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Detail Pages
The White Lion, Retford
Retford
DN22 6ES
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Strongers . left this review about The White Lion
The White Lion has a pool table and dartboard to the left and seating to the right where there’s a gas burner in a fireplace. The counter mid-placed on the rear wall supports two hand pumps that were drawing TT Landlord and Pheasantry Brewery’s PA. The lights were out in the rear, and the televisions were also off, so the two older locals in on a recent midweek evening were stood at the bar listening to the likes of American teen music in the background. I don’t think I’ll be visiting here again.
On 20th February 2026
- rating: 5
[User has posted 6560 recommendations about 6522 pubs]
Old Boots left this review about The White Lion
A traditional white painted back street pub on the outside, inside a brightly lit, blandly decorated club like place, grey tongue & groove woodwork and white upper walls. A mix of modern furniture, sofas, armchairs and wedding venue chairs. Consisting of two rooms, the front was in use while the rear was in darkness on my visit. The counter is in the front room with three pulls; Pheasantry PA on one, Landlord on another, nowt on the last. The PA was in good nick but not a beer I particularly liked. Keg choices were on low T-Bars at each end of the counter. A couple of screens were showing different footy matches, one watched by noisy pensioners, the kids were occupied on the pool table at the other end of the pub. It has a dart board as well and a machine but oddly no piped music or juke box. An odd pub and no mistake.
On 12th February 2026
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3929 recommendations about 3593 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The White Lion
A deceptively large backstreet pub, run by the same people as the Ship round the corner but a world apart and aimed at a different, younger market, hence numerous screens, loud music and two pool tables. The extensive interior is sort of basic modern with nothing of any great note to mention. They do at least keep a cask ale on, usually Black Sheep Best but occasionally varying to Tetleys or something else, but on this visit it was still settling so the guvnor wouldn't sell it, which is fair enough. I doubt I'll go back though.
On 30th November 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3900 recommendations about 3832 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The White Lion
A back street local just outside the main shopping centre of Retford. Inside it's been opened out into one large room with the bar centrally placed at the back. There's a solid fuel stove, a pool table and a juke box. I'm not sure if the loud music was coming from there but it was seriously loud, with only two or three other people in the room. Three hand pumps on the bar with locally brewed Pheasantry Best Bitter and Double Top Shanghai. My BB was in very good condition, but I can't imagine coming back to this one when the Ship Inn is just around the corner (not to mention the Idle Valley and the Brew Shed).
Date of visit: 24th November 2017
On 1st December 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 4669 recommendations about 4278 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The White Lion
The White Lion is a decent looking pub from the outside,once inside the pub is a lot more modern there is just the one room with the bar facing on entry there was a pool table to the left with a few normal tables and stools there was also a few leather settes,the floor was a modern pine which does'nt look right in an old pub,there was a TV showing a crappy film with the sound turned up which i did'nt like at all.
There were three real ales on the bar i had a drink of a beer called Caledonian 2.8 as this was the gravity of the drink the beer was quite a nice drink and was on offer at £1.50 a pint or £1.40 a half why not do the half for 75p the other beers were Theakston mild and Waggledance (not sure who brews this beer).
The pub seemed friendly enough but i was a bit dissapointed with it.
Pub visited 2/6/2012
On 2nd June 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]