The Garsdale, Bury

 

The Garsdale

Woodhill Road, Bury BL8 1BT

TEL: 0161 764 1968

Country pub just outside Bury, near Burrs Country Park.It was refurbed and given a dining room back in 2003. It is close to the ruins of Higher Woodhill Mill and used to be the mill manager's house, so must date from the mid-19th century, though it doesn't look that old.

Disabled access isn't bad.

ambience - 2

Another occasion when I was in a pub early lunchtime early in the week, when it was bound to be quiet. Except it wasn't all that quiet, there was piped music playing, including out in the big beer garden.

decor - 3

Brown. 

real ale -2

Two guest ales

Service - 1

I don't think all the staff are the same but I got the bar person who was blank faced and offhand and dead slow at serving.

features - 4

Serves food

dog friendly

Nice big beer garden out back that looks on to a field but I'm not a bit impressed by the plastic lawn. 

monthly open mic night

weekly quiz night

toilets - 4

Pristine

Score 16 out of 30

The Vine Inn, Dunham Massey

 

The Vine,

Barns Lane, Dunham Massey, Cheshire 

TEL 

When I saw this pub I thought at first it was a residential house because it has no pub sign anywhere. Then I noticed a menu in the window and that the person sitting at the picnic table out front was drinking out of a pub-style pint glass. 

    It might have originated as a private house, a local directory of 1909 says it was occupied by a Mrs Katherine Allen, a beer retailer. That meant she was licensed to sell beer from her house.

    It has a cosy bar area and separate dining rooms and a nice outside sitting space surrounded by hedges. .

The disabled access is quite good.

ambience - 4

Friendly and relaxed

decor-3

tasteful but plain

service - 3

Prompt and friendly

real ale - 3

Samuel Smiths pub, has guest ales

I had the Moorhouses White Witch

features - 4

serves food

book swap, lots of books on the shelves opposite the bar with backgammon and other pub games on the lower shelf

child friendly 

dog friendly

toilets - 3

Score 20 out of 30

The Forester's Arms, Prestwich, Bury

 The Forester's Ams

444 Bury New Road

Prestwich M25 1AZ

TEL: 0161 511 5866

No photographs of this one because I didn't have my camera with me when I passed by. It's a newish pub, dates from the 1960s, and like many buildings from that decade has an unprepossessing look. It blends in with the buildings on either side of it and is hard to spot until you get close to it. It has a recessed entrance in the middle, the door on one side leading to the public bar, the one in the other side to the lounge.

decor -2

ambience - 3

Average high street pub with nondescript interior.

service - 4

friendly

real ales - 0

It's a Holts pub

Features - 4

pool table

darts board

quiz nights

TV

toilet - 3

Score 16 out of 30

The White Horse, Disley

 

The White Horse

18 Buxton Old Road

Disley SK12 2BB

TEL: 01663 635366

This dates probably from the early to mid-19th century ( the houses around it bear date stones ranging from 1821 to 1860 and are made of the same local stone). It has been a Robinsons pub since 1949. It underwent a refurb in 2018-2019, I don'r know what it looked like before but it is said to have much improved the pub's appearance and level of comfort.

ambience - 4

relaxing

decor - 5

creams and light browns, comfortable padded seats

real ale - 0

A Robinsons pub. Has Unicorn bitter

service - 5

features - 3

dog friendly

child friendly?

serves food

The beer garden is out the back and 25 yards from the pub up the lane that leads to the car park. It's smallish and is only there for the smokers, so I decided it's not worth a point.

toilets - 3

Score 20 out of 30

The Angel, Lees

 

The Angel

2 Nicholson Street, Lees, Oldham OL4 3BW

Big open plan space with a smaller tap room, just off Lees High Street. Children and dogs allowed in before 8pm.

Decor - 3

dark walls and furniture but not stylish not gloomy

ambience - 3

service - 5

real ale - 0

features ;- 5

TV screens

bar food

quiz night

darts

toilets - 4

The disabled access is reasonably good, no stairs and the main room is well lit.

Score 20 out of 30

pool