please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Called in here a few weeks ago, had a change of ownership and a complete makeover since my last visit. The effect of this however was completely ruined when the barman brought my change over (a five pound note) in his mouth, then proceeded to hand it to me, saliva soaked end first. Charming!
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Beer can be a little hit & miss sometimes
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A change in command in the offing. Make the most of it now and keep your fingers crossed that the incoming new people don't ruin it.
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Still the best place to go ... lot of new faces
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Snook in for a quick one to see if things have improved. Had to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Perhaps I have been too harsh in the past?
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Always entertaining, always for an unpredictable variety of reasons. Great beer, still the best pub in Horwich.
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always a top place to go - whether at the end of the night or in the middle. friendly bar staff and good beeers ... will always vote at the top for this one! last saturday was a quiet one and sunday's music night was fun.
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Not a great place to work as the landlady is drunk constantly.. Always a fun place to go drinkin however..
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Sunk to an all time low this weekend. A sophisticate decided it would be hysterical to strip off and show the pub his genitilia, Abbey the barmaid walked passed and ignored him while the landland was so pissed she was struggling focusing, never mind speaking to him. People were walking out in disgust, no wonder.
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I could not agree more with boltonbloke. The management of this pub is a disgrace to the licenced trade.
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I notice the previous poster has only posted on this pub and no other, rather lacks credibitity, doesn't it?
landlady is always pissed and no longer fit to run a pub, fact. I understand you are probally a regular and feel the need to defend her out of some miss guided loyalty but you reaaly are wasting your time. Anyone who goes in this pub can see it for themselves
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This pub is an authentic local with a selection of well kept beers and at week end can become quite lively. It has a good mix of people and ages. If you know it is busy on Friday night, and you don't like it why go in? There are plenty of pubs in Horwich where you would be guaranteed a space at the bar.
Some reviewers [bolton bloke & yamoto] have been rather unkind and somewhat insulting, with personal comments about the Landlady.
It has to be the best pub in Horwich and Eileen the landlady has been in charge for over 20 years so she must know what she is doing.
Being the best pub in Horwich may not be high praise, but it is the best we have. May I respectfully suggest that bolton bloke & yamoto excercise their consumers right to spend their money in a place which is more suited to their taste and keep their snide comments to themselves.
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Called in friday evening, it was more like a kindergarden than a pub. A large group of very young looking lads and lasses seemed unable to string a sentence together without it being on top note and littered with expletives.
Landylady to drunk to notice, staff to abused and put on to care. Decent people are leaving this pub in droves and soon all that will be left are yobs, a shame.
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Classic pub as ever ... still the best in Horwich! Great Halloween party last Friday ... loved the cheeky devil DJ.
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cup a tea and a slice a cake aunt sally, but more like chardonnay, great pub but wheres werzal to control the kids?
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Feels like home - a welcome bit of consistency in the ever changing pub scene in Horwich. Long may it continue in this vein.
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Like ths pub the best
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The self appointed manageress remindes me of the Isley brothers song "behind a painted smile".....Still great beer and lively atmosphere although it can get overpowering at times
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Can't fault the ale in this place. A real boozer with a lively atmosphere.
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This place has been my favorite for many years and although the landlady seems a little bit more merry than most it adds to the atmospere.
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congratulations on 20 years as landlady Eileen - great night on Sunday - band was brill ... cheers ...
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I would think the blame for the price hike here is really rooted with a greedy Pubco, in this case Enterprise Inns who own the pub rather than the licencee.
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One of the better pubs in Horwich which sadly isn't saying a lot. Shame the beer has had a hefty 20 pence per pint price increase or this would be my local. Choices of Lees, Bank top and usually a guest, all well kept and in good condition.
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Went in Saturday - was a good night with a good few pints of Lee's
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good range of well kept bitter means something to meet most tastes, nice to be offered a choice
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Love this pub. Good beers and most of the time, good company. Met many a now true friend over the Bank Top. Wandered in on Friday and felt immediately at home - lots of buddies in so had a lean on the bar for a while before heading home.
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Townie has cerainly contributed the most graphically beautiful and focused pub review I have ever read on BITE. I stand breathtaken by his poetic eloquence.
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I think that the comments from townie saw it all. I rest my case.
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Townie, your post may have had more clout if you had a basic grasp of grammar and spelling.
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yamato you need to get a life. How old are you? bet you drink the cheapest bitter you can get hold of and only get one beer to last you the night while watching people enjoying themselves as for low life scum check your bank balance an go drink some where else you middle class toffy nosed busy body p.s we know who you are
you transexual taxi driver (barbara) we not royston vasey
With your intelegance you should know if you got nothing nice to say then dont say it at all
Chavs yeah I am a feecking proud of it so screw you
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Defintely on the up, though the effort that has obviously been put into having a television visible from every possible corner is lost on me. I still like this pub a lot, though.
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Back on the up thank goodness. Lee's bitter has been on top form recently and the chav element has certainly dropped off, lets hope it continues.
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Long may this pub flourish! If it keeps the foul mouthed, cloddish, bar squatters and under aged pill poppers out of my local, I'm happy.
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After a brief respite, felt that it was time to give this watering hole another chance. Basically, the Original Bay Horse represents all that is wrong with Horwich, a parochial attitude, almost Royston Veysey-ish. Unable to get to the bar as the 'patrons' would not even recognise my very existence. Refused to give an inch of their precious bar-space, all in all, dreadful people. The four television screens showing sport, compete with a dukebox and chit chatter, creating a assault on the senses. Conversation is a dead art in this den of iniquity.The locals best summed up by the words of the Duke of Wellington, "the scum of the earth, enlisted for drink". Never again, enough of this miserable hole in this miserable town.
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A great pub handicapped by the current rash of foul mouthed young "chav" drinkers who inhabit the beer garden, can't hold their alcohopops and who occaionally spill over into the inside of the pub where people are trying to have a social drink, ruining the atmosphere - and the glazing, as boltonbloke correctly points out. I was in that night too and I can confirm that most of those who were involved in the incident that ended in the breaking of the window were back in the pub with their bottles of WKD soon afterwards. I love this pub and hope that the landlady regains a grip of it before people start abandoning it for less savage surroundings.
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I did use to love my gin fueled escapades in this eccentric melting pot, but over the last year it sadly declined. Basil, my young hunk, was most upset by the plunge in beer standards and we left for pastures new.
Lately, things have improved, although Basil still complains the beer is occasionally a bit of a lottery. I'd worry about his head being turned by some of the women, but the available ones are probably too innitastic for him.
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There have been some improvements of late, however the staff and landlady in particular need to keep an eye on some of the more dubious elements now frequenting this pub. The last time that I called in,the pool table area was a haven for local lowlife. One young woman looked as if she was about to overdose. Perhaps they should start selling methadone behind the bar instead of those silly drinks in tubes or whatever they are.
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Lovely roaring real fire here on friday night, shame it was a customers car on the carpark.
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I think this is the best pub in horwich everyone is friendly and the bar staff are great. The landlady is a scream at least she caters for the smokers she tries her best for the customers and that should be praised so what if she drinks we all do, cut the busy lady some slack I think she is great unlike the landlady of the bridge who sits there with a face on!!!!
I'm glad to see the scouser is back from his travels and brightening the pub up with his charm ;) shame to see that his little side kick lesbian as not been in for a while you can tell coz its alot quiet in there now no more stupid ringtones and videos from her.
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A very slight improvement on the beer but the atmosphere and staff lead a lot to be desired.
Last night a loud, foul mouthed cockney member of staff was staggering all over the pub in a drunken stupor. Imagine my suprise when I discovered she was on duty, working!! Mind you the landlady was in a even worse condidtion so she went unnoticed.
The climax of the evening was overhearing said member of staff telling a customer she didn't want to go out with him, just have fun with him when ever she fancied a bit!!
Pure class and a credit to the pub.
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Decidedly average. In the space of a year it's gone from a deserved entry in the Real Ale guide to some people considering buying keg, bottled or *shudder* lager instead! The beer isn't off - it's just very poor. The chav element has reduced a bit of late, but unless the beer and atmosphere improves quickly the Bowling Green will be a better bet, despite the noise and chav ratio.
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Don't know whats happening to this pub but its gone down hill of late, the Lee's bitter is terrible and goes flat virtually the moment its poured.
Its useless complaining either because they just tell you there is nothing wrong with it and refuse to change it.
This pub had gone from a 9/10 to a 2/10 for me, a pity because it was the only decent pub in Horwich.
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A fantastic pub, shame about the new clientelle, especially the loud mouthed ex barmaid from The Bowling Green, foul mouthed and way too loud for the regulars
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A miserable dingy hole with no atmosphere. Service with a snarl and possibly the most miserable landlady
ever encountered. Expensive jukebox, but dont expect to hear anything as Sky sports rules here! All in all
a totally depressing experience only slighty improved by the beer.
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Kids kicking off in here tonight, riot police outside, landlady to pissed to notice, pathetic.
anonymous - 3 Nov 2007 01:46 |
consistently good cask beers means this remains the best overall pub in Horwich - if they would just remove stools from the bar when its busy it would save on the regular game of trying to get a drink at the two foot gap reserved for serving
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Oh dear!! The landlandy seems to be fast losing grip of this place, she needs to wake up and sober up if its not to go the same way as the Albert or Tollbar.
Regulars who have been using this pub for years are being threatened by chaved up Yoofs who seem to be flooding the place on Friday and Saturday nights since the Albert introduced its new dress code and started turning them away.
The outside smoking area is the worse affected part and there is little point in installing cameras if you are to pissed to watch them!!!!!!!
anonymous - 3 Oct 2007 12:56 |
If the smoking shelter is as well made as the TV bracket in the tap room (where Gaffer tape and electrical flex feature heavily) then it will be spectacular!
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I await the (presumably) home made smoking shelter with great anticipation. Great pub.
anonymous - 21 Jun 2007 12:54 |
This place is what a real pub should be;a complete cross section of the community under one roof-and real 'Lancashire' accents.New York will never be the same again for me after hearing one of the locals describing 'Brooooooklyn Bridge' to his pals.Once you have fought your way through the 'Sales Prevention Officers'sat at the bar the 'Willie Lees' is excellent.
anonymous - 5 May 2007 13:47 |
A well earned entry in the Camra guide.
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A proper boozer thats featured in the real ale guide 2007 and quite rightly so. �1.85 for a pint of excellent JW Lees and its the only pub I've seen in the area that clears the beer lines every night. Sure there is a high turnover of staff, maybe its because they don't meet the managements high standards?
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A reasonable pub if you like the expansion of prices every couple of months and the lager to be very over priced, on the other hand the real ale and guest beers are favorable and the selection of spirits and bar snacks are well varied. The regulars are friendly and very welcoming apart from a couple who let the side down, the staff seem to change every so often as does the landladys temprements. The age range is well hodge-podge yet this doesn't seem to change the ambience or surroundings plus, I've never seen any serious fights or disruptions.
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Go in here during December - it's best Christmas pub you'll ever find in Horwich at any rate, always feels festive and cozy.
Has a low idiot ratio usually, which as any Horwich local knows is a major factor in choosing where to drink!
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i dunno why you all complainin....real nice and friendly there is always someone to talk to.. this is a traditional pub, one of a dieing breed...it must boast as the boozer with more characters than any other in horwich....(shame they keep poppin their clogs).... it should be preserved for posterity, perhaps pickled like mein hosts (hehehe)
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An institution, regular's list like a "who's who" of Horwich.. legendary guitar players, local cricketers, famed haidressers etc. Good pub, good beers, good jukebox, bigscreen tv... what more could you want?. Friendly landlady, but has anyone ever seen the landlord??????
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I don't know about wired for sound, with landlord Peter's DIY it's more likely to be wired for an electrical fire......
However...great pub.
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great pub great people the best in horwich by a mile.not sure about wired for sound tho wizzard? many immportant world issues disscused around the bar of an evening during the week GREAT TIMES!!!!
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One of the best in Horwich. Grab a pint and stick 'Wired For Sound' on the jukebox. Quality.
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Still one of Horwich's best. Decent beer. Landlady is a welcome character. Both male and female bar staff are cute, bright and bountiful.
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Remains about the best in Horwich.
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I like the comparison with the Churchill dog though I have to say the dog is more amusing (and better looking)
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Traditional pub with great beer, my favourite in Horwich. The two regulars in the main rooom have come in for a fair bit of stick on BITE recently and certainly need a "Paretial Advisory" sticker, but the pub would'nt seem right without them. For some reason they do remind me of Churchill Insurance, though, particularly when viewed across the bar from the snug.
Often overlooked but pleasant beer garden out the back with plenty of greenery.
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I don't understand the complaint about the prices, I've been in tonight drinking JW Lees at �1.85.
The gobby blokes effing and jeffing are still sat at the bar, but otherwise quite pleasant
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Staff not too bad, even if they are changed on a regular basis.
Landlady, well, not too bad most of the time, but gives her staff a dogs life. Better when proping bar up rather than trying to serve as she just gets in way, and spills half your pint before it gets to you!!!
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The foul mouths have it and no mistake. Range of beers good, prices not so.
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A great, well kept pub but the recent price increases make it one of the most expensive in Horwich. Marvel at the tempermental staff, decidedly dodgy DIY, the often "tired and emotional" landlord and landlady and the two resident sophisticates in the main room who eff and blind their way throughout the evening.
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a good popular traditional pub with small rooms around a central bar with good range of hand pulled bars - stick to the snug unless you want to listen to a torrent of swearing in the main room
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Probably the best pub in Horwich. Despite the slightly interesting taste in decoration and DIY skills in evidence, there's always a few quality cask beers including Landlord and Lees.
Friendly locals, decent pool table and jukebox. It's packed on a Friday night and the bar staff are (mostly) excellent. Bit overobsessed with football, but that's a feature of many Bolton pubs.
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Probably the most constant and reliable pub in Horwich. I just wish mein hosts didn't feel obliged to have Sky TV sets positioned in every corner where you can't escape them. I fully expect there to be one on the back of the shithouse door the next time I venture in. Lees Bitter always well kept and good, usually two others of which one is regularly Bank Top from Bolton. Other nicknames: The Long Pull, Fat Frank's (but not since Frank died), The Flea Pit (but not since the dog died). Bar staff range from effervescent to grumpy. An institution.
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Very busy, good beer at reasonable prices, some of the customers a bit rough and ready.
Last time I went in there was a very loud guy standing at the bar selling pirate DVD's.
The pub also became known as 'Aunt Sally's' after Eileen the landlady had a very odd haircut.
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