The Old Red Lion, Holmes Chapel, Ches

 The Old Red Lion

London Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire CW4 7AQ

TEL: 01477 549282

This grade II listed pub dates from at least the 17th century, the first written mention of it is in Thomas Gaudie's will (a local resident) in 1625. John Wesley preached at this pub in 1758  when he was on his way from Oxford to Manchester. The pub was a coaching inn.  The 15th century parish church is next to it.

decor - 7

ambience - 2

piped music

real ales - 3

Included Doombar when I was there

service - 2

Bit too formal

features - 3

serves food, wide menu

quiz night every week

dog friendly

toilets - 3

Score 17 out of 30 

The George and Dragon, Holmes Chapel, Cheshireilding was

 

The George and Dragon

Middlewich Road, Holmes Chapel, CW4 7EA

TEL: 01477 537785

There was previously a George and Dragon pub near this site from at least the 19th century but the original building was demolished to make space for the Knutsford Road to be widened to accommodate increasing traffic flow. This building dates from 1970. It looks plain and uninteresting on the outside but the inside is nicely designed with the dining area in a conservatory on one side and the other two rooms very spacious. The disabled access is quite good and there is enough space for wheelchairs to move between the tables in the room at the front.

decor - 3

taseful cream and brown colour scheme

Has the dining area in a conservatory

ambience - 1

spoiled by overloud piped musak

real ales - 3

Include Stormtrooper, Amarillo and Unicorn when I was there 

service - 2

Abrupt and not very friendly

features - 3

restaurant pub

very nice outdoor seating area at the front

dog friendly

toilets - 4

pristine and fully supplied

Score 15 out of 30

 

Reasonably good disabled access and has a disabled toilet

The Globe, Wardle, Rochdale

 

The Globe Inn

218 Ramsden Road, Wardle, Rochdale OL12 9NU

TEL: 01706 374500

A grade II listed building in the centre of the village opposite the church.

ambience - 3

friendly atmosphere

decor - 4

cream walls and dark timbers, blue and red carpest, comfy padded wall benches

service - 4

welcoming

ales - 1

Timothy Taylor Landlord

features - 3

child friendly

pool room

TV screen

toilets - 3

Score 18 out of 30

The Hare and Hounds, Wardle, Rochdale

 

The Hare and Hounds

76 Ramsden Road, Wardle, Rochdale OL12 0LQ

TEL: 01706 375389

There's not much to be found online about the history of this pub. It would be necessary to do some original research in local archives and newspapers. However, apparently the building was originally a farmhouse in the 17th century and was converted into a pub sometime in the 19th century. When the reservoirs were being built nearby the navvies working there made the pub their 'local', forming the major part of its custom. It was renovated and remodelled in 1925. That figures, it looks like a twentieth century building. But the next piece of information says that it was closed in 2002 and converted to residential accommodation. Well, it wasn't! It is still open as a pub, I had a drink in it just last week. I think the AI search has confused two pubs with the same name.

ambience - 3

decor - 3

dark and cosy

service - 3

ale - Timothy Taylor Landlord

features - 5

pub food

dog friendly

child friendly

live music

quiz night every week 

toilets - 5

pristine

Score 19 out of 30

The Prince of Orange, Ashton under Lyne

 

The Prince of Orange

109 Warrington Street, Ashton under Lyne OL6 6DW

TEL: 0161 459 1482

A prominent traditional high street pub near Ashton bus station. There was originally a pub built on the site in 1817 but it was rebuilt in 1026 after Robinsons took it over. It had a refurb late 2019 or early 2020.  Unusually it doesn't do hot drinks. Nearly every pub does them these days. 

decor - 2 dark blue and green theme, tiles, carpets and walls

ambience - 3

comfortable,  piped music not intrusive

service - 3

friendly but bar person forgot the order 

real ale - 0

A Robinsons pub

features - 3

TV screen

pub snacks, does barms with various fillings at a good value price. Some reviews from 2022 onwards says it does pub meals but there was no sign of that on the the afternoon I was there.

Nice beer garden

toilets - 3

Score 14 out of 30

The Ladysmith, Ashton under Lyne

 

The Ladysmith

54 Wellington Road, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 6DD

TEL: 

Originally called The Railway. It was closed for a while but reopened in March 2024.

decor - 2

drab in grey and off-white

ambience - 2

Too loud piped music

service - 4

real ale - 0

features - 1

TV screens

toilets - 4

pristine

Score 13 out of 30

The Bridgewater, Darwen

 

The Bridgewater, 

9-10 Church Street, Darwen

This is not a traditional pub. The building was originally a cinema called the Palladium from 1920 to 1971. Then it was used as a shop until 2006, when it was converted into a pub. 

decor -2

a bit plain

ambience - 2

service - 3 

prompt

real ales - 6

I had the Wainwright

features - 3

serves food, big pub menu

TV screens

child friendly

toilets - 3

Score 19 out of 30

The Crown, Darwen

The Crown, 

24 Redearth Road, Darwen BB3 2AB

TEL: 01254 777010

 decor -1

shabby

ambience - 2

comfortable

service - 4

fast and friendly

real ales - 0

features - 5

pool table

dog friendly

karaoke

live music every week

toilets- 2

cubicles so tiny it's hard to squeeze in and out of them

Score 14 out of 30

The Cock, Darwen

The Cock,

210 Duckworth Street, Darwen BB3 1PX

TEL: 01254 707622

Nice traditional high street pub with very friendly and attentive service. Has no real ales though, and apparently children not allowed in.

ambience - 3

decor - 2

shabby

service - 5

very nice

real ales - 0

features - 4

TV

pool

darts

dog friendly

toilets - 3

Score 17 out of 30

 

The Millstone Hotel, Darwen

The Millstone, 

1-3 Bridge Street, Darwen BB3 1BT

TEL: 01254 702588

This was renamed the Bees Knees in 2023 but the original name is still prominent above the door. 

decor - 3

comfortable green velvet benches

ambience - 1

noisy, they had the TV and piped music on at the same time

service - 4

very friendly and fast

real ales - 0

features - 1

TV screens

toilets - 3

Score 12 out of 30