Elephant and Castle, Bolton

there are plenty of drinking barns like this in central Bolton but this is probably the best of them. Very much an open plan chain pub, a single room with no features whatsoever. But the barmaid was extremely welcoming and chirpy, and she served me a very decent pint of Bank Top Pavilion. Still stuck in festive mode here as of January 6th, the Christmas tree remains up and Rockin Rudolph is the ‘beer of the week’. As a pub completely forgettable despite the good ale.

The Elephant & Castle is a large open plan Spoons like pub with a long bar counter up the right-hand wall that supports standard and premium keg alongside five hand pumps that were drawing Morehouses’ White which and Elephant & Castle (house beer) alongside Bank Top’s Flat Cap (decent) and Sharp’s Doom Bar. Lots of drinks deals are also available from the very friendly bar staff. Televisions are located throughout for airing live sport and there’s a pool table in the left rear corner. I thought it was OK in here during my recent Tuesday evening visit, but I’d probably steer clear at the weekend when Popworld, located upstairs, is open.

Official site of Elephant and Castle - www.greatukpubs.co.uk

Official site of Elephant and Castle - www.greatukpubs.co.uk

Large open-plan pub with loud music and with most tables having their own TV screens. The screens were showing some sort of party area in an English-dominated Spanish resort. Perhaps this bar appeals to those who enjoy swigging lager on the Spanish Costas. Although, I guess the screens come into their own when there is live sport on the TV. The house beer is Moorhouse's Elephant & Castle. I think this was their Premier Bitter re-badged. White Witch from Moorhouses's is also a regular, alongside Bank Top Flat Cap. The uninspiring choice for a guest beer was Sharp's Doom Bar. This kind of place will suit a lot of people and is very similar to Wetherspoon's apart from the number of TV screens for sport. For me, it didn't hold much appeal.

A largish generic pub. Open plan and Wethers-a-like its not great but its not bad. 5 handpumps on the bar with Bank Top Flat Cap and Pavillion, St Austell Tribute and Proper Job and Morehouse Blonde Witch on today. Lots of tellies. Cheap beer. Happy days I suppose.