The Jailor's Barrel (formerly The Robert Gillow) sits at 64 Market Street in Lancaster, Lancashire, a short walk from the railway station. Converted from a retail unit in 2007 — keeping its big curved shopfront windows — and refurbished in contemporary style in 2016, it offers a wide range of quality cask ales, lagers, wines and spirits, plus a quiet upstairs room open to the public. Live music is a regular fixture: bands on Friday nights showcasing local talent, an open-mic on the first Thursday of each month, and folk, blues and jazz nights, alongside a monthly comedy night and weekly quiz. With a small standing capacity of around 80, it's a welcoming grassroots Lancaster stage.
Lancaster · Every 1st Thursday of the month · No fee listed
The Jailor's Barrel Open Mic
64 Market Street's thursday open mic.
Next night: Thu 3 Dec. Kick-off 20:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 18 Oct 202620:00
Kick-off
Thursdays
sign-up on the nightThursdays
| Night | Every 1st Thursday of the month |
| Sign-up | Walk-in |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | Ask the host |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
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0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
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| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
The check
| Status | Being verified |
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03 — The night
Every 1st Thursday of the monthHow the night runs
20:00
Kick-off
ThursdaysRunning order
20:00 Kick-off
23:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Jailor's Barrel
64 Market StreetGetting there
64 Market Street, Lancaster
05 — What's on stage
TBC| PA system | TBC |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
06 — About
64 Market Street, LancasterAbout the night
The Jailor's Barrel is a contemporary bar on Market Street in the centre of Lancaster (a former shop with grand curved windows), and it runs an open mic on the first Thursday of every month. It's part of a friendly local-talent music programme that also includes live bands on Friday nights and a monthly comedy club. Free to come along and play. The exact start time isn't published, so check ahead — but turn up early to be sure of a slot.
The Jailor's Barrel (formerly The Robert Gillow) sits at 64 Market Street in Lancaster, Lancashire, a short walk from the railway station. Converted from a retail unit in 2007 — keeping its big curved shopfront windows — and refurbished in contemporary style in 2016, it offers a wide range of quality cask ales, lagers, wines and spirits, plus a quiet upstairs room open to the public. Live music is a regular fixture: bands on Friday nights showcasing local talent, an open-mic on the first Thursday of each month, and folk, blues and jazz nights, alongside a monthly comedy night and weekly quiz. With a small standing capacity of around 80, it's a welcoming grassroots Lancaster stage.
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64 Market Street · Every 1st Thursday of the month
The Jailor's Barrel Open Mic
64 Market Street's thursday open mic.
- Thursday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 18 Oct
- Last checked
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Community
- Listing status
Run a Lancaster open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Jailor's Barrel Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Jailor's Barrel Open Mic runs on the 1st Thursday of the month at The Jailor's Barrel in Lancaster, starting at 20:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last checked 18 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Partly verified
The night starts at 20:00. Sign-up is on the night - get there early to get a slot.
Next nightThu 3 Dec · 20:00Starts in 20d 12h 08m
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
BacklineNot confirmed yet
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusBeing verified
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know. We review corrections within 7 days.
NightThursdayEvery 1st Thursday of the monthNext: Thu 3 Dec
Starts20:00start time
Sign-upWalk-insign-up
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Lancaster this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Jailor's Barrel is a contemporary bar on Market Street in the centre of Lancaster (a former shop with grand curved windows), and it runs an open mic on the first Thursday of every month. It's part of a friendly local-talent music programme that also includes live bands on Friday nights and a monthly comedy club. Free to come along and play. The exact start time isn't published, so check ahead — but turn up early to be sure of a slot.
The kit on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemTBC
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How The Jailor's Barrel’s Thursday night runs.
Next nightThu 3 Dec · 20:00Starts in 20d 12h 08m
Kick-off20:00Every 1st Thursday of the month
Venue closes23:00The listed closing time
How often
Every 1st Thursday of the month
Coming up
Thu 3 Dec · Thu 7 Jan · Thu 4 Feb
First time here?
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find The Jailor's Barrel
64 Market Street, Lancaster
Area64 Market Street, Lancaster
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
You'll find The Jailor's Barrel in 64 Market Street, Lancaster. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
Ye Olde John O'Gaunt, Piel Castle Inn, The Galleon Bar and The Wobbly Cobbler
Planning Your Thursday Night
Get there early to sign up for a slot. The kit is not listed yet — ask the host what is provided.
The scene Live music in Lancasterthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Lancasterpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Lancasteracts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Lancasterevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
How much should paid gigs pay you? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. A night in the Lancaster live music scene.
Common Questions
8 things people ask before turning up at Lancaster's The Jailor's Barrel open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Lancaster open mic nights for alternatives.
The Jailor's Barrel has not listed its kit yet — ask the host before you go.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for The Jailor's Barrel's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Lancaster open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
The Jailor's Barrel is in 64 Market Street, Lancaster. Get directions, or see the other Blackpool open mics.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Lancaster regulars across the Lancaster open mic scene. Lancaster open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Lancaster open mics.
Venues Near The Jailor's Barrel
No other gigs are listed at The Jailor's Barrel in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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See what’s on in Lancaster over the next four weeks →
The Jailor's Barrel open mic in brief. The Jailor's Barrel open mic runs every 1st Thursday of the month from 20:00 (no fee listed). Coming back with a full band? The Jailor's Barrel’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. The open mics near Lancaster are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in Lancaster? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
09 — More Lancaster open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Lancaster gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Jailor's Barrel
All ›More rooms near The Jailor's Barrel: Bootleg Social, Brewery Arts Centre, Central Pier Showbar Blackpool, GinPig, Golden Lion, Gregson Arts & Community Centre, Kanteena, Lake District Music, Layton Institute, Lowther Pavilion and Lytham Green.
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