The Ashton Arms, Oldham

This is probably the best pub in Oldham for real ale. There is always a decent selection on with varying styles, and usually a cider or two too. Ales and ciders are listed on a chalk board above the bar. Very reasonably priced at around the £2.50 a pint mark. The selection is constantly changing, so for a semi frequent visitor to Oldham like myself it means there is always something new on when I next get chance to call in. Meals are available and looking at the menu it appears to be your proper old school pub grub stuff and very reasonably priced - cooked meals all under £5. I have only ever seen one person eating in here, it is more of a drinkers' pub as has previously been mentioned. The pub itself is a bit worn down, some might say shabby, but I think that adds to its charm. It feels like a proper boozer.

Totally agree with every review about this gem of a pub.Bar staff very friendly and locals will always chat to you.Amazing selection of real ales and cider on offer make this pub the best in Oldham by a country mile.

Its like the Tardis as its quite big inside from a small looking outside .It's a big well lit room with several real ales on, bar staff appeared friendly and helped me choose one, good place for chatting as no music on, no fruit machine ,quiz machine or pool table, just a tv on silent with sky sports on. No food other than sandwiches according to the bar staff when I went in but it's more of a drinkers pub than an eatery , we toured 6 pubs that day and this in my opinion was by far the best, will defo go in when next out with the Mrs

A lovely little pub just up a road from the Metrotram station. 8 handpumps of which sadly only 4 were on on this visit. A list of all the guest ales they've had is written on a number of blackboards by the bar. Outside beer garden to the rear.

Not much to add to previous reviews,great choice of ales, nice old building, good service. Another one of those boozers you wish were closer to home - can not ask for more of a recommendation than that.

Tucked away down an inauspicious side street, close to the town’s main shopping street, the Ashton Arms is an excellent, single room ale house. The split level interior sees you enter into the lower half of the pub where banquette and standard seating arranges itself around a central brick pillar and a fantastic stone fireplace which was crackling away nicely by the time I arrived and according to the Good Beer Guide listing, is over 200 years old. A few steps lead to the upper level where the servery is located on the right hand wall. Banquette and low stool seating predominates here, with the single sofa already occupied by a very contented looking pub dog. A small selection of books were hidden away somewhat on some low shelves beneath a coat rack and a collection of beer bottles snaked its way through the room on a high shelf. Each level had its own TV screen which was showing the afternoon’s early kick off from the Premier League. A nice row of hand pumps was dispensing Osset Citra, Holts Bitter, Greenfield Black Five, York Dino-Sore-Arse (yes, really) and Boggart Meme, plus Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon and Moore’s Cider. The Black Five was in great shape and I savoured every last drop. Keg stuff included Hyde’s Smooth and Kalt Pilsner whilst a board listed around 20 Belgian bottled delights. One strange feature was a series of boards mounted around the servery area and headed ‘Hall of Ales’ which seemingly listed every beer to have made an appearance in the pub since opening in October 2003, although I may have got the wrong end of the stick. I found this pub very welcoming and it was only a lack of food (oven bottom muffins aside) that made me move on elsewhere. Whilst I enjoyed visits to other pubs in Oldham, it’s clear that this is the stand out pub in a town not renowned for good beer.