As you’d probably expect, Crewe isn’t exactly blessed with a wealth of entertainment options. However, the handful it does have are well worthy of your time. For starters, the Lyceum Theatre is one of the best in the region. On top of that we’ve got live music covered with a couple of cracking gig venues, and how can we forget Crewe Alexandra, the beloved Railwaymen who play their home games next to the tracks of Crewe Station.
Entertainment in Crewe
Lyceum Theatre
The Lyceum Theatre is the jewel in the crown of Crewe’s entertainment scene. The Edwardian theatre has a prime location right in the heart of town, which combined with the surprising quality of acts it manages to book has cemented its status as a veritable institution in the area. Delve into the Lyceum Theatre’s history and you’ll see that Charlie Chaplin once took to its stage, so too did some incredible circus shows – they had to reinforce the theatre to stop an elephant from falling through the floor – as well as Syncopating Sandy, the marathon pianist who played non-stop for 134 hours. Today the theatre curates an excellent programme of drama, dance, ballet, opera, comedy, family shows, and tribute acts. The panto is always popular, and in terms of comedy past performers include John Bishop, Jason Manford, and Sarah Millican. Take a look at what’s on during your stay and try to pay a visit.
Lyceum Theatre
Live music in Crewe
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
When it comes to sporting entertainment, you don’t really have any option other than a trip to the Alexandra Stadium on Gresty Road, where Crewe Alexandra play their home games. You never get far away from the topic of trains in Crewe, so it should come as no surprise that Crewe Alex are nicknamed The Railwaymen. In more than 140 years Crewe have still never played in the top division of the Football League. Nevertheless, some famous names have graced the grass at Gresty Road, including David Platt, Neil Lennon, and pretty-boy pundit Robbie Savage. However, none have quite the same cult status as the footballing god among men that is Danny Murphy, who began his career with The Railwaymen and spent four seasons bringing grown men close to tears before earning his move to Anfield.
If you’re visiting Crewe as an away fan and you’re looking for somewhere to stay, our Crewe Central hotel is less than a fifteen-minute walk from the stadium. Alternatively, if you’re arriving on the day, you can see Gresty Road from the train station. Plus, if you’ve got time before kick off you can sample a bit of Crewe nightlife by visiting The Corner Bar, which is halfway in between the station and the stadium.
Music
Speaking of The Corner Bar, right next door you’ll find Crewe’s number one gig venue, The Box. With a capacity of just 300, it’s not exactly the biggest entertainment venue in the world, but what did you expect; we’re talking about Crewe, here. It may not attract the biggest bands in the world either, but The Box excels at the next best thing – it’s established itself as the place to see some of the UK’s best tribute bands, so you can sing along to your favourites for a fraction of the price.
If you’re staying at our Crewe (Nantwich) hotel, The Railway Hotel is the best music venue in Nantwich and just a mile down the road. It’s a family-run venue with more than a quarter of a century’s experience putting on gigs. They do all they can to keep the local music scene alive by booking bands from the area, as well as from around the country. It varies, but at the very least they aim to put on three gigs a week.