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The Squirrel Pub in Bishopton, Stratford, Is Now the Bishopton Arms

New signs for the renamed pub on Drayton Avenue were approved on 15 October, and the Herald reports it reopened the next day after a £230,000 refit.

By Alex Harrington 2 min read Source: Stratford-on-Avon District Council
The pub on Drayton Avenue, Bishopton, when it was called The Squirrel
The Squirrel, Drayton Avenue, Bishopton (2006). Photo: David Stowell, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Squirrel, the estate pub on Drayton Avenue in Bishopton, Stratford, now trades as the Bishopton Arms. The district council approved new signs and lighting for the renamed pub on 15 October, and the Stratford Herald reports that it reopened on Friday 16 October after a £230,000 refurbishment.

On this page
  1. What’s changed at the Bishopton Arms
  2. When did The Squirrel change its name?
  3. Getting there

What’s changed at the Bishopton Arms

The pub’s owner, Star Pubs & Bars (Heineken’s UK pub company), applied in August for advertisement consent at 138 Drayton Avenue (application 26/02151/ADV). The plans cover:

  • a new pictorial sign on the existing post
  • a large illuminated sign on the wall
  • a menu case, three smaller signboards, two lanterns and three up-and-down lights

A council planning officer approved the application with conditions. The report says the new signs will be an improvement on the old ones, which didn’t match each other. The Town Council, the ward councillor and neighbours made no comments.

According to the Stratford Herald, which first reported the reopening, the pub was shut for about three weeks. It now has more bar space and a wider menu, with Indian curries and fusion dishes from a new chef, and a DJ is booked for Saturday 24 October.

When did The Squirrel change its name?

The sources don’t quite agree on this. CAMRA’s pub listing records the change to the Bishopton Arms from 5 April 2026, but the sign application still gave the pub’s name as The Squirrel in August, and the new signs weren’t approved until mid-October. The food hygiene register still lists it as The Squirrel, which was rated 5 (very good) at its last inspection in February 2025.

Getting there

The pub is off Alcester Road, about a mile west of the town centre, near Bishopton Primary School and the community centre. CAMRA says it has a lounge, a sports bar with darts and pool, and a garden. The number 19 bus from town stops nearby: see our Stratford bus times. CAMRA’s opening hours were last checked in 2024, so ring the pub on 01789 551125 to check before a special trip.

It reopened on the same day as the Garrick Inn on High Street, which has also had a refit. You’ll find every pub in town on our eat and drink map and in our guide to Stratford’s best pubs.

Alex Harrington

Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.

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