Stopes Tavern, Bolton

There are a couple of bars in this small local’s boozer with the one at the rear of the pub being quite quiet with only a couple of people eating the Sunday roast, which was the only food I saw advertised. The front bar was busier with half of the fifteen or so customers intently watching four blokes have a game of dominos. There is a pool table and a dartboard with large electronic scorer next to it on the wall and I noticed lots of darting trophies on the shelves so I imagine there is at least one team that hails from this pub. There is a TV and a large plasma screen which was showing F1 and I overheard that the governor hates football and never shows it. To be honest I did get a feeling that the governor wasn’t the most popular chap and I found the sign behind the bar mentioning the fact that trading standards has visited and found nothing wrong to be worded in a confrontational way – Maybe I’m just a southern softie! There is a range of standard draught products and a hand pump in each bar which were drawing Bank Top Brewery’s Flat Cap and Dark Mild, the latter being the guest. I had a few very nice pints of Guinness and I found the barmaid to be friendly enough. There is a quiz on the last Sunday of every month and children are welcome until 20:00 everyday. I didn’t really find much wrong with this pub, but probably will not return when next in the area as there is no football, but some will look at this as being plus point.