Church Inn, Uppermillback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Now that was a hell of a post from 2013. Anyway I'd tend to agree with some of the Ale reviews apart from the mild which was absolutely excellent. In regards to the food you get plenty so make sure you have a good walk planned afterwards to walk it off.
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REVIEW OF THE CHURCH INN AT UPPERMILL
We are a group of about 16 real ale enthusiasts who have been visiting The Church Inn at Uppermill since 1998. Throughout the whole of that time, the pub has been under the same management, thus you would expect standards to have been pretty consistent and it should be an easy place to rate. Unfortunately, the pub has become guilty of resting on its laurels in recent years and we found our task of rating the pub extremely difficult, as our opinions were tainted by the impeccable standards we enjoyed many years ago.
Between 1998 to 2005, this was probably one of the best pubs in the whole of the Greater Manchester area - something that was reflected in the very high ratings it often received on websites like this one. It enjoys a beautiful countryside setting with scenic views across the West Riding of Yorkshire, central Lancashire and Manchester. Outdoor facilities include ample car parking, a children's play area and a large beer garden that overlooks the Tame Valley. The pub sides onto the village church and woodland area and they have a number of outdoor tables where you can enjoy sightings of the local peacocks and feral cats, whilst tucking into your meal and a pint. Other attractions include an on-site micro-brewery and an entertainment's lounge which is situated downstairs, well away from the main drinking and dining areas, so that the music doesn't interfere with the regular pub goers.
As you venture into the main part of the pub, you are immediately thrust into a pleasant, country setting with ample seating, clean decor and nice touches such as the open coal fire place. A large bar plays host to around 30 different beer pumps. All tastes are catered for with lager, cider, light bitter, golden bitter, IPA, mild and stout all featuring as permanent offerings. Approximately 10 of the beers are from the in-house Saddleworth micro-brewery, with the rest coming from the brewing industry's big hitters.
With such a large range of beers, The Church has always been a big hit with real ale fans. The in-house beers from the Saddleworth Brewery are also exceptionally good value for money. Likewise, the pub offers a terrific range of English food which can be enjoyed either in the main dining room or any of the surrounding indoor and outdoor areas.
So far, so good... a pleasant country setting with great facilities, clean decor, ample seating, a large bar and a great range of food and drink at sensible prices. Unfortunately, that just leaves the thorny issue of customer service.
During the mid-2000's, a few important factors appeared to impact on customer service standards at The Church. The first saw the established in-house brewer leave to set up his own highly acclaimed brewery in Greenfield. This resulted in the usual range of impeccably prepared ales becoming a rather hit and miss affair. The landlord also took on an additional pub in Manchester, which seemed to result in him taking his eye off the ball somewhat at The Church. Numerous members of the established team of bar staff also left which resulted in a far less friendly and personal service whereby punters became more of a 'number' than a 'valued customer'.
Customer service levels continued to be hit and miss for the next few years, as did the standard of the in-house beers. This was reflected in the online reviews which slipped from around 9/10 to around 5/10.
We have visited at various times of the day. Friday nights used to be our favourite time for a nice relaxing night out with the chaps approximately once every 6 weeks. Unfortunately, about 5 years ago, the student fraternity latched onto the pub and the landlord seemed to welcome them with open arms. This resulted in a far noisier environment and, on some occasions, unruly behaviour which has over-spilled onto the street.
We also visit at lunch times on bank holidays and, in our view, this remains the best time to visit. Just make sure that you get your food ordered before 12.15pm, otherwise waiting times soar! This is one of those areas where customer service was allowed to slip to unacceptable levels. Between 2007-2011 it became common place for the staff to tell you your food would be ready in 20 minutes, only for you to be left sat twiddling your thumbs on an empty stomach some 90 minutes later. Thankfully, the staff are a bit more honest nowadays, although delays can still be as much as one hour at busier times.
The one time of day we would definitely avoid is between 4pm-7pm on weekdays. The pub is packed with mothers who have just done the school run and take their kids for a spot of tea whilst they wait for their husbands to come home from work to join them. Unfortunately, the kids soon become bored and invariably end up running around the place in a noisy manner. Likewise, this time of day is also more susceptible to crying babies being in the pub.
The Church is also a dog friendly business and whilst most customers keep their animals under control, one or two do let them roam around the room unsupervised. So 4pm-7pm on weekdays is definitely not recommended if you prefer to enjoy your meal and a pint in a quiet, relaxing atmosphere.
And so to our latest visit on August Bank Holiday Monday 2013. We decided to have a pleasant 7 mile walk along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal to Uppermill and then pop into The Church for a spot of lunch and to sample the in-house real ales.
FOOD
Half of our group arrived at 12.10pm and were told there was a half hour wait for food and, sure enough, the food was served just 30 minutes after ordering. The rest of our group arrived at 12.30pm only for the quoted waiting times to have gone up to one hour. Thankfully, it was served after just 45 minutes. We were pretty pleased with this as it bettered their quoted estimation and given that we had planned on staying for at least 2.5 hours, all went well with the service.
The food prices have shot up during the past 2-3 years. Then again, so has food in the shops. Nevertheless, most of the meals fall into line with your typical English pub and come in at between £7.99 to £9.99. Their 2 flagship meals - Deep Fried Jumbo Cod, Chips & Mushy Peas, and the Mixed Grill - both of which were previously advertised as big enough for 2 people, have rocketed in price to £13.50 and £16.95 respectively but do be warned, the portions really are large enough to feed 2 people. The aforementioned "Jumbo Cod" resembles something on the lines of a blue whale as it overhangs every edge on your plate!
There was a large range of dishes on the menu and portion sizes were generally good. The quality of the food was also pretty good, although not as great as in the past. We weren't sure whether this was because the kitchen was very busy or whether they have started using lower grade catering supplies. Here's how we rated our various meals:
· Roast Beef Sandwich 7/10 - Cuts of beef not as good as previous visits
· Ploughman's Lunch 8.5/10 - Plenty of cheese and a good mix of breads
· Chips 5/10 - They were fresh as opposed to frozen, but under cooked
· Lasagne with Garlic Bread & Salad 8/10 - Needs more salad
· Jumbo Cod, Chips and Mushy Peas 8/10 - Up from £9.95 to £13.50
· Apple Crumble 9/10
· Strawberry Cheesecake 9/10
BEER
True to form, all beer pumps were on tap offering a huge range of lagers, cider, light bitters, golden bitters, IPA, mild and stouts, including around 10 in-house beers from the Saddleworth Brewery, which are still remarkably good value at between £2.00 to £2.50 per pint (depending on ABV). The beers and lagers from the mainstream suppliers are somewhat more expensive. Put simply, this is the best range of ales you will find anywhere in the Saddleworth area.
We managed to sample 6 of the beers as follows:
· I Don't Know (Golden Bitter) 8/10 - Suppable
· Shaft Bender (Chocolate Stout) 8/10 - Very good but has been better
· Hopsmacker (Golden Bitter) 5/10 - Very thin
· Slap & Tickle (Light Bitter) 5/10 - Very thin
· St George's (Golden Bitter) 6/10 - Suppable
· Saddleworth Mild (Dark Mild) 2/10 - End of barrel / Stale / Full of frogs eyes
None of the beers were up to the high standards enjoyed many years ago. Whether this is due to The Church having a different brewer, or whether they are using lower grade ingredients, who knows? But we are the customers and the customer is king. And we know our real ale and appreciate a good pint when we sup one. Sadly, standards have been allowed to slip in the Saddleworth Brewery side of the business.
DECOR & CLEANLINESS - 9/10
AMBIENCE & CHARACTER - 8/10
CLIENTELE - 8/10
Given it was lunchtime on a Bank Holiday, the pub was full of families. Whilst all of the kids were playing outside, we still had to put up with a crying baby and a nosy hound who wanted to help itself to our grub (a slap on the arse with the Oldham Chronicle did the trick). In previous years, we felt that the staff would have intervened to prevent any inconvenience to other customers.
STAFFING & CUSTOMER SERVICE - 6/10
There were generally enough bar staff so queues were minimal. Staff were generally helpful and sociable. However, on the catering side, waiting times were lengthy (30 to 60 minutes) which would indicate logistical problems in the kitchen. One mishap that was totally unforgivable was to serve the glass of Saddleworth Mild and then expect the customer to pay for it. It clearly came from the end of the barrel, tasted stale and was full of "frogs eyes" on the head. This should have been tipped straight down the drain and an alternative offered. Such levels of customer service would never have occurred at The Church many years ago and the sooner they return to the high standards of the past, the better.
Overall, this remains a cracking country pub and whilst the food and drink aren't up to the exceptionally high standards of years gone by, they are still pretty decent value for money. But the landlord definitely needs to brush up on the customer service side of things and ensure that his work force are fully trained to such standards where appropriate.
Acme Tours
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in here now having a great time 5.00 friday afternoon the place is packed sat in front a real fire drinking real ale finishing off my days work on free wi fi, lap top will soon be back in my car and wait for my friends to arrive roll on on hang over. free wi fi thats why im writing this now its faster than my office may relocate office to here ha ha
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Didn't have any problems with service this afternoon, despite the pub being busy. 9 handpumps (1 real cider), at �1.90/2.00 per pint., half from the local Saddleworth Brewery. Quality was good. Food portions looked good too. I'll definitely be back.
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we got there last week and taking in to account what alison said my brother asked if there were any changes in managment as a few comments had been posted knocking the place .he spoke with christine the landlady who said she was aware of the coments and explained some old staff were leaving and new ones are now being trained up .then we ate and drank lots and think we had a good time well i'm sure we had a good time .i'm glad the comments didnt stop us going up there hope to even become a real local .hope to see you there alison you sound fiesty i think thats how you spell it
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just left from lunch i thought the rump could not get better its just been served sizzling on a bed of frying onions double mmmmmmmm
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its just a very nice place with nice people nice drinks nice food and very relaxing after a boring week in the office please note the rump steak is just mmmmmmmm
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Some time ago,i felt I had to write in defence of the comments raised by a visitor to the Church Inn.
Having now moved back into the Saddleworth area,I am happy to once again be frequenting this charming country pub.
Thankfully,nothing has changed,and it remains a super venue both at lunchtimes and evenings.
The home brewed ales are as great as ever,and it did not take me long to realise just what I had been missing when London based....and that's without taking the incredibly reasonable cost of a pint into account.
I took six friends there for dinner last Saturday evening and was as ever pleasantly surprised at the freindliness and efficiency of the staff.
The food was obviously fresh produce,the pies home-made...their cheese and onion is just fantastic...and the portions unlike anywhere else...plentiful to say the least.We certainly had no complaints!
I congratulate the Landlord on maintaining the highest standards over the so many years that I have been going there...I have never witnessed the slightest sign of a drop in quality of the beers,food or atmosphere,which in itself I find unique.
I suggest that you try the Church Inn for yourself and experience what a real country pub should be like.
Winter time is as beautiful as the summer...the extremes are delightful.
The real log fires in winter.....the incomparable views to the far reaching hills in summer whilst sat on the patio enjoying their award-winning beer.
To summarise,a great family pub,family run with great attention to detail and a 'must-go' place to visit.
Paul Graham.
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This should be a great pub. It has a fantastic setting in a hollow next to the glorious Saddleworth Church and has views across the valley. It is spacious and looks like a country pub should with a wood bar and various seating areas with nice windows. And it has its own micro brewery.
But it is a terrible place.
I went in to try the Saddleworth beers. I tries 4 out of the 10 or so which were available. Without fail they were tired and stale. There may have been taste and conditioning there once, but there certainly wasn't when I was there.
The food was uninspiring. Edible, just, but not the country pub experience by a long way.
And while I was there there was an obstreperous customer who was thumping his fists on the bar, shouting and swearing at the bar staff and making threatening remarks to them. Yet noone was taking command - either to find out his grievance and resolve it or to tell jim to sling his hook.
This is a pub which looks like noone is in charge, noone putting their authority on it and making it theirs.
It's a real pity, because this could be a gem.
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The Church Inn is a excellent country pub. A warm, welcoming atmosphere with wide selection of local ales and food that is second to none in tems of quality and value for money. The staff are always very welcoming and attentive giving excellent customer service. The people who've posted negative comments must have been to another establishment, because every time I've been to the Church Inn it's never disappointed. Highly recommended.
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1) Range of ales � probably the best in Saddleworth. In addition to the regulars such as Boddies, Thwaites, Stella and Carling, you have a choice of between 4 to 8 cask ales plus a scrumpy, all brewed in-house by the Saddleworth micro-brewery. There�s a good range too. Golden bitters dominate but there�s usually an IPA and a mild, and if you�re really lucky, their flagship �Shaft Bender� chocolate stout. Sweet cider lovers will enjoy the �Ruby Tuesday�. Rating 8/10.
2) Quality of ales � good. Rating 8/10.
3) Price of ales � standard beers 6/10. In-house Saddleworth Brewery ales 9/10.
3) Range of food � Rating 8/10.
4) Quality of food � None of it has seen a chef � it�s straight from the freezer into the microwave / fryer. But not bad all the same. The �Combo� starter, jumbo cod main course and mixed grill, are all huge. Other portions sizes are average. Rating 6/10.
5) Price of food � average. Rating 6/10.
6) D�cor and cleanliness � good all round with a warm, cozy feel to the place. Rating 9/10.
7) Staffing � a bit of a let down. Full of young, attractive girls but mainly of the �dumb blonde� elk. Not particularly bright, helpful or sociable. But not bad either. Rating 5/10.
8) Ambience, character and range of activities � Nice, pleasant place. Avoid early tea times � full of mum�s in their 4x4�s who can�t be bothered cooking tea � they take their kids their and let them run riot around the place. Likewise, Friday night�s can be a bit like �student city�!
9) Overall rating � 6/10.
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You are instantly seized upon by a number of beautiful women - too gorgeous to be described as bar staff. Your every need is met against the breathtaking scenery of the wild Saddleworth Moor and the burning coals of hot,hot,hot open fireplaces.
As you enjoy a pint of foaming temptation, the smell of high cuisine emanates from the kitchens, inflaming the palate into another dimension of heady desire and unbridled sensation.
On my visit Ross appeared as a seraph, ministering to the beguiled assembly as if on a heavenly mission...
And the Saddleworth More is said to be a decent gargle...
Carl Selby, Ashton-under-Lyne
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a fantastic country pub run by a fantastic family with fantastic food and fantastic beer at fantastic prices all in all it is just fantastic
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I have re-visited the Church Inn on two occasions since I posted my negative review back in February and to give praise where it's due I have to say that the service and beer quality were fine. On the first visit the pub was very busy but the bar staff were efficient, served everyone promptly and in the correct order! We ate at the pub that evening and we were all satisfied with our meals. On the second visit, this weekend, the pub was less busy but again we got served straight away and all beers sampled were in passable condition.
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Right so my third review of the Church in just over four years. Having read the array of polarised opinions that have been posted since I first gave it a slightly mixed review at the end of 2004, I thought I should weigh back in with my two penn'orth.
First up, all my family and friends descended on the Church last year for my wedding and in the few hours they spent there everyone seemed happy with the service and the beer so a big plus for it from my point of view.
Second I had a go up there last week for the first time in some time to give it another go as I love the location and the pub itself, it's just the variable beer quality that's put me off in the past. It seemed better than it has done over the last few years, the hopsmacker was ok if not great, but all the happy families eating the food suggested that that is either sorted out or on its way there.
I like it and I'll not stop going, it's just that the pub as it currently is doesn't inspire me to go out of my way to make a visit.
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Enjoyed a couple of nice pints of Saddleworth More @ �1.50 a pint here today, will visit again and certainly recommend it to others.
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Well what can i say? CHURH INN DOES IT!
or put it another way..lets see which one shuts first?!!
I have been spending a bit of time at the Church Inn of late, and having known Julian many years, would tell him straight (and not on a website where you can hide!) if
1. the beer was bad
2. The beer was overpriced
3. Service was bad
4. Food was bad
5. Food was overpriced
It was the week when it snowed most recently and what a fab and friendly time we had, a good family pub, good food, beer at right prices and mmmm warm!!!
For those who have "moved up the slope" stay there we've made some room for those who liked it at the church inn, and have decided to make it a more regular visit!
As for the person who slated it, yes, maybe there has been something to complain about, but if the problem isnt there now, then credit Julian or Christine for sorting it.
One thing I do know, there's loads of backstabbin in Saddleworth mostly because Julian sells cheaper drink, and by many landlords too. It wouldn't suprise me if the comments are by one of those landlords!!
In these times of hardship, one thing for sure is that Julian's pub will fill more! and more!
The pubs whose landlords spend all day backstabbin-will close, cos the breweries have got them by the short and curlies!!
For those who like the pub, get on with it, for those who don't, stay away!!!
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Oh dear!
I did not intend to start a bitter -pardon the pun- row,regarding my visits tio the Church Inn,which have been many over the many years.
It makes absolutely no difference to me if it is the best pub in the world or the worst.I state my case and am more than happy to stick to my recently posted the review.
I guess the public are ones to decide after all.Perhaps you should visit on an early week night,when the majority of pubs are entertaining the old guy in the corner with his one last-all-night pint......this includes the Cross Keys,where I visited only last week on my return home from London.
The Church Inn was busy to say the least and surely this must illustrate the popularity of the place.Monday night there is like a Saturday night in any other pub in the area.....can all the drinkers be wrong?
As for my being the landlord (I a quote from one 'columnist').....If only.An obviously tremendous business that should it ever be for sale,would surely require a lottery win to acquire.I will be checking my numbers this Saturday as usual!
Pagrajo.
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Visited here last night with family - had been here once before in May last year and recalled the visit as quite enjoyable, and was therefore quite surprised to read the negative reviews below.
We all had food, and for the majority of the night most of us were drinking the ridiculously cheap locally brewed beer - these were all very pallatable, my personal favourite being the "St George". We had food in the restaurant area, everybody enjoyed their order - the steaks were particularly good, good size , nicely cooked etc.
The majority of the staff were very young, but all were very polite and quick to serve.
All in all, we had an enjoyable experience and would not hesitate to revisit.
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After reading comments about the Church Inn,Uppermill,I can only conclude that there must be two pubs of the same name in the same area,the write-ups are that diverse.
The main photograph however,would lead me to believe
that I do visit the 'right' Church Inn,where for many years,I have had nothing but enjoyment,both of the food and fantastic home brewed beers at decade-old prices.
Living in London,and still visiting Saddleworth regularly,it is literally most refreshing to find good beers at a ridiculous �1.75 per pint,as opposed to the almost �4.00 I am reluctant to pay in London.Top 'export' beers and lagers are similar in price to the home-brew.....where else are prices like this to be seen?Please let me know!
These prices attract me to this particular pub,but having said that,I have as aforementioned been a regular,although not so much lately due to my house move down south.Nothing is compromised,and the service is good.Due to the popularity of the place,it is only fair to judge the service on the amount of people visiting and being at the bar at the same time.The staff are great,and no one waits a second longer than they have to.They all get my vote!
As for the food,you have got to try the fish and chips which go down as 'historic' in my view.They don;t send you out a fish,you get Jaws...amazing,brilliantly cooked in a really light batter.and real fresh chips that have never seen the freezer.A �20 dish in London,and a meagre �9.75 at the Church.Be warned...don't eat the day before you try them,or you'll end up with a doggy bag the size of a suitcase!
To summarise,a great British pub,marvellous atmosphere,always under the watchful eye of the owners,and an experience not to be missed.
Give it a try,you'll like it....and you can go twice as often for half as much!
Pagrajo,Knightsbridge,London.
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This use to be the best pub in the area. Great beer, excellent food and good service.
However recently things have changed, the beer can still be excellent and is still very well priced, but certain beers can be off, and the young girls on the bar don't really know about real ale. The food has gone down hill and is now average, with waiting times above average. The service time for beer was still quite quick though.
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Always rather warm due to the reliance on food. A good selection of beers, but never seems to get considered by CAMRA for the Beer Guide.
Very reasonably priced and a good pint on my last visit.
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A very pleasant pub with a genuine country pub feel. 8 cask ales were on last night out of 9 pumps available.
The two ales we sampled were their own brews, both good pints and extremely reasonably priced (around �1.50).
A comprehensive-looking food menu was available although we were not eating.
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Great pub with it's own beers. Can be a bit hit and miss with the cheaper own beers, but when they're good they're excellent. Go in a big group and each get a differnet pint - that way you can figure out which pump needs the lines cleaning that week and you can avoid that beer safe in the knowledge that you'll have a great night.
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If your planning on going to this pub do your best to leave the car at home other wise you'll feel very left out when whoever's with you get's to try all the great beers and you don't!
Food is also great here - very popular though so expect a wait at peak times.
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Go to the Church Inn, yet be prepared- don't be surprised to be stared at if you are unrcognised, local pub, local people...
Try a pint of the fabled Saddlworth Moor (�1.10 last time i checked).
Keep an eye out to see if the landlord is wearing his shorts (considering the positining of the pub on a mostly unpopulated bleak hill in Saddleworth) in the middle of winter.
You've got to love it and the only thing i dislike is when things are changed with no need or warning; a tiled floor around the bar? What happened to the carpet.
Leave my pub alone it is perfect how it is!!!
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Good pub in great location above Uppermill. Good beers, good food. For some reason someone decided it would be a good idea to erect a large plastic awning across the whole of the front of the pub - this does nothing for it's appearance and takes a lot of natural light, but it's a small gripe about an otherwise sound pub.
theory900 - 29 Dec 2004 10:37 |
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