Soho Fine Art

Soho Fine Art sits just outside Stratford-upon-Avon, a proper gallery space if you're after original contemporary work rather than the usual tourist tat cluttering the high street. It's a working gallery that takes itself seriously - the kind of place where staff actually know what they're talking about, not just pointing at pretty pictures.

You'll find paintings, sculpture, and prints from artists who've got something to say. The selection rotates, so it's worth checking what's on before you go. It's not enormous - reckon thirty minutes to an hour depending on how much you want to linger - but that's rather the point. Quality over quantity, and all that.

Art enthusiasts will get the most from a visit here, though it's perfectly pleasant for anyone wanting a breather from the Shakespeare crowds. If you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks like Rayford or Stratford Parks, it's a decent walk into town anyway, so you might as well swing by.

The real strength is that it's unpretentious. No velvet ropes or hushed whispers. Just good contemporary work in a gallery that doesn't make you feel like you need a degree in art history to appreciate what's on the walls. Given how close it is to the main tourist drag, it punches above its weight for finding something genuine.