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Halifax Crawl - 21 June 2024 with Gann
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Detail Pages
The Raven, Wigan
Wigan
WN1 1LD
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Raven Hotel
This attractive early 1900's hotel was refurbished in 2012, revealing a lot of the building's original splendour and adopting a good ale policy in the process, making it a worthy destination pub. A porch with an etched glass 'Raven Hotel' pane in the door leads you into a mosaic floored corridor which runs down the left hand side of the room, despite the fact that much of the partitioning wall has now been removed, allowing freer access to the bar area to the right. There are beautiful green glazed tiles in this corridor area, with modern wallpaper covering the upper part of the walls, whilst an upright piano and single high table are pressed up against the left hand wall. The bar area is carpeted and bordered by a lovely stained glass canopy with a beer bottle collection running around it. Curved banquettes stand under the front windows which have large integral lamps on their sills and there was a TV screen in the front corner showing the late Premier League kick-off. The servery runs along the right hand wall and has a large pub mirror on the bar back and some nice bits of breweriana dotted around. There is a large fireplace beyond the bar which serves a small, compact seating area which has been decorated with lots of French advertisement posters and has another TV showing the football. Opposite, there is a long U-shaped banquette with more interesting adverts on show above it and another attractive fireplace. The pub extends some way further to the rear, where a well appointed lounge can be found, with bare floorboards, Chesterfield sofas and standard chairs. Another TV screen was notable here, as well as a smaller fireplace and access to the rear garden. Modern wallpaper can be found in most rooms, but it doesn't detract from the overall traditional aesthetic and it is the pub's original features that are the more immediately eye-catching.
A good row of handpulls was dispensing Moorhouse White Witch, Blakemere Rum Porter, Tetley's Cask, Lancashire Brewhouse Blueberry Ale and Blackedge American Pale Ale, with one real cider also available. I enjoyed an excellent pint of the American Pale Ale, served to me by one of the very friendly and efficient bar team.
The rejuvenation of this fine venue is a real bonus for the town's drinking scene and it seemed to be very popular on my recent Saturday evening visit. The pub is worth a visit for the fine interior alone, but the strong ale range means that it is also the sort of place you could settle down for a decent session. I really enjoyed exploring this place and look forward to a revisit the next time I'm in town.
On 11th March 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Raven Hotel
Totally agree with Rob, this is a superb pub. The bar staff were friendly and the quality of the beers were excellent. 6 handpumps on our visit, we went for the Allgates Blue Sky Tea Pale Ale. A difficult one to leave, this pub.
On 22nd February 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Raven Hotel
Old, traditional looking pub on Wigans main street. As you enter there's some fantastic tiling and this continues throughout the pub. The bar is to the right and there are 6 handpumps serving ever changing guest ales. In the rear room are lots of dining tables and chairs. The barstaff were excellent, very friendly and knowledgeable about the beers. We also had a discussion about music, Rick James anyone? My pint was in very good condition and I ended up having another half of a different beer. This is a very good pub and I loved it.
On 9th September 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]