Which venue are you going to?
The two venues are a short walk apart, but they work quite differently.
| The Anvil | The Haymarket | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The town’s concert hall, plus the smaller Forge | A smaller theatre for drama, comedy and live shows |
| Where | Churchill Way, RG21 7QR, almost opposite the station | Wote Street, RG21 7NW, in Top of the Town |
| Nearest parking | The Malls (Alencon Link), or Festival Place (Purple Zone) | Joices Yard, Feathers Yard or Central |
| From the station | Almost opposite | About ten minutes, through Festival Place |
Parking
For The Anvil, The Malls car park on Alencon Link is the nearest, and the evening charge is a flat £2.50 from 6pm. Festival Place is the alternative, at a flat £2 if you arrive after 5pm and leave before 2am. The Malls is being resurfaced in two phases until the end of October 2026 and loses about half its spaces during each, so arrive early for busy shows. Our Anvil parking guide has the full details, including Blue Badge spaces and EV charging.
For The Haymarket, use Joices Yard, Feathers Yard or Central, all nearby, or Festival Place. Evening charges apply at all of them. Central has the nearest EV chargers.
Charges were checked in October 2026 and change, so check before you travel.
Eating before the show
Before The Anvil: El Bigote in Festival Square is the independent pick, with tacos, birria and burritos. It started as a food truck on the same square. It closes at 8pm Monday to Thursday and 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays, so it suits an early meal rather than a late one. For a group that can’t agree, Han’s Buffet is upstairs in Festival Place, a short walk from The Anvil.
Before The Haymarket: Chennai Express is on the same street, at 19 Wote Street, serving South Indian food such as masala dosa and Hyderabadi dum biryani. Book a table if you need to eat at a set time; it also has a Fleet branch, so make sure you book Basingstoke.
Either way, check each restaurant’s current hours on the day, especially on Sundays: El Bigote closes at 3pm.
Afterwards
Bierkeller on Winchester Street, in Top of the Town, is open Friday and Saturday, 8pm to 1am, with steins, live oompah bands and DJs. It is a short walk from The Haymarket and a very different end to the evening from a quiet drink. It is closed Sunday to Thursday.
Getting home by train
The station is a short walk from both venues. The Anvil says trains take about 45 to 60 minutes to London Waterloo and 30 to 35 minutes to Southampton Central. Check the time of the last train home before you book, not after the encore.
A simple plan
- Book the show, then check the last train if you’re relying on one.
- Book dinner near the venue: El Bigote or Han’s for The Anvil, Chennai Express for The Haymarket.
- Park once, in the car park nearest the venue, and walk to dinner.
- On a Friday or Saturday, finish at Bierkeller if the evening still has some life in it.
More ideas for the evening are in the main guide and our food and drink shortlist.