The Mail Coach is one of the few non trendy older people's pubs that has managed to position itself to survive the smoking ban in Northampton. It doesn't rely on kids hammering the binge deals and chasers to bring in its money but its atmosphere and mix of regulars and one drink punter. It's effectively a local pub positioned smack bang in the centre of Northampton and its custom reflects that. It's more mature clientele than the rest of the town centre is not yobbish or too working-class, a good mix of attractive and regular folks from all social classes enjoying an ambient and bustling traditional pub atmosphere with no loud banging techno to kill the welcome hum of conversation. On a Saturday night the oldest patron could be a chubby 50 in an old and shiny leather jacket, the youngest a cool and hip 17-year-old, neither having an issue with that status quo, the adjacent Derngate Entertainment complex always a good supply of new custom after a late night show, encouraging that eclectic mix. The pub is not best designed to handle a big crowd though and some of the regulars who have been coming all their lives often refuse to make way at the bar and so that can create bottlenecks. It has a relaxed and welcoming beer garden that the decor reflects the more bohemian showbiz types that visit from next door in the lunch hour, the show posters of previous performances that have played the venue dressing the walls of the pubs undercover decked and seated area, adding an extra feeling of laid back atmosphere where smokers don't feel guilty when they mingle with non smokers, even in the winter. Pubs have to cater for smokers some how or they will close down and the Mail Coach have got it just about right
They do standard brewery beers and the bar staff are fast, sexy and young, food available in the week and before 7pm at the weekends. There are some excellent internal seated areas and a new lounge space has been created to encourage a more intimate space for the non smokers that are supposed to be flocking to bars and pubs now the air is as clean as a Swedish kitchen service. There are board games for the students and happy twentysomethings to crowd on to the mahogany tables to enjoy and shout a lot playing Connect 4, and with some standing space near the tables enough room to look at the pretty girls.
This is definitely the best pub to go to on a Saturday night if you're over 25 but you still want to feel you're at a decent place to be that doesn't make you feel old and uncool. It really is an excellent little pub to escape the trendy throng and noisy teenage youth and still have a good night out, or at least have one pub you know you will enjoy because its not leery on your pub crawl in the city bowl.
. read more