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Detail Pages
The Sun, Lancaster
Lancaster
LA1 1ET
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about The Sun
This is a good sized, historic pub and hotel with a handy location near the bus station and quite close to the castle. The main bar is in the left-hand part of the building, occupying a spacious room, with seating limited to the perimeter, leaving a big empty space in the centre. The bar is in the rear-right corner and has a dark wood panelled counter and matching bar back with a small beer bottle collection across the top. Padded benches can be found to the front, with high tables ans stools elsewhere. There's lots of exposed stone throughout room, including in a small fireplace to the right and a much bigger one to the left of the bar. A few old pictures have been put on display as well as numerous local history plaques detailing the building's history and some of the famous folk who used to drink here. Turn through a door to the right for the hotel lobby and a dining room which opens early for breakfast, although alcohol isn't served until 11:00. A weird soundtrack was playing quietly in the background on my Monday morning visit and perhaps unsurprisingly, I was the only visitor at such an hour.
Local beers from the Lancaster Brewery dominate the bar, with Lancaster Black, Red, Amber, IPA, Cascade and Blonde all available alongside four guests - Thwaites Wainwright, Bowland Hen Harrier and Titanic Iceberg and White Star. A few Lancaster beers were available on keg dispense too, although I stuck with the cask and enjoyed a reasonable drop of the IPA at £2.25 for a half pint.
This is quite an attractive old building that doesn't quite fall into the trap of feeling like a bland hotel bar, but didn't feel all that much like a proper pub either. The extensive ale range will be a draw for some and it looked like a nice place to come for a bite to eat, but I was content enough with my flying visit and would probably skip it the next time I'm in town.
Date of visit - 15th January 2024
On 7th April 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Sun
I have taken to breaking train journeys at Lancaster whenever I can, just so that I can call in here for a beer or two, although it's by no means the nearest pub to the railway station. It is, on the other hand, one of the best pubs in Lancaster and in my experience the beer is always in good or better condition and not overpriced.
My visit in July found a queue stretching from the bar almost to the door, which is not something you see every day, so I joined at a reasonable distance and was served within about six minutes. The lass was working on her own, but was doing very well with a mixed bunch of about five or six people, including some slightly more demanding than average. I've seen some bar staff in this situation lose it, and give less than good service by showing their frustration or impatience at not getting any help from colleagues. I was last in the queue and asked for halves of three different beers and then lined them up in front of their respective hand pumps to have their photo taken, but even this didn't faze her. When her manager finally showed up she got a bit of an earful for the lack of support, but not in such a voice that the whole pub would know what had caused the backlog - my only impression was that someone's food order had caused the computer to have a breakdown; fortunately the human element was made of sterner stuff, and I think the manager appreciated this.
Putting this well-handled customer service situation together with the very good and well-presented beer - my three beers, all from Lancaster brewery, which owns the pub, were very good - and the pleasant environment, justify my rating of 9, I think. It's beginning to tax my ingenuity to arrange train journeys where I can reasonably change at Lancaster, though.
On 30th October 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3745 recommendations about 3482 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Sun
Two-room pub / hotel bar, created from two adjoining buildings, with a slightly upmarket yet rustic appearance (if that isn't too big a contradiction), plain wooden furniture, exposed stonework walls, etc. As a Lancaster Brewery outlet, one of the five-handpump banks was dedicated to its beers, from which selection I went went for the Amber (£3.50). The other row featured three Titanic ales, Wainwright and Hobgoblin.
On 28th September 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Sun
now serves the full range of Lancaster beers at all times -which is a good thing. it's a bit rustic-posh inside, not exactly pubby, but cosy enough anyway. If you want to sample the local beers this is the place to come. But I never seem to be able to warm to the place.
On 25th February 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Sun
Apparently this is a hotel bar. I must admit that I didn't know this place was a hotel and the pub itself didn't really look like your usual hotelly bar. Two roomed with one room a bit brighter than the other. Bare stone bricks and wooden floored makes it look older than the modern furniture may suggest. Very foodie but a decent selection of real ales make up for that. Lancaster Brewery seem to be to the fore so I assume they may have something to do with the place.
On 19th April 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Sun Hotel & Bar
An hotel bar of two rooms in all exposed stone and darkened pine furniture with wide bare board flooring. The original bar to the left has the counter and it's a bit dark and gloomy in here, there are two sets of five pulls, one set serving Lancaster Brewery beers the other set with guests from all over. The room next door up a short ramp, is brighter with some bench seating and nice tables and chairs, as ROB Camra says a few quid has been spent here.
On 6th March 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Sun Hotel & Bar
This was my local for a few years when I lived in Lancaster. In those days it was a one-room pub with pool table, juke box and Yates & Jackson beers on hand pump. Since then, all the plaster has been hacked off the walls and the pub has been extended through to the building next door. There's a strong emphasis on food and a decent selection of real ales on the bar. Four are from Lancaster Brewery: the names Amber, Red, Black and Blonde are not very evocative, it's true, but there is no doubting their quality. I've been here when it's very busy, and can echo the caveats of the previous reviewers on that score, but there aren't many town centre pubs that wouldn't lose marks on a Friday night! My recent calmer experience is worth the score I have given.
Date of visit: 29th November 2015
On 14th January 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3745 recommendations about 3482 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Sun Hotel & Bar
This place was packed on my Friday evening visit with what appeared to be university types, lecturers or students blowing their loan or more likely the Bank of Mum & Dad. It's a single room with wooden floors.
It was too busy to note the beers but did notice on the large array of hand pumps Thwaite's / Marston's Wainwright and Lancaster Black and Red. I went for the Lancaster Black (£3.45) which was in excellent condition but certainly not cheap for the area.
Like the Borough this place may be better at a quieter time but on a Friday night I wasn't impressed.
On 30th November 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Sun Hotel & Bar
This pub has been modernised to within an inch of its life and has lost most of the character it no doubt once had. Still several distinct areas which were all very busy on our Thursday night visit. The covered courtyard in particular was heaving, so there may have been a function on. Lots of exposed stone walls and wooden panelling around the place, it's obviously had quite a few quid spent on it fairly recently. A couple of Lancaster ales and a couple of guests available on the relatively small bar. The pint I had was in good nick and this pub is in the CAMRA GBG2014. I didn't really take to this place, but it was very busy. I'd try it again on a quieter night though.
On 15th June 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about The Sun Hotel & Bar
Remember this when it was a dirty back boozer years ago nothing wrong with that but what a transformation it as had had a lot of money spent on it good variety of hand pulled beer. The right hand side is a dinning area and the hotel reception but still as a pub feel to it Well worth a visit
On 21st March 2014
- rating: 10
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]