10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in the Cotswolds

The Sundial Theater is a hidden gem in the historic market town of Cirencester. You’ll find it in the leafy surroundings of Cirencester College, though you don’t need to be a student to appreciate the quality and variety of performances.

Audiences are treated to a diverse program of plays, live music, comedy, magic shows and dance performances. Check out the current schedules online – there are plenty of opportunities to sing along with tribute bands and laugh out loud to comedians that are household names.

The Barn Theater launched in 2018 and quickly established itself as the heart of performing arts in Cirencester. It was awarded Fringe Theater of the Year in 2019 by The Stage Awards. The onsite Téatro Bar & Restaurant is ideal for pre-show beverages or dinner.

Theatrical productions such as PG Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster, Dickens’ David Copperfield and Driving Miss Daisy are staged in front of a 200-strong audience, many of whom are regulars. The complex also houses a movie theater, which shows recent movies in cozy surroundings.

Mad Hatter Wine Bar is a late-night hangout in the heart of Cirencester. It is located on Castle Street, alongside several restaurants and bars. Good-value beverages and a lively atmosphere have made this a favorite with a younger clientele.

Mad Hatter Wine Bar is also a buzzing live music venue. On Fridays and Saturdays, you can expect DJs, bands and singers representing various genres as well as occasional karaoke nights. The action typically kicks off around 9 pm and continues through the wee hours.

Porch House in Stow-on-the-Wold has a strong claim to be considered England’s oldest pub. Aging lumber beams, wonky doorways, flagstone floors and worn stone walls certainly reflect its longevity. It’s thought that there has been an inn on this spot for almost 11 centuries – parts of the building date from AD 947.

Step inside this charming Cotswold limestone building and try a pint of Porch House 947, the Brakspear pub's signature craft beer. On a cold night, pull up a stool in front of the ancient fireplace – its markings said to be engraved by witches. In summer, there’s a terrace perfect for making the most of a warm evening.

The Plow Inn is a locally run, traditional pub in the little village of Cold Aston. The Grade II-listed 17^th-century building boasts authentic Cotswold flagstones, exposed beams and, during the colder months, a log fire.

The range of more than 20 British gins will excite connoisseurs – the local Wood Brothers single estate Oxfordshire gin is a must-try. If beer is more your style, the Cotswold Brewery – just 2 miles down the road – supplies 2 lagers, while the pub’s own Plow Bitter is another popular choice. Specialist craft beers such as IPAs, Goses and sours are also on tap.

Westonbirt Arboretum houses England’s finest and most extensive collection of trees. There are 2,500 different species well represented. In all, 15,000 specimens have been brought here from across the world. The Arboretum is especially well regarded for its lime, maple, bladdernut, Japanese maple and walnut trees.

In summer, the Arboretum participates in “Forest Live”, a series of open-air concerts featuring big names such as Rag’n’Bone Man, Keane, Texas and Madness. In winter, an illuminated path through the forest signals “Enchanted Christmas”. The light installations and interactive displays are simply magical. The forest is open daily but after-hour events are seasonal.

Giffords Circus is a traveling circus that comes to Barrington in the Cotswolds each summer. The big top magically appears opposite The Fox pub. And for 10 days, this sleepy corner of the Cotswolds is transformed. Acrobats, gymnasts and aerial artists from across the globe wow the audience and leave them gasping in awe.

If you plan to visit the Cotswolds in spring, then you’ll catch these talented circus performers further west, when they set up at Daylesford Organic Farm each May. Other locations within the Cotswolds region include shows in Stroud, Minchinhampton and Cirencester.

Circus Bar is a stylish pub with a sleek black façade in Cheltenham’s Montpellier Quarter. Unlike many pubs, it boasts large glass windows that flood the space with light. Nevertheless, this is a traditional pub when it comes to its beer, which is supplied by Tadcaster-based Samuel Smith Brewery.

Circus Bar is located in the heart of a quarter that’s known for its restaurants, bars and pubs. Nearby, you’ll find the Montpellier Wine Bar, Harry Cook Freehouse, Rotunda Tavern, The Riddle Wine Bar and The Urban Fox cocktail bar.

Popworld is one of Cheltenham’s most fun nightspots. An unending hit list of classic pop tunes delight fans at this sister venue to MooMoo. Whether it’s Glam Night or Geek Party, there’s an excuse to let your hair down in the Cotswolds’ after-hours.

Themed nights take place throughout the year. Time it right and you could find yourself at an Ibiza-style summer party or a big Christmas bash. Hen and stag dos and birthday celebrations are welcome, meaning that there’s usually a party atmosphere.

MooMoo Clubrooms is a nightclub in Cheltenham with dance floors spread across 3 separate rooms. DJs concentrate on a different music genre in each one. You’ll find R&B in the Zinc room, '70s pop in the Pop room and dance in Aura, which boasts a giant LED screen, lasers and C0₂ cannons.

Regular events, marking everything from exam results to St Patrick’s Day, draw an extra large crowd. Meanwhile, Wednesday night is time for Gloucestershire’s biggest student night, “Blue & Blue”.