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Cambridge PuG Crawl, Friday 5th April 2024 with Mobyduck on the Pub Forum

The Holly Bush, Macclesfield

75 Palmerston Street
Bollington
Postal town: Macclesfield
SK10 5PW
Phone: 01625573073

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Will Larter left this review about The Holly Bush

This Robinsons pub was largely rebuilt in 1935 and is Grade II listed, though it is no longer on CAMRA's National Inventory of Unspoilt Interiors, as its interior has been deemed to have been spoilt. The licensee was enthusiastic in his description of the work that had been carried out, with the dark-stained wood panelling being photographed in situ before being taken down to be de-stained while other work was carried out. This seems to have included moving the bar and opening up an archway, though there are still several distinct rooms. The panelling was then restored, and it does look good, as do the windows and the fireplace, but it's apparently not authentic enough for the heritage committee at Camra.

We made this our lunch stop on a cycle ride on the Middlewood Way and the Macclesfield Canal, but my request for vegan options totally threw the licensee who went to consult the cook, and came back with a suggestion of baked potato with tuna. Erm, that's a fish, I said quite reasonably. I settled for a bowl of chips once I'd established they were cooked in oil, not beef dripping! No such problems with the beer, as my pint of Robinsons Unicorn was the best I can recall.

On 21st June 2022 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3699 recommendations about 3440 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


John Bonser left this review about The Holly Bush

Visited in May 2010

Fine traditional Robinsons pub situated on the main road through Bollington village.

An attractive looking mock-Tudor exterior features leaded, frosted windows - some hearing a holly bush motif.

It's a three roomed pub with one small room to the left and right before you reach the main bar, which is a cosy wood panelled and carpeted bar with some fixed banquette seating round the walls. Note also the drop down screens above the bar counter. The walls are decorated with plates, old photos etc. The room on the right has oak beams and each room retains an old fireplace. There's evidence of bell pushes being present in earlier days. The pub is listed in CAMRA's National Inventory of Unspoilt Interiors. Rather incongruously for a pub of this style, live entertainment was being advertised.

On my recent Thursday afternoon visit at around 3pm, the pub was completely empty and a young girl with tattoos and a big dog sitting outside on a bench seat, and who really looked as though she should have been at school, rather begrudgingly stubbed out her cigarette and followed me in to the pub to serve me what turned out to be an excellent pint of Dizzy Blonde - £ 2.30p. Other beers on were Hatters and Unicorn.

This is an attractive looking pub, both inside and out, but I was distinctly underwhelmed by the experience as a whole and I'd be inclined to try one of the other pubs in the village instead. There's no shortage of choice.

On 21st October 2010 - rating: 6
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]