Turks Head, St Helensback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Turks Head used to be known as the best destination for real ales in St Helens. So, I've been a few times before. However, it's been a good few years since my last visit and the Cricketers Arms now gets many of the plaudits, having been CAMRA's Pub of the Year in 2017 and reaching the final 4 in 2018. However, being in the area on Sunday, I decided to take the opportunity for another visit. The Turks Head is improved on my last visit. There were 14 real ales on - Ulverston Lonesome Pine & Bad Medicine, Kelham Island Riders On The Storm & Pride of Sheffield, Bank Top Port O'Call, Fernandes Black Voodoo, Rooster's Little Changes, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Abbeydale Doctor Morton's Ship's Biscuit, Oakham Green Devil, Saltaire Cascade, Thwaite's Lancaster Bomber, Kirby Lonsdale Monumental & Well's Bombardier. In addition, there were 8 ciders and perries - Weston's Old Rosie, Thistly Cross Whisky Cask, Farmer Jim's Apple Red, Broadoak Moonshine Rum & Raisin, Gwynt y Ddraig Fiery Fox & Black Dragon & Lilley's Tropical Cider & Bee Sting Perry. I thought this was a fantastic selection and chose the Black Voodoo, as opposed to any of the ciders. There are 2 large rooms. The main bar area was showing the football and there was no seating. However, a raised area offered a welcome respite. I have to say that I think the Turks Head is currently every much as good as the Cricketers. A very pleasant surprise and a solid 9/10 from me, based on this visit.
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Been meaning to come here for years - so at last I donned my walking boots and trudged over from Warrington via Sankey Valley Way - a good walk. Finally found the Turks Head after visiting pub called Olde England (fine selection of ales). The Turks Head had 12 ales on the go and a good selection of continental beers. I had 3 pints of 3.5 from Outstanding Brewery of Bury - it was top notch. The locals and staff were friendly and welcoming, one small point though - please sort the locks on the mens traps.
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Am an occasional visitor to the Turks and always find the staff friendly and the beer nice, with a good range of real ales. It is a pub with a lot of regulars, quite a few of them I now know to speak to.
Stunt - 28 Sep 2011 18:03 |
In relation to previous comments, I would also say that this is a better pub that the Ship at Rainhill. This place is a much more old-fashioned and down-to-earth establishment with a bar and a lounge. The lounge is slightly higher than the bar. A pool table connects the two at the higher level. During our week night visit, only 6 real ales were on - JW Lees Chocholic, Black Sheep Best Bitter, Everards Original, Marstons Christmas Pudding Spiced Ale, Mayflower Tower Hill and Thwaites Lancaster Bomber. After much pulling through of the cider, Westons Bounds Scrumpy & 1st Quality were revealed. This was a friendly locals pub with a reasonable selection of ales. I agree that the area looked a little questionable though.
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Excellent pub. Fantastic range of beers, particularly at the weekend. Pleasing decor and a nice section outside too. There is also a pool table and dart board, but these are well out of the way of the bar in a separate section.
My only slight gripe upon visiting was the slight frostiness of the barmaid. Still, she wasn't downright rude, and seemed to cheer up as tiem went on.
In response to the previous post about Pub of the Year, some branches are so small that the Chair of the branch simply decides which pub wins. I believe this is the case in St. Helens. Obviously if it was a straight contest between the Ship at Rainhill and this place, only a moron would choose the Ship. However, it may be a case of the Chair trying to give other pubs in St. Helens some encouragement by recognising them. Not an approach I agree with personally, but at least understandable.
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Since finding beer in the evening it has given me head up on pubs I didnt know about this being a second, Reason I didnt know about it as beer and Cheer stated is outside the town centre..I drove and found it on a housing estate back end of town. I was told it didnt win the carma st helens pub of the year this year The beers are changed when the barrel is empty and not continued from the same pump so if you where having a good pint you may well go up to find that one gone and another one being offered from the same pump. I would prefer continuation of at least some beer something they should do when they have I think it was 12 hand pumps on which leads me to wonder why with such a good choice they didnt win st helens camra pub of the year I believe its to do with beer scoring from camra members who judge the beer and the ship at rainhill won the award I only had chance to try two halves as I was driving and unfortunately when I left the pub I found my drivers side window had been smashed. there where some youths hanging around the housing estate and I did feel uneasy. If this pub was in a different location with its own car park I would visit again but due to my experience of the area I would not go again
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WEll from reading the previous reviews, I expected something a bit special and I certainly found it ! The excellent range of beers and their condition I had been anticipating, but the large collection of miniatures and the stained glass windows came as a surprise.
They claimed to be having a beer festival when I visited, but there didn't seem to be anything different from normal. The beer I had was WMD (Weapon of Mash Destruction) from Allgates. A strong dark mild, I really enjoyed it. But I enjoyed the pump clip (Blair + Saddam = Nuclear Explosion) even more !
Extremely highly recommended
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Spectacular beer drinkers pub - and obviously a well-loved local as well. My father in law and I went in on a Friday lunch time (directly as the pub opened at 2pm), and found 12(!) real ales on tap. Apparently Monday to Thursday they run 6 pumps, with 12 for friday to sunday, though turnover is high (40 casks a week I think they said?) so I can't imagine everything was still on by Sat/Sun. On the plus side this means all the beer is fresh. The pumps are split between a lower bar and the upper lounge side, with boards at each side telling you what's on at the opposite bar. We were the first customers of the day, and each beer we tried the barman took care to pull through any of the beer left in the pipes so we got our beer fresh and at the right temperature. The beers I tried were superb, I think I had Tom Wood Classic Bitter and two others which I confess I have forgotten - I had never heard of them before anyway, which is always a nice thing when visiting a pub.
Watch out for the fat doberman which has a sixth sense for crisp packets opening (hence I guess its barrel-like appearance), and will obligingly lean on your leg to stop you falling off your bar stool. Had some great conversations with the bar staff and one of the owners, they obviously care very much about the beer they serve, and the rest of the pub itself.
On the food side, I think it's pretty intermittent so don't count on anything; this is more a pub for drinking. Curry night is still Thursdays according to the signs but mostly I think simple sandwiches are the order of the day. Free wi-fi if that matters to you! Can't wait to go back and spend some more time there.
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Award winning, suburban boozer just north of the town centre, located amongst terraced streets. It's a big pub with two different areas, the exterior looks interwar and has an impressive turret. The multitude of leaded and stained glass windows look original and are of interest. Inside, a lounge area and a bar room are served by a central bar, with access around the side of this that has a semi-separate pool room. The lounge area has comfy seating and an impressive glass cabinet of whiskey miniatures. The bar is at a lower level, more basic but with a real fire, and was busier on my visit. The pool room is spacious and has beer trays from the 70s and 80s to peruse as well as photographs. There's lots of wood panelling and green leather seating, which gives the place a very pubby feeling which I rate.
The pub nearly always wins St. Helens CAMRA's award and has gone on to do well in regional and national competitons, largely due to the quality of the beer. On my visit Ruddles, Youngs Winter Warmer, Moorhouses Black Cat and Premier Bitter and Holden's Black Country Special were on sale. Tried the Holden's which was superb. The pub has lots of beer-related literature and shows sport on refreshingly small TV sets, and has a mixed clientele.
In a town so short of decent boozers like this, any visitor should make a bee-line here, you won't be disappointed. Worth a trip out from Liverpool or Wigan if you're there. One of the North West's best in my view.
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The ONLY real ale pub in St Helens worth going to, great selection of ales and best pint of Hobgoblin i've tasted in many years.
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Great pub, a little distance out of the City Centre but is walkable and only �2 in taxi.
Great ale on pump and good selection of bottled beer and ciders.
Great atmosphere with staff and locals.
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Awesome. Great selection of beer, very well kept - served in oversize glasses!
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Love it! Freehouse with good selection of ales, traditional pub in residential area but walking distance from the town centre. Six well kept cask ales,Thwaites Wainwright superb, Everards Tiger, Deuchers IPA, Abbot, Hobgoblin, and from Standish Prospect Nutty Slack. Tap room, games room and comfortable lounge served from double sided bar
Shame beer garden not more attractive. Food including curry night Thursday.
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Traditional multi roomed community pub on the edge of the town centre. Excellent choice of rotating guests & Belgian lagers. I enjoyed Centurion's Ghost & Guzzler both from York Brewery. There was also a jazz band playing some great music which was tasteful & not so loud that it drowned out any chance of conversation. Highly recommended & well worth a visit.
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Classic-looking back street corner pub, with a wider range of custom than the legendary beer range would suggest. Busiest pub in St. Helens on a Sat night (even with Saints on TV). Service was iffy and beer wasn't perfect, but I'd go again, if only for the display cabinets !
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Like other candidates for CAMRA National Pub of the Year, it�s not always obvious just what qualities it possesses to mark it out. It usually takes a little time but the reasons become apparent. The Turk�s is unlike other nominations for 2007 in that it is in a basic, back-to-back area of town and it�s thus a genuine community local. This one presents an attractive exterior and once inside, the public bar took on a friendly atmosphere. The lounge is particularly attractive, as is the range of well-kept real ales. The problem for the casual visitor is the distance from the town centre but the effort would be well worth it. Oh, by the way, there is a good selection of books to read, including of all things � Gray�s Anatomy!
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I really don't see what the fuss is about to be honest. It takes a lifetime to get served and there's never anywhere to sit (ok, yes because its booming with customers)
i guess its better than the cowley tho(although that place would score higher if it went back to being called the Anfield)
also, has anyone else thought of the nickname turtle's head?? thats genious!
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Excellent range of beers, but beware the local chavs. Last time I went in I had an excellent pint, but suffered taunts from pissed up chavs who'd been drinking all afternoon. The manageress obviously didn't want to intervene as they were regulars.
Well worth going in, but it's better if you're not on your own, and watch out for the drunken chavs.
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Not only CAMRA Merseyside pub of the year 2007 but also the Regional winner. Beers are unusual but served in excellent condition at reasonable prices.Recent Halloween beer festival was a great success, 35+ beers and ciders.Amanda hopes to have an XMAS festival with all the festive dark beers, should be well worth a trip.
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A really great friendly locals pub which has improved imeasureably since the new and young management took over even the locals are friendly which helps nowadays....Great beer selection which is kept well and a staff which can pour it properly...Regularly changing guest beers as well as the usuals plus bottled beers from around europe....Good food at very good prices try the curry nights !!!.
What more can I say well worth a visit
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Found this by chance almost, read a review in the CAMRA Mereyside magazine and fell upon it, sadly whilst with the car. Easter beer Festival with 25 real ales(including cider), generally 5 cask ales at weekends and three during the week. Friendly staff and convivial surroundings, curry night at a decent price on a Thursday, this is a potential gem in the St Helen's area.Walking distance from the Abbey and the Gerralds Arms, so not that much off the beaten track.Definetly worth a trip or more.
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A pub that is getting better by the day. Sells 4-5 real ales, handpulled cider, Erdinger wheat beer, Kriek, Budvar Black, belgium bottled beers. Curry night on Thursday. Great staff and the owners bought the pub outright in May 2005 and are turning it into a real haven. A real fire in the bar as well. Has numerous beer festivals during the year.
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fantastic old world pub serving real ales. good atmosphere with genial hosts-- worth a visit
brenda arrowsmith - 4 Jun 2005 00:30 |
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