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The Flying Horse, Rochdale
Rochdale
OL16 1NJ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Rob Hunter left this review about The Flying Horse
Visited again back in June on a Friday afternoon. 11 of the 12 hand pumps were in active service at the time of my visit; the venue is also Untappd Verified and the menu was up to date. I had a very pleasant Neapolitan themed stout from Wakey Wakey, a brewery I've not encountered previously but are apparently based in Rochdale, so always good to support local. £2.05 for a half! Absolutely can't grumble at the prices and sheer choice available.
Food is served including a breakfast menu. Live music advertised. Dog friendly.
My favourite place in Rochdale, and one I look forward to returning to.
On 14th September 2026
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1012 recommendations about 757 pubs]
peter ashworth left this review about The Flying Horse
Called in around 2pm yesterday and as mentioned in the previous review there was 12 clipped cask beer pumps all functioning plus 5 cider taps and 5 craft ale taps at the rear of the bar plus a modest amount of keg beer pumps. Will certainly call in again if in the area.
On 28th August 2026
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2494 recommendations about 2442 pubs]
Rob Hunter left this review about The Flying Horse
Visited November 2025. 12 hand pulls and all were clipped, leaving me feeling like a kid in a sweet shop so I settled on two halves of different ales for the grand sum of £3.90 or thereabouts. The young barmaid did start to pull the wrong ale, but this was rectified without fuss.
A few in at just after 2pm on a Wednesday but it was not rammed. Food is served and there were a couple of other tables dining.
Special mention for the cleanest smelling pub toilets I think I've ever encountered!
I will be back!
On 9th January 2026
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1012 recommendations about 757 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Flying Horse
I can see why it would be Ian’s pub of the year. A great example of how to “modernise” and be popular with all groups whilst remaining a totally traditional pub. perhaps smaller than I expected, it’s a standard two sided pub with partitions, wet led but with a substantial food offering including local rag pudding and cheese & onion pie. Twelve (I think) ales on the bar and I eventually settled on a decent Tiny Rebel Samba. Clearly now the premier real ale venue in Rochdale with something for all tastes, unsurprisingly it was very busy on a Saturday afternoon.
On 25th August 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1183 recommendations about 1143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Flying Horse
Going to be my 2024 Pub of the Year.
Walked 13 miles over moorland and then a tortuous 2mile journey by bus, that took 30 minutes - but what a reward.
Housed on the main square - it offers continental style drining on the square. Multi roomed inside - with different beers lists at each bar. I was too knackered to move from my spot on a leather bench in the window.... except to go back to the bar to work out what to order next.
Think its 10 cask and 10 keg. I tried draught Bass, a cask craft from Wakey Wakey brewery and finished with a german wheat dunkel on keg.
All superb.
One day, all towns will have pubs like this :-)
On 26th July 2024
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1912 recommendations about 1873 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Flying Horse
A pub beloved of Pubs Galore contributor ROB Camra, you can see why, it is a fine pub. It’s setting is now enhanced by being on the edge of the revamped town hall square and there are a number of decent drinking establishments nearby. A good choice of well kept ales as usual and it’s a regular outlet for Pictish beers which are not often seen on my side of the Pennines. Naturally it’s GBG 2024 listed.
On 16th June 2024
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 4235 recommendations about 3895 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Flying Horse
Fine old pub in a row of interesting buildings on Packer Street that would normally overlooking the Town Hall square (but this is temporarily obscured by building works). Opened-out into a L-shape - all parts traditionally furnished and decorated, but the different seating / dining areas still have some separation. Excellent selection of ten real ales and a couple of ciders from the 12 handpumps, and after a little thought I went for the local Pictish Lancashire Best, just £2.50.
On 22nd March 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 9226 recommendations about 9226 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Flying Horse
Large place that's been sympathetically modernised so retains charm; there’s a number of discrete areas with banquettes, wallpaper, panelling, carpets etc and with a fire on the go for a dank drizzly January day it all felt rather cosy. I was also taken by the impressive stained glass flyover above the solid-looking mahogany bar. The illuminated twigs on the ceiling are a design mis-step though. The offering is aimed at a cross-section of punters and there were plenty of ladies in attendance. A plethora of cask, my Pictish Lubelski was in decent shape (NBSS 3.5), served-up by a polite, demure barmaid. I liked it here, another really strong pub in this unassuming town and shouldn’t be missed. GBG’23 listed and rightly so. 8.5
On 18th March 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 6341 recommendations about 6319 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about The Flying Horse
This is a large pub, popular with older gents at the time of my visit earlier this week. 12 hand pulls including at least one cider available - I think just one pull was out of service so that's a pretty decent offering. Sport was on the TVs but muted in favour of background music. Another pub I would be happy to recommend and make a return visit to if back in the area.
On 24th November 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1012 recommendations about 757 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Flying Horse
A fine ,large hotel building in a prominent position in Rochdale town centre.The main entrance gives way to a large interior to both sides with the bar directly ahead and sporting a long array of handpumps with a smaller collection to the right hand side .There is much wood panelling,bench seating running below the windows and traditional furniture throughout.there are decent original features ,fireplaces and an ale house style wooden floor.
The clientele is mixed,some folk in for food,others to sample the wide ale range (12 on my visit) while flatscreens will play sporting events.Rightly it's a regional CAMRA award winner with an excellent ale choice both in style and strength from many award winning brewers and lots of Locale.My choices of Titanic Raspberry Pale (NBSS 4) and Redwillow Weightless (NBSS 4) were terrific while my crew found equal quality amongst other selections.
An absolute must visit in Rochdale ,don't miss out on The Flyer.
On 15th July 2021
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3252 recommendations about 3252 pubs]