Newton Brewery Inn, Middlewich

An unremarkable building from the outside,the pub has retained a two room layout with a comfortable lounge to the front and a public bar to the rear.The lounge wasn't being used on my Friday evening visit,and someone's bicycle was left there for safekeeping,so I headed to the back bar which was well populated by locals,in good spirits using colourful language but pleasingly as a result of a lot of banter,some with the pretty barmaid who was giving as good as she got.The public bar has a real brick fireplace,lino on the floor and a small raised plinth like stage,but also good views over the substantial beer garden which runs down to the towpath of the Trent and Mersey Canal.A pleasant spot in good weather. Only one of the four handpumps was in use with a decent Marstons Bitter (£2.80) which justified the cask marque accreditation.The two flatscreens have BT Sport but only one was in use with a music channel with the volume down. I couldn't see any sign of food,and the pub is really aimed at local boozers and not canal holiday makers who moor in the area in great numbers during the summer. I assume the pub is tied to Marston's ,it was a pity that a wider choice of their real ale wasn't available nor was there any information of how the pub got it's name.However the locals like it as it is.