Withy Arms, Preston

The Withy Arms has a fairly plain open-plan interior. At the rear is an outdoor area with numbered and heated huts, which seem quite a novel concept and one very suited to current times. The WA (Withy Arms) Bitter is from the Ribble Brewery, whilst there were 3 guests available on my visit - Thwaite's Wainwright & Bank Top Flat Cap & Drayman's Draught. There also appears to be a sister pub in nearby Leyland, which I didn't quite manage to get to on this visit. Not a bad place, but it paled into insignificance following my visit to the Beer Box across the road.

A decent place to be honest, despite the rather trendy interior. Very foody with tables and chairs set out cafe style. The bar is to your right and the are 5 handpumps here. Titanic's Iceberg and White Star, Wainwright, Blazing Fury, Ribble Brewery Odd Job and their own WA beer. Plenty of shiny chrome fonts for lagar-a-like beers too. Worth a visit.

Has a well-established landlord running one of the top seven pub restaurants in nearby Chorley? I find it unbelievable to be told by a very young manager that their local WA ale was fine when it was impossible to see through the beer. Clear NO, taste sour; however, it looked good in the cellar I must have missed that when I was trained in the heart of keeping pleasurable ale. Whatever happen to the drinker know best? Is Profit over standards more important?

Although the pub looks somewhat unattractive from the outside,the interior is a different matter with a very modern,smart and trendy type of place that is similar to a wine bar.The pub has built up a reputation of good food and an extensive range of cask beers,and on my Tuesday afternoon visit this was confirmed as i noticed quite a few diners and 6 cask beers to go at. The pub has a policy of no urban sports wear and all swearing is barred.

Now called The Withy Arms