Kingfisher, Kingsmead, Northwich

I was back in Northwich to visit a few of the areas pubs and clubs that I missed a couple of weeks ago. This time I found the Davenham Cricket Club open (not listed on here but in the 2026 Good Beer Guide) before making my way to the Kingfisher. The Kingfisher shares a large car park with a shopping arcade which also incorporates a supermarket. It is a large venue with a tall barn-like extension to the right-hand side. Flooring is a mixture of bare boards, carpets and tiling across its various areas. On a Saturday evening, it was clearly popular with a younger crowd. TVs were switched off but music was being played loud. During the daytime, I suspect that food is more popular. There is a pool table at the left-hand end and a large outdoor patio and garden to the front. A pub quiz is advertised. Last in the Good Beer Guide in 2003(!), this is a JW Lee's establishment. Their Bitter, Founders & MPA are all regular cask ales. In addition, they also had their Citrus Bloom & The Boilerhouse Space Monkey. The cider is Inch's. I opted for the Citrus Bloom but couldn't taste any citrus flavour in it whatsoever. This is a lively pub that clearly attracts a decent crowd. With 5 cask ales and a good atmosphere, it was much better than I had anticipated.

The Kingfisher is a large JW Lees pub adjacent to a busy roundabout on the A533 south of the town centre. Located at the end of a parade of shops, there are picnic tables out the front on a patio and what looked like fake grass. The large L-shaped interior wraps around a central L-shaped bar counter. The floor is a mix of tiles and laminate throughout and there is balcony seating that overlooks the bar area, but this section of the pub was closed off due to being very quiet. There is a seating to the right of the entrance opposite the bar and in the right rear is a large open plan seating space. To the left is a pool table that is overlooked by a television that was airing Tipping Point with sound. Live music was being advertised for a couple of weeks’ time so I assume it’s not a regular thing, The bar counter supports standard and premium keg and the five hand pumps were all drawing different Lees ales. Sunday roasts with bottomless Yorkshires and gravy are advertised. There was a chef in his whites behind the bar so I think my visit must have been after the kitchen had closed, hence no menus on the tables. The service was polite, but I saw nothing here that would have me rushing back.