The Fisherman's Cottage is a charming canal-side gastropub on Kennet Side (RG1 3DW) in Reading, sitting on the bank of the Kennet & Avon canal. It runs a bohemian weekly open-mic night every Wednesday (hosted by Rob Sowden) and live jazz and blues nights roughly fortnightly on Tuesdays, with music typically from 7:30pm, free entry and donations welcomed. Pet-friendly, with a PA for performers and a wide menu of freshly cooked food — a relaxed riverside spot for acoustic, folk, jazz and blues acts.
Reading · Every Wednesday · No fee listed
The Fisherman's Cottage Open Mic
Reading open mic at The Fisherman's Cottage — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Next night: Wed 18 Nov. Kick-off 20:30, sign-up from 20:30. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 9 Sept 202620:30
Kick-off
Wednesdays
sign-up from 20:30Wednesdays
| Night | Every Wednesday |
| Sign-up | 20:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
116
page views on GigXchange. Is it your night?
0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
0
Member votes
votes to get this venue on GigXchange
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians · Poets · Comedians |
| Website | thefishermanscottagepubreading.co.uk |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 9 Sept 2026 |
| Checked against | Web listing |
03 — The night
Every WednesdayHow the night runs
20:30
Kick-off
WednesdaysRunning order
20:30 Kick-off· 12-minute slots
23:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Fisherman's Cottage
ReadingGetting there
Kennet Side,
Reading RG1 3DW
Reading RG1 3DW
The nearest station is Reading (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
2 provided · 5 TBC| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | Provided |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
06 — About
ReadingAbout the night
The Fisherman's Cottage is a lovely canal-side pub on Kennet Side, and every Wednesday at 8:30pm it hosts Rob Sowden's long-running "Bohemian Night" open mic. It's wonderfully anything-goes — music, poetry and comedy all welcome ("anything you like as long as it's not getting naked, or anything to do with fire") — with a roughly two-song-or-equivalent-time rule and a resident piano, guitar and cajon on hand. No booking: just turn up, get your name down and aim to be there by 8:30 to be sure of a spot. Absolutely all are welcome.
The Fisherman's Cottage is a charming canal-side gastropub on Kennet Side (RG1 3DW) in Reading, sitting on the bank of the Kennet & Avon canal. It runs a bohemian weekly open-mic night every Wednesday (hosted by Rob Sowden) and live jazz and blues nights roughly fortnightly on Tuesdays, with music typically from 7:30pm, free entry and donations welcomed. Pet-friendly, with a PA for performers and a wide menu of freshly cooked food — a relaxed riverside spot for acoustic, folk, jazz and blues acts.
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Reading · Every Wednesday
The Fisherman's Cottage Open Mic
Reading open mic at The Fisherman's Cottage — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
- Wednesday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 9 Sept
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 12 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Reading open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Fisherman's Cottage Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Fisherman's Cottage Open Mic runs on Wednesdays at The Fisherman's Cottage in Reading, starting at 20:30 with sign-up from 20:30. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 9 Sept 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Fisherman's Cottage’s venue page →
Music starts around 20:30. Sign-up is on the night from 20:30 - get there early to get a slot. Slots run about 12 minutes. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in.
Next nightWed 18 Nov · 20:30Starts in 5d 12h 51m
Age18+
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Who playsMusicians · Poets · Comedians
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusVerified active
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.
NightWednesdayEvery WednesdayNext: Wed 18 Nov
Starts20:30start time
Sign-up20:30Walk-in
Slots12minutes each
What’s on in Reading this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Fisherman's Cottage is a lovely canal-side pub on Kennet Side, and every Wednesday at 8:30pm it hosts Rob Sowden's long-running "Bohemian Night" open mic. It's wonderfully anything-goes — music, poetry and comedy all welcome ("anything you like as long as it's not getting naked, or anything to do with fire") — with a roughly two-song-or-equivalent-time rule and a resident piano, guitar and cajon on hand. No booking: just turn up, get your name down and aim to be there by 8:30 to be sure of a spot. Absolutely all are welcome.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardProvided
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How The Fisherman's Cottage’s Wednesday night runs.
Next nightWed 18 Nov · 20:30Starts in 5d 12h 51m
Sign-up opens · Kick-off20:30Walk-in on the night
Venue closes23:00The listed closing time
Slots12minutes each
How often
Every Wednesday
Coming up
Wed 18 Nov · Wed 25 Nov · Wed 2 Dec
Kit
The Fisherman's Cottage provides a PA system and keys — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Get there by 20:30 for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn and keep to about 12 minutes.
Find The Fisherman's Cottage
Kennet Side, Reading RG1 3DW
AddressKennet Side
AreaReading
PostcodeRG1 3DW
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Reading (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away. The Fisherman's Cottage is in Reading — use RG1 3DW for sat-nav, taxis and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Open mics nearby
Corn Exchange, The Rising Sun Arts Centre, The Plough and The New Inn
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Wednesday Night
Get there by 20:30 to sign up for a slot. The Fisherman's Cottage provides a PA system and keys — check the rest with the venue.
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What should you charge for paid gigs? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. Part of the Reading live music scene.
Common Questions
9 questions people ask before going to Reading's The Fisherman's Cottage open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 20:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Reading open mic nights for alternatives.
The Fisherman's Cottage provides a PA system and keys — check the rest with the venue.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for The Fisherman's Cottage's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Reading open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
Kennet Side, Reading RG1 3DW.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Reading regulars across the Reading open mic scene. Reading open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Reading (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is RG1 3DW. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 20:30, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails - the venue's own website is linked on this page. Browse other Reading open mics.
Venues Near The Fisherman's Cottage
No other gigs are listed at The Fisherman's Cottage 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 Reading over the next four weeks →
The Fisherman's Cottage open mic in brief. The Fisherman's Cottage open mic runs every Wednesday from 20:30 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 20:30 and slots run about 12 minutes. The Fisherman's Cottage’s venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For a different night this week, the open mics near Reading are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Reading? 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 Reading open mics
All ›Looking for paid gigs, not open mics? See Reading gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Fisherman's Cottage
All ›More rooms near The Fisherman's Cottage: The Castle Tap, The Club Bar and Lounge, The Lyndhurst, The Old London Apprentice, The Rising Sun Arts Centre, ACE Space Newbury, Bier Keller, London Road Campus, McCafferty's Bar, Oakford Social Club and Pangbourne Working Mens Club.
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