Matt Jackson visited the picturesque town that is home to a pub crowned Britain’s best, and was stunned to see how much a pint cost
11:21, 23 Apr 2026Updated 06:57, 26 Apr 2026
I visited the Crown Wharf in Stone to find out what it’s like(Image: Matt Jackson)
The price of a pint continues to climb, with some drinkers now regularly shelling out more than £7 for a beer, and the average punter parting with upwards of £5. It’s a far cry from just 15 years ago when you could comfortably get a round in for as little as £2.50 a pint.
Yet tucked away in the heart of the Midlands, in the charming market town of Stone, one pub appears to be turning back the clock. The Crown Wharf, the flagship venue for brewery chain Joules, boasts prices that would leave most drinkers utterly gobsmacked.
The pub was even crowned Britain’s best at the Great British pub awards last year. The venue proudly boasts that every Joules pint served comes from “down the road in Market Drayton”.
As someone who has never been shy about sampling a pub or two over the years, I decided it was high time to nip down the M6 from my home in Cheshire and discover whether this venue truly deserves its title as Britain’s finest. Fortunately, as I pulled into the Staffordshire town, it was immediately clear that I’d picked the perfect day for it.
The sun was out, locals were meandering along the canal, and there was a car park just a stone’s throw from the pub – handy for your designated drivers, of course. After a leisurely stroll along the towpath, I made my way to the venue.
The Crown Wharf was crowned Britain’s best(Image: Matt Jackson)
Walking through the door, I was immediately struck by just how vast the pub was – it even boasts its own community theatre, housed in what was once a fire station many years ago. Having descended the steps from the main street and made my way inside, I headed straight for the bar.
My mind was already made up. At just £3.80, a Joules Citra Blonde was the only option. Described as a “light and refreshingly hoppy” beverage, it felt like the ideal choice for a sun-drenched Sunday afternoon.
A pint at the Crown Wharf cost me just £3.80(Image: Matt Jackson)
Had I fancied spending a little more, I could have opted for a pale ale at £3.90, or even pushed the boat out with a Green Monkey, Joules’ own lager, at £4.60. Even as the bar tender pointed the cash machine at me, I could scarcely believe that in 2026 I was handing over just £3.80 for a pint.
Pint in hand, I set about exploring the sprawling venue. With the sunshine still holding, I made a beeline for the beer garden, where I settled in to watch walkers ambling along the canal towpath as narrowboats gently rocked on the water beyond.
Inside the Crown Wharf in Stone, Staffordshire(Image: Steve Bould/StokeonTrentLive)
It was almost possible to forget you were sat in a Staffordshire beer garden on an April afternoon – a thoroughly peaceful scene, only occasionally broken by the joyful bark of a dog, because what pub would be complete without one, or the cheerful song of nearby birds.
Still fixated on the cost of a pint, I began pondering what the chain does so distinctively compared to rivals. That’s when I learnt it claims to have “no cans, no bottles, no supermarket shelves” competing against it.
The view from the Crown Wharf’s beer garden(Image: Matt Jackson)
Every drink served on tap is exclusively available at its own establishments. Indeed, the pub’s chief executive Vicky Colclough recently told the Morning Advertiser that keeping beers below the £4 threshold was a priority.
She explained that it was “really important” that the pub remains an “everyday luxury” and not a “weekend or a one-off in the month”. She says the chain has “honed down on every recipe”.
Inside The Crown Wharf(Image: Steve Bould/StokeonTrentLive)
And it really showed. Normally, when I’m out, I’d opt for a lager, but the prospect of a £3.80 pint was impossible to resist, and while it wouldn’t typically be my go-to choice, it was pleasant – the ideal complement to a sunny weekend.
After finishing my drink I decided to wander into the town centre for a stroll. The venue had already begun filling up, despite only just opening its doors when I arrived, with plenty of customers seeking their Sunday lunch.
Having wandered around Stone, I decided to make my way back home, and I can completely understand why The Crown Wharf was named pub of the year. It’s a generous space with excellent beer and, still astonishingly, a £3.80 pint.