Campaign for Real Pubs: March 2025

The Lord Eldon

>The Lord Eldon, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6AD

The Lord Eldon is situated just off Canute Place in the upper part of the centre of the prosperous Cheshire market town of Knutsford. It is a cottage-style, brick building dating back over 300 years, considerably lower in profile than those surrounding it. The frontage is decorated by attractive hanging flower baskets in season,

Although appearing small from outside, the interior is actually surprisingly spacious. There are three distinct seating areas facing the central bar, corresponding to the three front windows, all with alcoves of bench seating. There are low beams and an extensive collection of brasses and pictures of local scenes. To the rear, a more expansive area of seating leads through to a back room with a pool table. There is also a secluded beer garden at the rear.

It was once a Wilson’s tied house, but now has Tetley Bitter as a permanent beer, together with one or two guests, often from Cheshire microbreweries. No food is served.Major sports events are shown on TV, and the general atmosphere is more down-to-earth than you might expect in upmarket Knutsford. Live music sometimes features in the evenings.

There is a paid public car park at the rear of the pub, and it is about ten minutes’ walk from Knutsford station on the Altrincham-Chester line.

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WHAT ARE REAL PUBS?

Real pubs are pubs whose primary function is still the original core purpose of pubs – for people to meet and socialise over a few drinks.

They may serve food, and very good food at that, but they don’t allow it to dominate to the exclusion of all else. They’ll probably have a strong core of regular customers, but still make casual drinkers welcome. They may well serve a good drop of real ale, but won’t be full of beer bores droning on about hop varieties and IBUs.

In many parts of the country they’re getting very hard to find. In recent years, the smoking ban, beer duty hikes, the demonisation of “one-drink driving” and the general anti-alcohol climate have all had their effect, but such pubs do still survive if you know where to look and deserve to be celebrated.

Although in many ways they are a laudable organisation, this blog is not connected with and does not in any way represent the Campaign for Real Ale.

The inclusion of a pub does not necessarily reflect a recent visit by myself, although often it does.