I went to Preston's Chew's Yard and I loved it... the stunning garden made me feel like I was in Greece!

Keen to see what all the hype was about, I went down during the bank holiday weekend to try it out. From the range of food vendors, the bar, the outdoor space filled with flowers and colour, and the live music, it was a weekend well spent.

Chew’s Yard’s huge garden and seating is truly stunning with bright and colourful flowers and plants. Benches (my personal favourite are the big pink and blue benches in the corner), covered seating, a corner stage close enough for you to hear but far enough away that you can enjoy a chat to background music.

They have a beautiful archway leading into the garden from the inside and a summery pathway that feels like it should be in Greece.

The inside is a lot bigger than expected, holding a huge capacity and offering a wide range of seating, while they also have quotes and signs across all their walls which really fit the Chew’s Yard vibe. 

It feels like a regular events space very similar to others I’ve been to, but the range of food vendors and the fairy lights hung up across the ceiling and the wonderful and very friendly staff make it very worthwhile.

Two Guns pizza, Seitanic’s kebabs, Chamo’s American street food, and a range of drinks at Trough by Goosnargh Gin and Escapade bars proved to be very popular with the locals.

The Thursday opening went off with a bang, with Lancaster’s Samba Espirito performing up Market Street West and into the venue, with queues of people clapping along. This was in addition to live singer Rachel Wearing also performing an opening gig. 

Be sure to sign up for our free LEP newsletter!

The space and all the seating areas was filled to the brim with many enjoying the music and trying the food and drinks. Friday and Saturday saw more performances from the likes of Mike Dignam, Design Rewind, Des Songsmith, and DJ Dave Chambers.

On Saturday, I was also pleased to find that Chew’s Yard had its very own makers’ market with a range of creative artists, designers, and makers between 12pm and 5pm. There was a huge range to choose from and showed the venue in a new and different light. 

Saturday’s weather ruined the day slightly but, given that they have been setting up a new venue in Preston, they prepared for all weathers. The rest of the weekend was jam packed with fun from a yoga class and storytellers to music from Marc and Kiki, performing hits from the ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s.

With the stunning weather on Sunday, everywhere in Preston was rammed and Chew’s Yard was no exception - they made full use of their outdoor garden space. 

Monday had music from Indie performer Matt Hall and, again with the warm weather, many in Preston including myself, chose to spend their bank holiday Monday in the city. With everything available, this was Chew’s Yard at its best.