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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Blackthorn _ left this review about RedWillow
Located in a former bank premises in the heart of Buxton, this is a brewery tap for the Red Willow brewery from Macclesfield. It’s a slightly unusual, wedge shaped building, and has presumably kept many of it’s original features, or else they’ve done a good job of making it appear quite elegant.
Internally it consists of a single, open plan room although there is also a small mezzanine level at the rear overlooking the rest of the pub. There’s plenty of dark woodwork around, full height panelling at the rear, and impressive backdrop to the bar counter and an unusual and attractive curved snug at the front, which had just enough room for one table, with etched glass windows set in to the woodwork and access directly to the bar counter. Dark wooden boards were also on the floor, whilst large arched windows on two sides let in plenty of light. Some very colourful natural history photographs were on the walls.
Beers on tap were all their own as might be expected and consisted of Heart Less, Feck Less, Wreck Less, Citra Luminosa and Head Less. I went for the Heart Less which was a chocolate stout, and whilst it was pleasant enough I can’t really say I noticed the chocolate. There were also a number of keg tapes on the back wall, with the current selection displayed on a TV screen behind the bar. The solitary cider meanwhile was Hogan’s.
On 20th July 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2150 recommendations about 2046 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about RedWillow
RedWillow is the sister pub to RedWillow Brewery’s other pub in Macclesfield, which somehow I’ve managed to bypass during my crawls around the town. This pub is a bank conversion that comes with lots of Victorian finery, including an ornate snug in the right front corner at the bottom of the serving counter that runs up the right-hand wall. The four hand pumps were all drawing RW beers and a crafty selection was available from fonts along the back bar. I went for half a Cryo Citra that was served by a very friendly barmaid who informed me of the Macclesfield connection. The seating is open plan with small high tables and green topped stools up the centre and green banquettes up the left-hand wall. At the rear is a mezzanine level with seating and bookcase patterned wallpaper. I liked it in here so would have no problem returning.
On 8th March 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6782 recommendations about 6744 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about RedWillow
I've scored this pub 4 for the outstanding interior. We called in here late afternoon on a recent Friday and there wasn't a single customer in here, except a solitary barmaid. We admired the old bank manager's office as we made our way to the bar counter and got a horrendous whiff of the drains. I mentioned this to the barmaid who agreed and said they did have a drain issue. It was so bad I don't know how management would allow the place to be open, with these health issues.
On 27th August 2024
- rating: 4
[User has posted 3763 recommendations about 3763 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about RedWillow
As if the two taprooms and pavillion bar from Buxton Brewery weren't enough for this small market town, another top notch brewery, Red Willow, has opened this beautiful bank conversion in the town centre. Inside, you find a smart, bare boarded room with dark wood panels, etched glass windows and the servery along the back wall. The bar has a mosaic tile counter front with a high shelved bar back dominated by a central metal keg tap dispensary. Long button backed banquettes run along the front wall with basic chairs in support, whilst high tables and stools fill a central space opposite the bar. A drinking ledge to the right of the entrance has a row of bar stools and a small padded bench booth at the far end. The pub's finest feature can be found at one end of the bar, where a small side room has been converted into an amazing little snug, with curved glass frontage, a detailed decorative doorway and plenty of etched glasswork. There's room in here for a couple of tables and I can only presume it occupies the old bank manager's office. To the rear are some stairs leading up to a mezzanine area with plenty of extra seating looking down into the main bar area. Potted plants are in plentiful supply around the room and a fridge to the left of the entrance is full of tempting looking Red Willow cans. A decent indie and pop soundtrack played during my visit and there was a handful of mainly older customers in, on what was admittedly a freezing cold, snowy Winter's day.
Red Willow beers obviously dominate the handpulls, with options comprising Headless, Feckless, Wreckless and Breakfast Stout, supplimented by an extensive craft keg range including plenty more Red Willow brews. A very friendly barmaid served me a top quality pint of the Headless, which slipped down so quickly that I ended up at my next pub before it had even opened!
I really liked this conversion, which has kept a beautiful building in the public domain, and thought the beer was in great condition. However, something felt a bit lacking and didn't fully click for me - maybe it was drinking in such a grand interior with so few other customers. Still well worth a look as part of any crawl around town though.
Date of visit - 17th January 2024
On 3rd June 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3387 recommendations about 3387 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about RedWillow
Lovely old bank building taken over by RedWillow brewery, frosted glass and dark wood bits are either original or rescued from elsewhere and knitted together in a convincing way. Four cask beers and a selection of kegs. Furnished in traditional manner but the beers are shown on a laser display screen. There’s a mezzanine floor with seating above but the majority of the bar is at ground level with the counter against one side wall.
On 22nd October 2023
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 4168 recommendations about 3828 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about RedWillow
Table service is now a thing of the past. In fact the service here was very friendly. 3 of their own beers on cask - Headless, Wreckless and Pale Bitter. The 2 I tried were excellent (£4). A decent choice on keg also with a Cider and a couple of lagers. This place ticks the boxes for me on the beer front, add that to a nice bank conversion and it's a must do in Buxton.
On 19th October 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1984 recommendations about 1832 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about RedWillow
For some reason this bar is still insisting on table service, the only pub we visited in Buxton that was doing. It was also the only pub that was dead as a post. I think there may be some correlation there. I went to the bar anyway, just to see what they had on. I got told off for doing so as the barman said that they would supply a beer list to the table. They did, it was wrong. It had 5 cask beers listed, but they only had 2 on. I ended up with a pint of their own Simcoe/Strata, which was a nice pint. No atmosphere, slightly snotty bar staff, not impressed at all on this visit. What a shame. we love their bar in Macclesfield, so we were very disappointed with this one.
On 13th December 2021
- rating: 4
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3289 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about RedWillow Buxton
Brewery tap housed in an old bank branch, with booth-like tables along the side walls opposite the bar. There are also three more small, high tables nearer the counter plus some more seating up on a compact mezzanine. Three of their own real ales - Lazy Hazy Days (£3.59), Extra Special Bitter and Breakfast Stout - available from the five handpumps, with seven of the 18 keg taps also dispensing various other beers from the range. Good atmosphere, with a mostly younger clientele.
On 5th July 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 9210 recommendations about 9210 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about RedWillow Buxton
Pick of the places in Buxton for me - something for everyone.
Its in the Good Beer Guide 2021 and a showcase/taproom for the Red Willow Brewery. Their west coast IPA was very good.
Also a Gin Bar - with several different varieties on display.
The building is a former bank - with wooden panneling, a lovely little alcove with Chesterfields and a Mezzanine Floor.
The service was exceptionally good in these allowed indoors covid times.
On 25th May 2021
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1883 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about RedWillow Buxton
A bank conversion standing by the pelican crossing just before the roundabout, so handily placed for the railway station. We called in as our last Buxton pub before catching the train to Disley and New Mills, and were glad that we did. It's been very nicely repurposed by Red Willow brewery of Macclesfield, and by the looks of it they've left it pretty much as it would have been as a bank, with stylish wood panelling everywhere. Beers are listed on a video screen mounted on a chimney breast: four of their own beers on cask and one guest, plus numerous keg beers (see photos). My half of Red Willow Feckless was fine, and I would certainly make a point of coming here next time I'm in Buxton for a beer.
Date of visit: 17th April 2019
On 31st May 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 4842 recommendations about 4430 pubs]