The Witchwood, Ashton Central, Ashton-Under-Lyne

The Witchwood has a thin front bar with tables and chairs to the left and a pool table and retro gaming table behind. To the right of the entrance under that front windows is a banquette with tables faced by the bar counter that runs along the rear wall. To the left of the bar is a door to the live music venue bit of the pub. Posters advertise all sorts of music from 80’s themed nights to tribute bands from the likes of Joy Division and T-Rex. The music during my recent late afternoon midweek visit come from the jukebox. Oddly, a television on the wall to the side of the bar was playing some crap US detective show. The bar supports standard and premium keg and I counted six hand pumps. These were drawing TT Boltmaker and Landlord, Pedigree, JW Lees Founder, Moorhouse’s Blonde Witch and Weston’s Old Rosie cider. I’m not a massive live music fan so I wouldn’t revisit to see the bands, but the ale choice was good and service was polite so I’d revisit for another afternoon pint.

Long standing music led pub. The live music used to be in the main pub, but a purpose built venue was added about 20 years ago replacing the rear room. The remaining part of the pub is now quite small, but there's a pool table, a rock jukebox and a quiz machine. 6 handpumps on the bar including one for real cider. Sadly, the beers were all mainstream except Brew Company Hop Monster, which was excellent. Probably not as good as it used to be in my opinion, but if I lived in Ashton I'd still visit regularly.

The Witchwood is a white painted stand alone pub that is just off the town centre. Once inside there was a long narrowish room that ran the width of the pub,the bar faced,the seating was normal tables and chairs,there was a seperate room to the rear which was set aside for live bands. There were two real ales on the bar,i had a drink of John Smiths bitter which was on handpump,this was a nice drink,the other beer was Theakstons bitter. The pub was very busy on my late Saturday afternoon visit,with a good lively atmosphere. This was a decent pub to end my Ashton crawl in. Pub visited 29/7/1995