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 · Free
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.
Open mic at a glance The Fisherman's Cottage · Reading
Wednesday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Reading open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
The Fisherman's Cottage Open Mic — Quick Facts
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.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayWednesday
Start20:30
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length12 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic · Poetry · Comedy
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The Fisherman's CottageKennet Side
Reading RG1 3DW
Reading — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Contact
Walk-in sign-up only
No advance booking
Host: in-house team
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Music, Poetry, Comedy welcome
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 and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
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About The Fisherman's Cottage
About This Open Mic
Every Wednesday in Reading
Kicks off at 20:30, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
12-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Reading open mic directory
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.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How The Fisherman's Cottage’s Wednesday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:30Kick-off
23:00Venue closes
Every Wednesday 12-min slots Free entry
Find The Fisherman's Cottage
Kennet Side, Reading RG1 3DW
Planning Your Wednesday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Reading live music scene.
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Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Reading's The Fisherman's Cottage open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Reading open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Reading mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
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.
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