The Ladybarn, Rochdale

I used to work just across the road from this pub and for 12 years it was our pub of choice for a Friday lunchtime pint. A few years later and I used to assist the DJ here on the Monday night "Soul Night". How things have changed. The disco area is now a children's play area! The bar has been moved 90 degrees, the pub has been made bigger by opening up the old kitchen into a seating area and the pub is now owned by J W Lees. It's mainly one very large room with the play area is partially shielded by screens. It's pretty much all set up for dining, but only 6 or so other people were in the pub on my Friday early evening visit. There are 3 handpumps on the bar, but only 2 ales available Lees Bitter and Hopping Mad. The Hopping Mad has about a handful of hops per barrel in it, so not hoppy at all, although it was kept well enough. The guy behind the bar was friendly and chatty, so that's good, but it now feels like a chain eatery like a Harvester rather than the individual pub that it used to be. Not bad, but no longer good.

Ladybarn page at the JW Lees site - www.jwlees.co.uk

Ladybarn page at the JW Lees site - www.jwlees.co.uk

The new Metro link to Rochdale opened to day 28TH of Feb so caught it to Milnrow first port of call the Ladybarn niche John Willy Lees Managed house very nice friendly staff spotlessly clean. But what let it down was the cask beer had a pint of Johns Gold standard bitter it was so warm had to leave it and had a Guinness but wont put me off calling the next time i am in the area