The Holly Bush, Macclesfield

Visited in May 2010 Fine traditional Robinsons pub situated on the main road through Bollington village. An attractive looking mock-Tudor exterior features leaded, frosted windows - some hearing a holly bush motif. It's a three roomed pub with one small room to the left and right before you reach the main bar, which is a cosy wood panelled and carpeted bar with some fixed banquette seating round the walls. Note also the drop down screens above the bar counter. The walls are decorated with plates, old photos etc. The room on the right has oak beams and each room retains an old fireplace. There's evidence of bell pushes being present in earlier days. The pub is listed in CAMRA's National Inventory of Unspoilt Interiors. Rather incongruously for a pub of this style, live entertainment was being advertised. On my recent Thursday afternoon visit at around 3pm, the pub was completely empty and a young girl with tattoos and a big dog sitting outside on a bench seat, and who really looked as though she should have been at school, rather begrudgingly stubbed out her cigarette and followed me in to the pub to serve me what turned out to be an excellent pint of Dizzy Blonde - £ 2.30p. Other beers on were Hatters and Unicorn. This is an attractive looking pub, both inside and out, but I was distinctly underwhelmed by the experience as a whole and I'd be inclined to try one of the other pubs in the village instead. There's no shortage of choice.