&S creating hell when someone falls on a glass. the men stayed and had a good afternoon drinking the cider ;-) we moored up again on Wednesday night and had food again. the waitresses are very friendly and prompt. it was a pleasure to come here. Shona is a credit to you.

Fantastic pub we visited 2 years ago when on the canal and decided to visit again. I was a little apprehensive as it was a quirky pub with a fantastic landlord and atmosphere and when I phoned to book a table I was told the pub itself was closed and everything was outside. I didn’t need to worry fantastic staff, great outdoor space lots undercover in case it rains. The food was fabulous. Great atmosphere and the landlord Mark is welcoming and fun and has great taste in music! His moustache is shorter than when we last visited! Thanks Mark for a great afternoon you are doing a great job.

We stumbled across this on a Saturday afternoon enroute to the Staverton estate, what a find...live music fabulous service would definitely recommend a visit

Positive first, the drinks are ok, but in plastic glasses. Staff pleasant. Fast food done very badly. Chips were just the crunchy scrapings from the bottom of the pan, salad was wet and obviously yesterday’s. Baguette seemed to have been warmed in the microwave - not crispy. EXCEPTIONALLY DISAPPOINTING. All served in a nasty cardboard box with inefficient wooden cutlery. It’s gone from being one of the best pubs on the canal to one of the worst. Such a shame.

Nice pub and location but felt let down by the quality. Plastic glasses and food served in polystyrene trays with wooden cutlery felt I might just as well have gone to McDonald’s. Overpriced. Then portaloos for toilets. Will not be visiting again.

Came in for lunch. Had a lovey time and the food was great. Mark and Ben took care of my every need. 👍

A good meal apart from the comments below and friendly staff but why do so many restaurants think it is acceptable to give gluten-free rolls/bread that is so stale it is inedible? I was pleased when they said they could do gf but disgusted with what I got. Also, good for them with recyclable boxes but have you tried actually to eat with bamboo knives and forks??? And why the single use plastic cups for the drinks?!

On our first visit we had drinks but no meals. The Hook Norton ales are excellent. My partner liked her white wine. Hail to the ale, white wine for the ladies! Next day, having checked out the food being delivered to the punters in the garden we decided to eat. What a good idea! I went for the Folly burger, partner had Halumi fritters. Both were superb. The burger was, in my opinion, cooked to perfection , a teeny bit pink in the middle, nice and thick, sprinkled with real cheese, none of your plastic sheets. Im not big on fries but these were great, skin on and well done but not to crunchy. Nice coleslaw and salad. This was the best burger meal Ive had in years, not counting those I’ve cooked at home! The Halumi meal was described as lovely. The service was impeccable. The chef toured the tables talking to his customers. The whole experience was very impressive! I like to include a negative in my reviews. In this case there were no negatives. We are planning a second visit before we move on. Really looking forward to that.

Although not local, we'll visit two or three times a year and are glad that the Folly are now allowing eating inside the pub (rather than under marquees in the garden, post-Covid). No starters, but the food is good and with generous portions and the service friendly and efficient. We'll be back next year.

Mark & Caroline. Thanks for a fantastic evening on the 19th. Excellent service, good company & steak to die for!!

Hired a day canal boat from Brauston and travelled to The Folly Inn for lunch. After a beautiful journey was boat, we moared the boat on the canal side, about 5 minutes walk down the towpath to The Folly. Seating is all either outside or in the marquee but it was very well presented and set out and had a really cozy atmosphere.Orders were very efficiently taken and the food arrived quickly, served in takeaway style packaging with disposable wooden cutlery. A great idea in current circumstances! Our food (we had burgers, one beef and one chicken) was amazing! Freshly cooked and we both said the best burgers we had ever had! Portion sizes were generous and our lunch really was delicious, in very enjoyable relaxed surroundings. We would whole heartedly recommend a visit, whether travelling by boat or car!

Stopped for lunch on a recent canal trip. Been here several times in the past, but not recently. Very well socially distanced, outside bar in a marquee with several tables within and plenty of outdoor picnic tables. Staff excellent as always, good selection of ales. Limited menu as expected in these times, but food was good an plentiful. Shame it was served in polystyrene containers with wooden cutlery but can understand why. Excellent location for boaters.

Visited this lovely pub for lunch. Top marks all round. So well organised regarding Covid19 and social distancing and it was so welcoming. Food was fabulous and huge portions so recommend go hungry if you eat there. Just hope that the pub will be able to cope in the winter as everything is outside at present although they did have tables under cover. Thank you for a lovely day.

Stopped here on or return to Rugby on the canal, everything is outside due to Co-Vid but there are marquees to dine in or a large grassy area with picnic tables. There is also a good selection of drinks at the bar, we had an evening meal that was very good served in disposable cartons. There are sanitizers and a one way system in place. Had a chat with the Landlord Mark who is a great character, wouldn't hesitate to visit again.

Went here on barge trip on a Sunday evening disappointed no food but charming land lady let us order a Chinese had a few drinks in marquee while waited

Good value and excellent choice. Went here for our third visit, and never seems to disappoint. We sat outside in the garden, and social distancing was exercised, and hand sanitizer was readily available. Well done.

My wife and I visited here whilst waiting to check into our accommodation. I'm pleased we did. We where lucky that it was s lovely bright sunny afternoon. Just before the high winds and rain hit the country. We sat in the beer garden ,and have to say it was beautiful. Very spacious and well set out. Marquees in place for the bar and seating area. Plenty of room for kids to run around and play. And a lovely canal walk within seconds of the pub. The staff were very freindly and attentive and worked with a smile on their face. Sounds fantastic doesn't it. And it could be just that. The reason I say this is because of the on line communication. I asked at least ten times about the eat out to help out scheme. I asked in all forms of communication. I did get one reply. This being 'yes we will be serving food'. That was it. This really annoyed me. There is just no need to be so rude. Either you are or you aren't. It's a simple answer. Yes or no. But sadly I didn't receive a reply. Having said that I'm pleased I visited. It gave us chance to sit for an hour or so and recover from our journey. The beer was very nice. A few pints of hook went down really well

Waited 80 mins for food. Very disappointing experience, when we asked where our food was, they’d ‘lost’ the order. Landlord criticised us for not chasing order???

The owners have worked hard to ensure everyone feels safe at this eatery. They have a floored marque which houses the bar where you order drinks and food having queued socially distanced. They also have a large garden where the tables are well spaced. A word of warning to boaters they stop serving food at 8pm. The portions are generous but served in large takeaway containers. The cutlery is wooden which makes cutting some items rather tricky. Drinks are served in plastic glasses. Both evenings we were there they lit a large open fire.

Well organised and in lovely surroundings. Felt very safe friendly staff. Food was great too. Worth a visit

Took our teens paddling on the canal today - then headed to the Folly for lunch. So very organised fill in your details before being served (Covid) plenty of sanitiser, outside loos again plenty of sanitiser. Ordering services in marquee outside one way system , They bring out the food and drinks to you, plastic cups and cardboard boxes and wooden cutlery so all disposable , busy but tables well placed so you keep your distance. Food Folly Burger great, and scampi was lovely too

The lovely garden and decking areas are a real win for this place as they can space the tables out very well. Their system for ordering food and drinks ensures good distancing and the toilets (also outside) are clean and well maintained. The food is very generous (sometimes a little too generous) but served in cardboard take away trays with wooden cutlery that can make it a little awkward on a small table. The first night of our holiday I had the chilli jacket potato which was very nice (and large) with a side salad. On a later visit, I had the burger which was very tasty but a little difficult to manage with a wooden knife and little room in the container as the portion of chips was so large. There was also a nice coleslaw. The drinks were fine though served in plastic glasses which could blow over in a sudden gust of wind. Overall, both nights were pleasant evenings.

Travelled from 50 miles away to meet family and friends on the beautiful Oxford Canal, which is adjacent to this pub. A little tricky to find tucked away down a narrow land but really worth a visit. On a hot summer's day, the garden was laid out and signed so that social distancing was not a problem Personal details taken for all visitors to enable possible contacts to be informed and disposable cutlery and food containers uused. The garden is large and well kept with a good atmosphere and the service and food were excellent Good choice of drinks as well including locally produced range of ciders. Also very good surroundings. The adjacent canal provides towpath walks and opportunities for gongoozling (look it up!). Cannot fault this place.

This pub looks to be the quintessential British Canal Side pub with pretty flowers everywhere and lovely big garden. Sadly though, when it came to the food it was a bit of a let down. Because of COVID, everything is being served outside in the garden or in a large marquee which was fine but the food was served on takeaway plastic cartons with disposable wooden cutlery and shoddy plastic glasses for the drinks. My burger was tough as boot leather and my partners fish and chips was average at best. And full price for everything as the pub hasn’t chosen to participate in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Real shame as the location is beautiful but I’d not rush back.

Visited during COVID 19 restrictions. Very good one way system in place. Food served in takeaway boxes at garden tables but was piping hot and excellent quality. Staff very friendly, polite and helpful. Even allowed us to purchase a traybake slice to take home for our tea.

Family canal trip, stopped at the Folly Inn. Incredible food, wonderful surroundings and a team adapting to social distancing in a positive way. Highly recommended

Wow the 2020 summer rollercoaster is bumpy! Bewildering, maddening and downright tragic at times. Will we recover? How? Is it even summer? What comes next? All these questions matter as industries, especially hospitality really struggle. However The Folly emerges as a winner in the post COVID stakes. Even without the dreaded C word the canal side pub looks charming from the outset. Yet with their massive outdoor area and excellent organisation it becomes a calming treat indeed. The food is well made, generous and delicious (I opt for a burger but there are many classic options to choose from) and the lightly sparkling cider local. And with broad decking and the well spaced, gently sloping beer garden it all feels both amply accommodating and just right in the sun. In fact, despite the obvious efforts to orchestrate the ‘new normal’, it’s seems effortless. As pub’s go this one is doing everything we need for this crazy and difficult season. If small pleasures are the buzz words for the year, this is a great place to start.

My wife and I called in to The Folly, 'off the cuff' on 31st August, as it was a glorious day weatherwise and we fancied a pint. Strange experience but so worth it. No acces to the pub itself but the bar was set up in a very well presented marque on the lawns. Ordered food and drinks with one of half a dozen or so bar and waiting staff. Filled in contact form for, just in case. Sat down and waited for drinks and food to arrive. Pint of Old Hooky for me and local Napton cider for the better half The drinks arrived almost immediately and fifteen minutes after that, so did the food. Generous portions in a large food box rather than a plate, with napkins, S&P, sauces etc in a paper bag. My burger was one of the best I've ever had served with smoked bacon cheese and a side salad and homemade chips. My wife had a jacket spud with beans and cheese. She ate the lot but thought the potato was a little over cooked. However, given that everyone was working under unusual conditions, not a bad effort at all. WELL DONE ALL!! We'll be back

We visited just after lockdown. Very well organised with plenty of tables and marquees in the garden. Wide selection of pub type food. A good square meal at a reasonable cost. Pleasant location just out of village by the canal. Large car park. Highly recommended and special thanks to the landlord welcoming us after being stuck inside for weeks

A good example how to adapt after coronavirus lockdown. Well arranged in garden with plenty of tables and good size marquee with bar. Large selection of good pub food. All very well organized. A very pleasant meal in lovely surroundings. Large car park. Recommended

Our first canal pub since lockdown. Quite excellently laid out and organised in the garden with clear instructions, great beer, cider and food. Staff were excellent Very reassuring.

One of my favourites for Sunday lunch. This is a great pub / pub grub venue. Good beer and food combo. Good atmosphere and friendly landlord and staff. Highly recommended.

We've been through the Napton Lock Flight with our boat many times and always tried to have a meal at The Folly Inn next to the bottom lock.This time we were without the boat which seemed strange.As expected, it's a great place to eat, or just drink. Super friendly landlord with fabulous moustache, 60s and 70s music in the background. So may canal and related copper and painted ware, including hats of many types and so much more, which make the atmosphere perfect, and relaxing.Quick service and great food, wouldn't hesitate to recommend this pub anytime.Live music outdoors sometimes.

Another pleasant evening in this delightful pub. The table we reserved the day before was in the bar area and we prefer the lounge area. However we were entertained by the nice Pub Owner which more than made for it. Food consistently good and service excellent.

Absolutely delicious sunday roast early sunday evening. Plenty to eat and superbly cooked. Loved the cauli cheese. Yorkshires nearly as good as my daughters!! Service good. Bit pricey..how do families manage??

We're fortunate to have this quirky pub by the canal on the edge of the village. Prices not hiked up and surprisingly unbusy on Valentine's Day. The lasagne has got to be the best you can get. No sign of the landlord, Mark, and it appeared to be in the hands of a very competent and young team - a real credit to The Folly.Love the now all year round lights outside, which make it look so pretty at night.

Charming pub with excellent beer and cider .The food is very good.Friendly locals and staff bring the place alive.The Folly is in a cracking location with the Oxford canal passing by it door step and lots of outside space to enjoy .A pub at the top of it's game .

It’s New Year’s Eve and our small group wandered the canal side and the area of Napton on a five mile walk. Luckily we had reserved a table for our first outing to The Folly.What a lovely pub! The festive decorations did enhance the quirky decor but it was fabulous. The food was excellent and the young and efficient staff very charming. Great value for money without doubt. Try the cider which is produced at a very close by cider makers. Also have a wander about and soak up the atmosphere and decor.Dog friendly too.Would not hesitate to recommend and will certainly return.

Popped in for a lunchtime meal before visiting Cidery in village. We had not booked but we were still accommodated even though it was coming up to Christmas and a busy time. The meals and service were excellent and staff friendly. A proper pub. Brilliant! Would recommend.

We visited for Sunday lunch with friends. Remember to book a table as it is understandably busy. The service, atmosphere, food and drinks were all excellent. This would become my regular if I was a local. The Sunday lunch is a selection of roasted dishes with veggies. Serving is generous. If you can manage dessert it is also well worth trying. Between us we tried the pork roast, beef roast, lamb shank and spotted dick and would recommend any of them. They host regular music and cultural events as well so have a look at what’s on before visiting. They were curious about where we were from and added a card for us to their visitor map in the main bar. The locally made ciders were delicious.

Had lunch here for the first time and couldn’t fault it. A cozy country pub, that was well decorated for Christmas. The food was superb and plenty of it. I can thoroughly recommend the scampi and chips.

We visited by canal boat. The moorings close to the pub get very busy in summer, but in November we had no problem mooring nearby. The attractive exterior is matched by the welcoming interior (both rooms), and the decor is quirky but immaculately clean. Decent range of beers, and a good menu giving lots of choices, including an unusually large selection of home made pies. That's what we went for , they came really quickly, and they were delicious, with huge helpings that in the end defeated both of us! We finished the evening with a few beers and spirits, and enjoyed the convivial atmosphere, promoted in no small part by the extroverted landlord - excellent host. We will certainly be back.

This is a fabulous pub, quirky, warm and welcoming and the food is outstanding. However, they do have a double sitting system which they do not tell you about when you are making your reservation - and reservations are essential at this very popular pub. The time limit on early bookings is very short so if you would like to have a long, leisurely evening, either ask for the late session (starting at 8pm) or book for whatever time suits you and tell them you want the table for the whole night.

Visited for dinner - with 2 children and Grandma midweek. Booked just in case and very glad we did. Very busy but staffed to perfection. The beer was superb and other drinks great. Check out those ciders. Meals were filling and great value. I just wish my local was half as good as this!

I've posted two previous reviews of this pub which have both been slightly negative but I like the place so much that I decided to give it another go, and I'm so glad I did as it was great. This time it was for Sunday lunch (essential to book in advance) and it was a corker. A traditional roast with a very tasty and tender beef joint and all the vegetables cooked to perfection. Washed down with a couple of pints of Hook Norton's finest you couldn't wish for a better start to a restful Sunday afternoon. There was one slight downside and that was presentation. Personally I prefer gravy to be served separately in a 'boat' so I can decide for myself where and how much to pour on. One of our meals was served in a deep dish so the food was swimming in the stuff and had to be returned to the kitchen to be drained, but nevertheless, it was delicious.

For a pub that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere the Folly Inn was buzzin' on the Friday night we were there. To be fair, we had been travelling on a canal boat all week so everywhere felt like the middle of nowhere. We moored up alongside (almost) and added our names to the waiting list for a table. We sat outside for a drink. In the 30 mins we were outside at least 5 taxis dropped people off - so clearly this is a popular place. And deservedly so!! The bar was packed and staff were rushed off their feet but never failed to smile and make us feel welcome. We could see from food being delivered to tables that pies were the thing to go for - and we were not disappointed. Portions were huge - but we managed. I'm almost reluctant to recommend the Folly - cos if it gets any busier we would never get a table. A huge thanks to the staff of the Folly for making the last night of an amazing sunny week very special

We’ve eaten here quite a few times over the years when we pass on our narrow boat. Each time we have never been disappointed.

Had a good meal here on a Friday evening. The pies are great and service good. It's nice that they sell the local cider at the bar, which is definitely worth a taste! I would have given 5 stars but we weren't told when we booked a table for 7pm that it would be reserved again for a second sitting at 8.15pm. It took my husband a long time to pay the bill at the bar and meanwhile I was accosted by a waitress whilst finishing my drink at the table, to be told that I couldn't sit there as the table was reserved. I politely informed her that I would be leaving as soon as my husband was served at the bar to pay for the dinner that we had only just finished at said table. Good job we didn't want desserts as we wouldn't have had time to eat them!