One of Cheshire’s dwindling handful of truly unspoilt pubs, this is a former Birkenhead Brewery tied house, now a free house, near the Trent & Mersey Canal in this large South Cheshire village. The interior comprises a congenial main bar with an impressive carved wood counter, a chintzy snug and a spacious billiard room with a full-size table that doubles as a concert room. The overall atmosphere seems little changed since the 1930s, and the gents’ toilets are well-kept survivors from that era. In the past, opening hours were very restricted, but seem to be more liberal now. On my recent visit, cask beers available were Weetwood Best Bitter and Marston’s EPA – the Weetwood, a classic English “brown bitter”, was in good nick and a bargain £2.20 a pint. No food appears to be served.
Addendum, February 2016: Sadly this pub is now CLOSED. Not sure of the actual date.
Sounds like a damn fine pub. Presumably this is near the Nag's Head which is currently closed. Any reason why this pub is doing well while the Nag's Head isn't?
ReplyDeleteIt's maybe about 600 yards from the Nag's Head. It's not an area I know all that well, and I would say the Commercial is more "keeping going" than "doing well". There's another pub, the Cheshire Cheese, almost opposite the Commercial. I suspect the Nag's Head has fallen victim to the pub company poison chalice, to be honest.
ReplyDeletetis indeed a fine pub....just got back from a visit. Truely splendid unspoilt interior.
ReplyDelete