The Carlton Tavern is a community local on Hartington Street in Chester with a full programme of real ale, sport and regular live music. Tuesday is open mic night, where guest musicians take the stage to play their chosen style and pick up a free drink for their trouble. It's a welcoming, well-regarded Hydes brewery pub that keeps the grassroots scene ticking over.
Chester · Every Tuesday · No fee listed
The Carlton Tavern Open Mic
Handbridge's tuesday open mic.
Next night: Tue 17 Nov. Kick-off 20:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 8 Oct 202620:00
Kick-off
Tuesdays
sign-up on the nightTuesdays
| Night | Every Tuesday |
| 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
118
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 |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Google listing |
03 — The night
Every TuesdayHow the night runs
20:00
Kick-off
TuesdaysRunning order
20:00 Kick-off
23:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Carlton Tavern
HandbridgeGetting there
Handbridge, Chester
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
Handbridge, ChesterAbout the night
The Carlton Tavern in Handbridge, Chester runs an open mic every Tuesday with a different host each week, so the vibe and feel shifts from one session to the next. It's a free, walk-in night where every performer gets a free drink, plus toasted snacks for players and audience alike. A welcoming neighbourhood-pub open mic that keeps things fresh with its rotating hosts.
The Carlton Tavern is a community local on Hartington Street in Chester with a full programme of real ale, sport and regular live music. Tuesday is open mic night, where guest musicians take the stage to play their chosen style and pick up a free drink for their trouble. It's a welcoming, well-regarded Hydes brewery pub that keeps the grassroots scene ticking over.
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| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
Handbridge · Every Tuesday
The Carlton Tavern Open Mic
Handbridge's tuesday open mic. Starts at 20:00.
- Tuesday
- Open mic night
- Jun 2026
- Listed since
- 8 Oct
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Chester open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Carlton Tavern Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Carlton Tavern Open Mic runs on Tuesdays at The Carlton Tavern in Chester, starting at 20:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 8 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Carlton Tavern’s venue page →
Music starts around 20:00. It's walk-in sign-up - arrive early to get a slot.
Next nightTue 17 Nov · 20:00Starts in 4d 12h 20m
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
BacklineNot confirmed yet
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.
NightTuesdayEvery TuesdayNext: Tue 17 Nov
Starts20:00start time
Sign-upWalk-insign-up
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Chester this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Carlton Tavern in Handbridge, Chester runs an open mic every Tuesday with a different host each week, so the vibe and feel shifts from one session to the next. It's a free, walk-in night where every performer gets a free drink, plus toasted snacks for players and audience alike. A welcoming neighbourhood-pub open mic that keeps things fresh with its rotating hosts.
What's 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 Carlton Tavern’s Tuesday night runs.
Next nightTue 17 Nov · 20:00Starts in 4d 12h 20m
Kick-off20:00Every Tuesday
Venue closes23:00The listed closing time
How often
Every Tuesday
Coming up
Tue 17 Nov · Tue 24 Nov · Tue 1 Dec
First time here?
Get there early for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn.
Find The Carlton Tavern
Handbridge, Chester
AreaHandbridge, Chester
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
You'll find The Carlton Tavern in Handbridge, Chester. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
Telford's Warehouse, Jax, Chichester Arms and Alexander's Live
Planning Your Tuesday Night
Arrive early to get your name down. The kit is not listed yet — ask the host what is provided.
The scene Live music in Chesterthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Chesterpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Chesteracts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Chesterevery 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 Chester live music scene.
Common Questions
8 things people want to know before Chester's The Carlton Tavern open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Chester open mic nights for alternatives.
The Carlton Tavern 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 Carlton Tavern's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Chester open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
The Carlton Tavern is in Handbridge, Chester. Get directions, or see the other Wrexham open mics.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Chester regulars across the Chester open mic scene. Chester 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 Chester open mics.
Venues Near The Carlton Tavern
No other gigs are listed at The Carlton Tavern in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
08 — Keep up with Chester
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See what’s on in Chester over the next four weeks →
The Carlton Tavern open mic in brief. The Carlton Tavern open mic runs every Tuesday from 20:00 (no fee listed). Coming back with a full band? The Carlton Tavern’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. The open mics near Chester are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in Chester? 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 Chester open mics
All ›Looking for paid gigs, not open mics? See Chester gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Carlton Tavern
All ›More rooms near The Carlton Tavern: Holly Bush Inn, Jax, Llangollen Pavilion, Llangollen Town Hall, Magic Dragon Brewery Tap, Nags Head, Neuadd Ogwen, Rock N Soul Suite, Saith Seren, St. Mary's Creative Space and Telford's Warehouse.
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