Title deeds show that the inn dates back to 1779. It was called the Coach and Horses then, and changed name in 1975 to the Shire Horse when the Shire Horse Centre opened next door. Nearby, Maidenhead Thicket was renowned for highwaymen thieving travellers on the Bath Road. Before it changed names the pub included some bowling greens for the Maidenhead Thicket Bowling Club - laid by Bill Sweetzer who ran the pub with his wife Mary from 1937 to 1966.

Bill Lewis writes on 31 March 2002:

Belonging to the Lexus Soarer Owners Club we have meetings every couple of months and normally choose a Chef & Brewer pub for Sunday lunch.

This pub chain is far superior to any other in the UK, quality of food & service is exceptionally good (for the UK that is), a good menu of mostly home cooked food and we found the staff to be mostly helpful. We will be returning to the Shire Horse Inn (Maidenhead) on the 7th April for the next club meet.

I should add that the UK standards in food are generally poor but the Chef & Brewer rise above the dross.

Miss Ward writes on 19 November 2002:

To celebrate mine and my sisters birthdays our parents decided to take us out for a traditional Sunday Roast. The Shire Horse had been recomended to me by a friend who had eaten there on several occasions and always enjoys the food. My family are fairly fussy people when it comes to eating out, with my mother unable to spend any time in a cigarette smoke atmosphere and my sister being a fussy eater. We found the staff to be very accomodating, the pub is half smoking and half non smoking tables so we were able to keep my mother away from the smoke. The food was delicious and the service was very good with friendly and efficient staff. Whilst there we found out that the pub had been recently taken over by new landlords and the poeple we spoke to were enthusiastic about the improvements they had made to the pub already. I shall definately been eating there again.!

On 11 September 2003, Lyndsey writes:

In response to the comments made about the Shire Horse Inn, Bath Road, Maidenhead. I am a frequent visitor to the Shire Horse over the last 2 ¹/₂ years as I find the staff there amiable and the food is of exceptional quality in comparison with a lot of other pubs in the area.

The pub has recently been taken over by Andy & Annette Street, a young couple who strive to do the best for their customers and staff and aim for continuous improvement of their menu selection.

A new Head Chef has now joined the team and is proving to be a hit with the customers.

Bookings at the Shire Horse will be taken if there is room to accommodate them.

In my experience the standard of this Pub has improved greatly and this shows in the fact that it is very rarely quiet when we go there for a meal or even a quiet drink to enjoy the comfortable atmosphere and friendly surroundings.

On 9 May 2004, Jenny Renouf writes:

I was recommended this restaurant by a colleague from work. Having never been there I decided to check the place out on the website. I was disappointed to find such negative feelings about this restaurant [now removed because of their age]. Even so I decided that I would take my husband there for dinner on Saturday 8th May 2004 in the evening. What a surprise! Friendly staff, great food, fairly quite for an early Saturday evening, good atmosphere. We'll be going back again.