Nightlife in Grimsby

You certainly won’t go thirsty in Grimsby. Maybe it’s because people need something to wash down all those fish and chips, but there’s a really tempting selection of pubs in the town of all kinds.

If you like somewhere quirky, a good place to start is The Barge. Unlike some pubs of the same name which turn out to be made of bricks and mortar, this really is a barge! Depending on how choppy the waters are, you might need your sea legs when lurching to the bar. Moored in the town centre at Riverhead, it’s the only floating public bar in the area and has a reputation for cooking up some fine pub grub in the onboard galley as well. The Barge has also devised its own weekly “Quizingo” sessions, combining a pub quiz, bingo, food and beer, with prizes on offer.

A newcomer on the scene is Docks Beers Taproom, part of a craft beer brewery set up in 2018 in an old church near Grimsby's famous docks. Beers are brewed in an exhibition brewery which you can see from the taproom. Docks Beers says its brews are inspired by its location and hard manual labour of dockers past and present – its main three brews are a pale ale called Hard Graft, an IPA called Never Say Die and a milk stout called Graveyard Shift. Mind you, the latter also has coconut in it and we’re not sure what dockers of old would have thought of that!

It’s a 15-minute drive from our Grimsby hotel to the Ship Inn in Barnoldby-le-Beck – but well worth the journey. The Ship is a traditional village pub on the fringes of the Lincolnshire Wolds which also prides itself on its food and has won Lincolnshire Today's Platinum award. With Grimsby’s fishing heritage in mind, its menu features plenty of seafood options such as fish pie, cod cheeks and halibut fillet.

The Wheatsheaf is a great community pub which has a popular beer garden and organises a host of regular events including live music, psychic evenings, wedding fairs, and even murder mystery evenings. It’s close to many of the town’s most popular attractions such as Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre and Freshney Place shopping centre.

Located close to Freshney Place, The Curious Cat aims to offer “something a little bit different”. Described as a premium cocktail bar, its mixologists prepare a mind-boggling array of drinks such as colour-changing lemonade and sweet shop cocktails such as Fizzy Blue, Foam Banana, Parma Violet and De la Floss. The Curious Cat has an extensive food menu including sharing boards if you don’t want a full meal.

Another sophisticated destination well worth seeking out in central Grimsby is Abby’s. A bar with a distinctive lilac-themed decor, it has a varied cocktail menu ranging from familiar choices like a Manhattan or Black Russian to more intriguing drinks such as Apple and Lychee Martini and Cucumber and Elderflower Collins plus various mocktails.

You don’t have to be a fan of the Yardbirds to enjoy Yardbirds Rock Club – but it probably helps. This is a club with the emphasis very much on Rock with a capital R, with live bands who have played there ranging from John Otway and The Quireboys to Big Country and the UK Subs. Yardbirds also hosts regular cabaret shows by The Cat’s Pyjamas Burlesque Cooperative, featuring comedians, puppeteers, singers, magicians, storytellers and mind readers.