The Berkeley, Wigan

The Berkley was the place to be on the recent Monday that I visited with a mix of bingo, Play Your Cards Right and karaoke from late afternoon until close. This was set up on the stage area to the right of the entrance that faces lots of seating across the front of the pub. All these tables were full all afternoon and evening. Beyond the stage an L-shaped bar runs along the right wall and behind is a split level area with sunken seating to the right rear. Televisions are located throughout for showing Sky Sports. The bar supports standard and premium keg and I counted four handpumps that were drawing Moorhouses Blonde Witch and White Witch alongside Robinsons Unicorn and Dizzy Blonde. This is a large high street pub that looked quite intimidating from the outside with a bouncer on the door and smokers lingering outside at 16:30 on a Monday afternoon. However I thought the atmosphere was great in this busy pub both during my first visit and then again later in the evening. The staff were all polite and there was a friendly atmosphere. I liked it in here.

One of the first pubs you get to from the train stations heading into the town centre. Modern lookin exterior with a traditional, though slightly modern, interior. Open plan with distinct areas to sit. Its not too bad a pub and there are 6 handpulls to tempt you. The beer selection was pretty decent and whether Dunscar had just delivered a shed load as most beers were theirs, I do not know. Fairly busy on this midweek afternoon visit. It did however continue a theme I've noticed a few times in Wigan in that teeth are rather scarce, and not just with the pensioners.

a very decent option in Wigan town centre although it's very similar to all others i've visited in the Amber Taverns group. a massive TV was showing World Cup football and there were a truckload of other screens around the place. four real ales, an Old Rosies and a 'coming soon'. some characters in the bar, it's a bit Spoons-y but in a nice way.

Visited on a weekday lunchtime at the end of May. Six hand pulls at the bar with one cider and one "coming soon". A couple of mainstream offerings but the others were interesting. I noticed an ale called Amarillo at 4% and Blissful Blonde by Dunscar Bridge at 5%. I had a half of the Blissful Blonde at £1.45 - a very nice crisp blonde ale. The barman informed me I had made a good choice, and he was right. This is a big building with lots of varnished wood inside giving it a traditional feel, in slight contrast to the outside which is painted in the currently trendy National Trust Green. It's a smart inviting looking pub from the outside, looks like the kind of place that focuses on food and may have a couple of token real ales, so to find a nice selection at the bar was a welcome surprise.

An impressive building with various expansive drinking areas arranged round the bar. A couple were not in use and there was also an upstairs, which I didn't investigate. There is lots of nice woodwork, but I was greeted by a slightly old-fashioned pub smell of stale beer and disinfectant. Sports TVs were placed off to the sides and it was fairly quiet on a weekday lunchtime, however the entrance lobby seems to double as a disco floor judging from the lighting. A fair mixture of local and national ales were on offer and condition seemed fine (Cask Marque).