please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Finest free house in Chorley, 9 hand pumps serving a great selection of superbly kept ales, live music most Sundays and a eclectic mix of music on the sound system, a must to visit if you're in Chorley.
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Looks bigger inside than from the outside with a great range of local and national beers on offer. Friendly landlord who knows his beers. Easily the best pub in Chorley.
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Tried to sample a couple around 22:00 hrs earlier this evening and to my amazement it was shut.
The lights were on and there were at least two people sat at the bar but alas that damn door was not for opening.
Damn and Blast!!!!
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Went to this pub a couple of times when visiting friends a couple of weeks ago. A great pub. Stunning decor especially the mirrored ceiling. Some great memorabillia.
Brilliant selection of beer and well kept. Landlord takes pride in keeping well. As lesson to all Landlords.
Will visit this pub when next in Chorley. Highly recommended.
Boyne - 14 Oct 2011 16:04 |
Re: Last comment from Smokie50: "The problem, I'm afraid, is trying to compete with the much cheaper real ales at the Henry Tate (Wetherspoons) not far away. The real ales at the Malt & Hops are better (in my opinion)...BUT...sadly, this little 'local' just can't compete on price, and ultimately, Joe Public will always go where its cheaper, regardless of quality"
Wetherspoons...Please see my comments on ""The Tate"
To draw an analogy, I guess they're like the "Tescos" of the pub world? Sadly not unlike them, they can devastate local competition too. In fairness, in some areas "Spoons" can bring a breath of fresh air, but in others, and Chorley just happens to be one of them, I have to agree with you.
Lets hope the Malt & Hops can weather the storm as it would be a sad to lose such a great little community pub. I can also concur that I too have always found the beers to be of better quality here.
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RE:- Previous posting from Iwalker101 ~ "The young lady serving was extremely pleasant and the client�le very friendly, the only sad thing, it was a Saturday & England were playing on the bar TV, apart from myself only three others were in? Has something happened here that I've missed? On previous occasions (at similar times) it has always been busy?"
The problem, I'm afraid, is trying to compete with the much cheaper real ales at the Henry Tate (Wetherspoons) not far away. The real ales at the Malt & Hops are better (in my opinion)...BUT...sadly, this little 'local' just can't compete on price, and ultimately, Joe Public will always go where its cheaper, regardless of quality
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Situated on Friday Street, a couple of hundreds yards from Chorley Railway Station (Southbound platform) this pub has been a long standing shining light for "real ale" in Chorley.
This single room establishment has stepped alcoves on either side which gives the pub it's own unique character. Owned by Beartown Brewery, it offers a range of beers from their portfolio and usually includes at least one guest & often a lot more.(see below)
On the evening of my visit 4/6/11 beers on tap were; Beartown~Bearskinful, Peach Melbear & Kodiak Gold, Wells~IPA, Oakham~Citra, Leydon~Nanny Flyer, Cains~Triple Hop...Pretty impressive for a small pub!
The young lady serving was extremely pleasant and the client�le very friendly, the only sad thing, it was a Saturday & England were playing on the bar TV, apart from myself only three others were in? Has something happened here that I've missed? On previous occasions (at similar times) it has always been busy?
Whatever the reason, my opinion on this pub has changed little over recent years, whether it's luck I don't know, but as always (for me) both the choice of ales & quality is been excellent. The usual Achilles heal for most pubs are the toilets, no such problem here, they were spotless!
Yet another good pub for the town of Chorley & for the range of ales on tap, it is well worth a visit. Recommended!
Beer of the day - Oakham~Citra
Les Walker
Beer / Pub Critic
(BeerNorthWestUK) - Twitter
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Used to be good when a Free House. Went downhill when Beartown bought it, mainly due to unsuitable licencees.
Has been closed recently, but due to reopen soon. Let's hope they get it right this time.
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Another pub that looks slightly unpromising from the outside but there was a good atmosphere in the nicely done out open plan interior. Mirrored walls opposite the bar and a raised seating area to the right as you go in help to lower the high ceilinged rooms. The bar is in the back right with the long side facing the mirrored walls and the short side facing the front of the pub.
Good choice of beer including alcoholic ginger beer. Very good barmaid offered a taste of the Beartown Peach Melbear when asked about it, but decided to go for it anyway. Also tried a beer from the Idle Brewery, both were very good. The Beartown definitely had a slight peach taste at first sip which gave way to a more traditional bitter taste and the Idle brew reminded me at first sip slightly of of old fashioned milk chews (if anyone remembers them).
Would definitely call in again on a return visit.
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Had Beartown Kodiak Gold and and Black Bear when I was in plus another guest and a cider, so a good range. The Beartown was very nice and beats most of the same old real ale choices in most pubco pubs (another Bombadier anyone?).
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The quiz night is brilliant
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Once the best ale for miles,then went downhill when beartown bought it.
Called in on saturday night,great selection of ale all in good condition,a must to visit if you are in chorley.
G7SYY - 25 Mar 2009 21:40 |
Went in last Saturday, had several excellent pints of beer and it was good to see those horseracing idiots were not in. They seem to think they run the place!
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Went in last night, had some Manx bitter, very good it was too! It wasn't very busy but it was early and Monday too.
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Looks like I spoke too soon, had a distinctly sub-standard pint in here last night. I hope its not a sign of things to come....
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"Too many pumps?! How can you be disgruntled by having more variety of beer?"
I'm all in favour of choice but I'd rather see 4 pumps with a good throughput than tired beers that have lingered in the pipes.
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I really like this pub, excellent range of beers and nice, old world surroundings. The beers I've tried in here have been very good, I'm not doubting what the other posters have said but I take as I find and I've not had a bad pint in here yet.
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Too many pumps?! How can you be disgruntled by having more variety of beer?
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Glad to see Ross is dragging this place out of the dust.Too many pumps though.
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The only pub in Chorley to boast 9 hand pumps.
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Very nice interior and good beer selection although, sadly, not always on great form. Last visit, (29/2/08) chose Kodiak Gold which was well below par.
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Pretty much back as it was, one of the best pubs in the area, and the beer is now on consistently top form.
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I'm very happy Ross is back to bring the pub back from free fall, which is was undoubtedly. I've had a good several hours drinking with friends inside, all taps are on, all the beer is on top form, the pub is very clean, the staff are friendly, the whole atmosphere seems better. By just looking around its possible to tell the amount of effort has been put back into tightening up the pub which the previous relief managers didn't seem so keen on achieving. Ross is passionate about the job and treats the beers like he would his own children, hes doing a fantastic job and I wish him all the best on building up a healthy community and restoring the malt back to it's previous exalted state
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Popped in last night around 6 ish there were around a dozen people in. The place is as I remember it being a couple of years ago the ales were all on form: Beartown's Bear Ass, Jarrow Brewery's Rivet catcher, Abbeydale's Brimstone and last but not least Old Master's Xmas Sermon. Chris behind the bar was fastidiously making the bar area spotlessly clean.
Top Pub................
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Great news. There is a 'new' tenant in place - Ross Anderton who has a spell as temporary manager here last year. Took over on Monday 17th December. Good luck Ross - one thing we can now guarantee is the beer quality! So lets give him our support.
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Very nice couple of pints yesterday, seemed to be chav-free. A solid 8/10.
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Get Ross back in.
anonymous - 7 Aug 2007 12:39 |
I note with interest the buzz around Chorley at the moment because "Brummie Dave" has returned to the Malt'N'Hops. Has anyone stopped to look at the bigger picture? Dave is a temporary relief manager, so therefore, by his job description,if his last stay was anything to go by, he will be gone in 10 - 12 weeks max.What happens after he goes? Do we get another "brilliant tenant" like Ms Ashton, or do we get a string of rapidly changing managers? Come on Beartown Brewery how about a statement, or are you still too busy counting your money?
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Yes,yes,yes there is a God afterall.Went in last Saturday night and it was if the last couple of months had never happened;all the old 'punters 'are back,the beer is back on form,the toilets have been restored to the epitome of sanitary excellence they once were and 'Little Sue'has returned to her Saturday night shift -running round like the proverbial dog with two d----.The only whinge that I heard all evening was from the 'old boy'that sits at the 'small bar' end that he regrets having to share the barstaff with all these people,where under the previous regime he had their undivided attention-being the only punter in the pub.
anonymous - 24 Jun 2007 15:54 |
Has improved vastly over the past week or so, had a few gingerbears and they we're on top form.
*breaths a sigh of relief*
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New / old manager, Dave, is obviously putting a lot of effort into getting this pub back on it's feet. The place has been cleaned up (at least the pub area!) and the regular customers and staff are coming back.
Only three or four Beartown ales at the moment but this will increase over the next week or so, and the three we've tried were on good form.
Getting back to something like it was, and a very welcome return. It would seem that 'people power' paid off for once, and Beartown eventually listened!
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Good news - 'Brummie Dave' is back. He did an excellent job of running this place earlier this year and is trying to get it back on its feet. The quiz is back on from this Wednesday (with the previous quizmaster)and the beer range will improve - at the moment they can only sell what is in the cellar! Dont expect too much too soon - but give this pub your support.
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Try again next weekend, the pub was taken back under beartowns management on tuesday,so hopefully it will be back to how it once was,good beers, nice and clean and no music blasting out.
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A quick visit last night presented us with all the pumps on the smaller counter 'off' with only 3 Beartown beers available round the corner. We did an about turn and drowned our sorrows at the Prince of Wales on Cowling.
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new management, seems like a nice guy and pulled some really nice beers through.
THERE IS HOPE YET
anonymous - 5 Jun 2007 14:45 |
Well having walked away from the malt and hops five weeks ago, i tried again this evening,nothing has changed the smell hits you as soon as you walk through the door,if the smell doesent get you the music will,far far to loud, and as for asking the landlady to turn it down forget it, her pub her rules as i was told tonight.
So i walked out leaving one solitary customer at what used to be one of the busiest sessions of the week.
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Excellent, friendly warm welcome will be back again soon.
anonymous - 23 May 2007 14:37 |
Like westpennine, I and a few others have had our 'valid' comments removed. We weren't joking (unfortunately!) Not long ago this was probably the best pub in central Chorley, I've heard it described as 'more of an institution than a pub'. Under current management the place really is smelly, dirty and unfriendly. It appears that the new people have justed moved in and imposed their own preferences overnight, with no idea of either the local real ale market, or of the 'institution' they were taking on.
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I note that some of the negative reviews have been removed,but can assure anyone reading this that they were perfectly justified-including one of my own.This was once the 'best pub in Chorley'.It had a product range unparalelled in the area,was always 'thicko free'so intelligent people could enjoy a drink in a convivial atmosphere.In the deleted review I described the toilets as once being a 'beacon of sanitary excellence'and the barstaff friendly and helpful-especially 'little Sue'.Well,it has all gone:staff,beer quality and most of the customers; you can smell the toilets from platform 2 on Chorley station.It would appear that the tenancy has been taken by 'two couples';in its present state it will never generate enough business to support them all, and it shouldn't take them too long to realise this and hopefully do the 'honourable thing'and 'throw in the towel'-then perhaps Beartown will also do the 'honourable thing'and sell this pub to a professionally trained and enterprising 'freetrader'who will restore this pub from being the'shadow of it's former self' to the 'centre of excellence' it once was.
anonymous - 20 May 2007 15:20 |
A sad decline.
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Sinking fast.This once great pub is dying.Beartown Brewery are still waiting for someone to take over the tenancy;in the meantime it is under a 'couldn't care less' manager.The punters are leaving in droves,the beer quality is suffering from the fall in turnover and the place is grubby and cold-they refuse to light the fire.There must be someone out there who can restore this pub to the oasis it once was.
anonymous - 21 Jan 2007 15:10 |
The best Chorley pub I've been in.
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