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Detail Pages
The Victoria, Blackburn
Great Harwood
Postal town: Blackburn
BB6 7EP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 9½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Victoria
Having recently purchased Camra's Real Heritage Pubs of the North West (see link below) I was glad to get a chance to visit this one when Luton were playing at Accrington recently. A slightly muddy cycle ride across the fields between here and Clayton Le Moors was a price well worth paying. To be honest, the pub looks like nothing at all from the outside, but like the best of us, it keeps its true glories within. A professional's description can be found if you follow the link to Camra's website, but suffice to say that jaw-dropping and breath-taking would both be appropriate responses. Added to that, there's the presence of six real ales on various parts of the bar counter, with its fully working sash screens. A bonus, but also a predicament for me, was the option of either Phoenix Wobbly Bob or Acorn Gorlovka on adjacent hand pumps. Both 6%, both absolutely gorgeous, but that muddy path in the persistent rain to be traversed after drinking. I went for the Phoenix (only £1.50 the half), which was in splendid condition. It was quiet at the time of my visit, so I took the opportunity for some photos in the various rooms. I'll have to see what I can do about coming back next year (if we both get promoted).
Date of visit: 7th October 2017
On 18th October 2017
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3470 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Victoria
Great to see Pub Signman made it here, quite a tricky place to find, luckily we got there in the pouring rain without getting lost, as it was starting to get dark. A note to be taken is the pub opens at 3.30 Mon to Fri. The pub had ten hand pumps with a choice of six on our visit. All their ales are priced at £2.60 inspite of any with a high ABV. I went for the Bowland Gold, Eden Brewery First Emperor, Bank Top English Born and Brewed and Brewsmith Pale. This was another fab Camra Heritage pub ticked off, where the interior was stunning. The locals were friendly and chatty and we were made very welcome.
On 8th November 2014
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Victoria
Nicknamed the Butcher's Brig, in reference to a long departed neighbouring slaughterhouse and the nearby bridge that spans the now defunct railway line, the Victoria is a wonderfully preserved traditional pub dating back to 1905. You enter through a terrazzo floored porch with a frosted glass front door flanked by etched glass side panes, into a quite remarkable tiled corridor with at least two different repeating patterns running throughout, including a floral motif that visitors to the Adelphi in Leeds will be familiar with. A large painting depicting a scene from within the pub takes pride of place in this part of the corridor, although it can't upstage the traditional décor. To the right there is a small front bar with bench standard and high stool seating, lots of old pictures on the walls and a stack of Good Beer Guides from yesteryear next to the magnificent tiled servery with it's spectacular etched glass screens which can apparently still slide down. There is also still a small serving hatch with a similar sash window which would have previously been used for off sales, but is now sadly out of use. On the opposite side of the corridor there are two other rooms - the Commercial Room with wood block flooring, bench seating and a dartboard at the front, and further back, the Parlour, which has similar seating, a nice fireplace and lots of old paintings on the walls. As you pass the rooms, the servery remains accessible to your right hand side, with a hatch followed by a longer stretch of counter, again with dazzling tile work and access to most of the hand pumps. An staircase stands next to a door marked Public Kitchen, which I found a bit confusing and therefore didn't explore, although I did hear the clack of pool balls later during my stay, so perhaps this is now a games room. Beyond this there are two more rooms which I failed to properly explore, one of which seemed to have a very decorative fireplace. There is a large garden to the rear which until recently boasted one of the area's largest crown bowling greens, but now contains a children's play area. Covered outdoor seating is also available. It's also worth noting the toilet doors, which are relocated etched glass doors from the former Smoke Room (Gents) and Jug and Bottle (Ladies).
A whiteboard in the front room lists all of the ale options, should you not want to brave the bar blockers along the main stretch of bar to the rear. The options on my visit were Roosters Yankee, Moorhouse Pride of Pendle, Goose Eye Chinook, Phoenix Navvy, Bowland Hooky Killick and Reedley Hallows Filly Close Blonde. A very friendly and welcoming barmaid poured me a good pint of the Yankee and I was so enamoured with the pub that I stayed on for a pint of the Hooky Killick as well, which was even better. The pub seems to have a sizeable local following who the staff have a good rapport with, although I was afforded a very warm welcome as a first time visitor.
As I wandered through the drab back streets of Great Harwood to reach this place, I wondered what I was letting myself in for, but I was so glad I made the effort to find this place - a hidden gem if ever there was one. This is well worth the bus ride from Blackburn or Accrington and deserves to be much more widely known.
On 1st April 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gary Duxbury left this review about The Victoria
This pub is a real find for people who like pubs as they used to be. There were about 5 or 6 small rooms decorated in an old fashioned sort of way. The beer garden was one of the biggest I have ever seen. At one time it used to be a bowling green. The best part though is the selection of real beers on sale. There were about 5 or 6 different ones on sale when we were there! Lovers of real ale could spend a few happy hours there. The staff were friendly and when time permits i will return to try the beers I missed. If you are in the area don't miss it.
On 10th October 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6 recommendations about 6 pubs]