The Stables Theatre
The Stables Theatre
4.6
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
Closed
About
The Stables is one of the UK's leading live music venues, offering live music for all tastes - jazz, blues, folk, rock, classical, pop and world music.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingWhat is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
175 within 3 miles
Attractions
81 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Jon ZMilton Keynes, United Kingdom85 contributionsThis venue never fails to deliver. The main stage has about 400 seats and is perfect for most shows. There is capability for a small amount of standing as well. The majority of workers are volunteers and they work tirelessly to help all patrons. From welcoming you and guiding you to parking spaces to ensuring you find your seat in the auditorium, nothing is too much. They are a dedicated band of volunteers and are very much appreciated. The second, smaller room was not in use on our most recent visit (holds around 80 people in seats) so parking was fine. If both rooms are in use then you need to get there a bit early to ensure you are parked up in time. Prices are always competitive and parking is free. The venue needs the support of those watching shows there as new local residents (in new build houses) are trying to impact operations and even trying to get it closed down. This would be a travesty, especially as the venue has been there well over 50 years and is truly an amazing place to watch music, comedy, pantomimes amongst the shows they put on.Visited April 2024Traveled with familyWritten August 30, 2024
- Chris BBiggleswade, United Kingdom121 contributionsWent to see Fairport Convention. Both me and my missus are a bit creaky on the pins, but the staff couldn't do enough for us, even getting us drinks from the bar. Great seats too and a sizeable car park with Disabled Parking.Visited May 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten June 10, 2024
- BeanandBirdNorthamptonshire, United Kingdom282 contributionsWonderful relaxed vibe. Staff all very helpful and very friendly, ensuring that we all had a good time. Saw Ian Sone in the small and intimate Stage 2. Drinks reasonably priced. Our first visit. Won’t be out last (and we don’t live locally).Visited September 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten September 22, 2024
- Kevin B1 contributionTerrific night of music, great venue. The staff were excellent, highly recommended. One gripe, as I was driving I bought a Zero Guinness . £7 for a can! A bit of profiteering methinks. Once bitten twice shy, won’t be having any more of that! Overall great night.Visited February 2025Traveled with familyWritten February 16, 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.6
345 reviews
Excellent
268
Very good
55
Average
8
Poor
6
Terrible
8
toolonginexile
Birmingham, UK201 contributions
Mar 2023
Just got back home from watching Van Morrison at The Stables. What an excellent gig, the whole place was rocking. What made to more special was the theatre itself. Modern and clean with wonderful staff, who seem to be volunteers. So polite.and helpful. Drinks are not too expensive and are and they are served in proper glasses not your plastic rubbish unlike other venues, take note Birmingham Rep and others in the Midlands. The sound system was excellent and better still, the tired seat was great, I recommend the stall, sitting in row CJ, the row in front, and those behind, which give a great view of the stage, which was extended for the gig. Even then the stage is not to far back. Clean toilets reasonable priced snacks. I wish we had a decent venue like this in Solihull. They have an almost live show show most nights weekly right up to September. Well done the Stables for showing the way other small theatres should operate. They have a smaller studio theatre. Highly recommend the venue
Written March 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KJS
1 contribution
Aug 2024 • Solo
Today I tried to book one ticket for the Shakatak concert being a fan of their music since the 80's. Seats were available in the main block and in the wings. I wished to sit in the main block so as to get a good view of the stage. There were 3 pairs of seats available to book.
However The stables refuse to allow single ticket sales in this area so they do not get left with odd seats. Their explanation is 'they wish to maximize ticket sales.'
I complained that I should be able to sit wherever I prefer. They have taken my details and will call me later to the date of the event if a single seat is available in my chosen area. Basically they have taken away my choice of where I want to sit and thus quite possibly taken away my ability to even attend the concert at all if those pairs of seats get sold.
I complained that they are discriminating against single people but this did not seem to make any difference. Shame on you The Stables!!
However The stables refuse to allow single ticket sales in this area so they do not get left with odd seats. Their explanation is 'they wish to maximize ticket sales.'
I complained that I should be able to sit wherever I prefer. They have taken my details and will call me later to the date of the event if a single seat is available in my chosen area. Basically they have taken away my choice of where I want to sit and thus quite possibly taken away my ability to even attend the concert at all if those pairs of seats get sold.
I complained that they are discriminating against single people but this did not seem to make any difference. Shame on you The Stables!!
Written August 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Navigator07972097849
1 contribution
Jan 2024 • Family
Went to see "The Freddie and Queen Experience" at the Stables on Friday 02/02/2024, what a joke !!! The musicians were OK, the lead guitarist was outstanding but "Freddie", was a joke. He sang out of tune, couldn't understand a lot of what he was singing and his gyrating was embarrassing. By the way, our seats were front row seats.
Written February 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thecatsmum4
Kettering, UK2,727 contributions
Dec 2023 • Friends
We love this venue it is intimate without being too small and you can see clearly wherever you are in the audience. We had very good seats in the 4th row back which is where the tiered seating commences.
The foyer has a good selection of drinks behind the bar and the volunteers who help run the place are always helpful and cheerful.
There is a varied selection of acts performing throughout the year so something for most people, we generally visit at least twice a year.
Currently there is work going on outside and the car park was muddy, but they had emailed the prior day to warn of this which was a nice touch. Plenty of free parking on site.
The foyer has a good selection of drinks behind the bar and the volunteers who help run the place are always helpful and cheerful.
There is a varied selection of acts performing throughout the year so something for most people, we generally visit at least twice a year.
Currently there is work going on outside and the car park was muddy, but they had emailed the prior day to warn of this which was a nice touch. Plenty of free parking on site.
Written December 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris B
Biggleswade, UK121 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
Went to see Fairport Convention, who were one member short due to Covid. Nonetheless, a great night of music, Fairport overcame their 80% attendance with hardly a hiccup and the staff looked after us wonderfully as we're both a bit short in the mobility stakes. Not our first visit, won't be our last!
Written February 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dick-April
Cheltenham, UK40 contributions
Oct 2022
If you look at the seating plan, when booking tickets, you will note the first three rows of the "horse shoe" shaped auditorium indicate...."people around you may stand"....
On the night of said concert, quite a number of people were standing up and enjoying themselves. The atmosphere was great. Suddenly, the guards, sorry, I mean volunteers, were almost pulling people out of the way. There was one particular female guard who was actually quite unpleasant and went out of her way to ruin the evening.
WHY bother to indicate one can stand?? Just supposing if all the customers had decided to stand in the said seats ( I think it is about 60 -70?? ) I expect said guard would have pulled the speaker plugs out.
The place should clarify this situation
On the night of said concert, quite a number of people were standing up and enjoying themselves. The atmosphere was great. Suddenly, the guards, sorry, I mean volunteers, were almost pulling people out of the way. There was one particular female guard who was actually quite unpleasant and went out of her way to ruin the evening.
WHY bother to indicate one can stand?? Just supposing if all the customers had decided to stand in the said seats ( I think it is about 60 -70?? ) I expect said guard would have pulled the speaker plugs out.
The place should clarify this situation
Written November 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
elaine o
Bedford, UK30 contributions
Mar 2022
Great show with The Dublin Legends, great music very entertaining, only issue was at the bar , We ordered a Lager top , and they tried to charge an extra 75p for a splash of lemonade , my son pointed out that you have to pour less lager and top with lemonade so it should be a maximum price of the pint . The price is expensive enough!. also the only non alcoholic beer they had was becks blue , As the theatre is quite remote my husband is our driver so can't drink alcohol , we feel it would be good to offer a more varied amount of alcohol free beers ales and ciders, I'm sure they would sell .
Written March 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris B
Biggleswade, UK121 contributions
Oct 2019
Went to see Fairport Convention. The stage was down a flight of stairs and my wife has limited mobility, but the staff could not have been more helpful, conducting us to the lift (which isn't generally available), offering to take us back up during the interval and escorting us back after the concert. Good facilities = bar, coffee, snacks - plenty of parking and good seating. Bad news is that there are moves afoot to demolish and build houses- Johnny Dankworth must be turning in his grave...
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katie-T-Cat
Daventry, UK130 contributions
Jan 2025 • Friends
Love the venue generally.
Great staff, easy parking. All in all a nice intimate venue.
However, having to queue 3 times for a can of coke is weird. Why not just sell it at the bar? Third part of the queueing was for ice which is at the bar not at the other place where the coke is….
Why do the machines scanning the tickets have to be so loud? A lovely bar area ruined by super loud machines making noises constantly! It’s like living with a teenager getting text messages.
Finally, the coffee! Shocking! Tasted like UHT milk, certainly not much coffee in it!!!!
Might not sound like much, but it’s the details which can make or break a fun evening, and honestly next time I’ll probably turn up later and just go straight in.
Great staff, easy parking. All in all a nice intimate venue.
However, having to queue 3 times for a can of coke is weird. Why not just sell it at the bar? Third part of the queueing was for ice which is at the bar not at the other place where the coke is….
Why do the machines scanning the tickets have to be so loud? A lovely bar area ruined by super loud machines making noises constantly! It’s like living with a teenager getting text messages.
Finally, the coffee! Shocking! Tasted like UHT milk, certainly not much coffee in it!!!!
Might not sound like much, but it’s the details which can make or break a fun evening, and honestly next time I’ll probably turn up later and just go straight in.
Written January 26, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wendygundry
9 contributions
Jul 2022
Lovely venue. Problems with accessibility parking due to it being full early into the evening and very long queues for the bar. Shame the restaurant has not re-opened. Very enjoyable evening - comfortable, even in the very hot weather. Very helpful staff.
Written July 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How far is the stables as worried about getting back to my hotel which is Willen Park Premier Inn Milton Keynes East please could someone tell me please.
Written February 24, 2017
This is a short taxi ride should you wish to leave your car at the hotel
Written February 24, 2017
Showing results 1-3 of 3
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing