The Wickstead Arms, Nantwich

The smaller left hand bar of the Wickstead Arms has banquette seating and bookshelf wallpaper. The bar supports three handpumps, but the only other two customers present during my recent Thursday evening visit were sitting at the bar in front of them so I didn’t see what was on. The right hand bar is larger with some tables and chairs in situ in addition to a bit more banquette seating in the right rear corner. There is also a fireplace with a burner, but it looked more for show so I’m not sure if it actually works. Televisions are located throughout for airing live sport, but these were all off in favour of some background music. This is a comfortable pub, but there are better in the area.

On entering, the lounge is to the left and the bar is to the right. Each side has three hand pulls but a chalkboard menu exists (at least on the lounge side). Four different real ales were available at the time of my visit, across the two sets of pulls - Beartown Glacier, TT Boltmaker, Salopian Lemon Dream and Weetwood Cheshire Cat. I had the Glacier and enjoyed it. Music was playing at a sensible volume. Toilets were fairly modern but a bit on the smelly side. I felt the Wickstead Arms was nothing to get too excited about but is a smart tidy pub with a few real ales on, and you could do much worse. No rush to go back but I wouldn't rule it out either.

As noted below this is a genuine two room pub. I went in what looked like a public bar with a big TV that was silent and a 60s music track playing. I only saw two hand pumps which had Oakham Citra and Salopian Shropshire Gold. There were more hand pumps in the bar opposite but I went for the Oakham Citra (£3.45) which was excellent. This looked like it might be one of the better options in Nantwich provided there is no sport showing.

Official site of The Wickstead Arms - www.wicksteadpubnantwich.co.uk

Official site of The Wickstead Arms - www.wicksteadpubnantwich.co.uk

A recently refurbished well run pub. It has two rooms with three handpumps on each. The "Tiled Glass" windows help to give it the old Nantwich look. A pub I will certainly return to when I am in Nantwich again

This pub retains a two room format but there is little distinction between rooms apart from the room on the right on entering having a dartboard in a case and a telly on the wall. Both rooms have modern distressed flagstones around the bar area with the remaining area of the left side being carpeted whereas the rest of the other room is boarded. Conventional seating, some bookcase patterned wallpaper, a side wall has a large map and write up about the Battle of Nantwich during the Civil War. Otherwise old photos as usual, the darts and telly side had a log burner. Three handpumps each side and you need to wander through to check them all, only three on in total Thursday afternoon, Salopian Oracle and Shropshire Gold plus Stonehouse Brewery Sunlander. The Oracle was in great shape (£3.10). A board lists possible future ale choices and invites votes. Food served, the menus were away mid afternoon but I could see that they do Pieminister pies. A friendly pub, service was chatty and later on, while some Motown track played a customer at the bar with his mates asked for it to be turned up a bit but took the trouble to turn and ask me if I minded! You wouldn't get that courtesy in too many places these days. A very nice pub indeed, I felt at home in here, if all the pumps were on you could easily lose a lot of time here.

Nicely refurbished pub. A small bar to your left and a larger bar for dining to your right. Has 6 real ale pumps but only 4 were on when I visited. Clean and bright. One of several good pubs in Nantwich.