|Daily Telegraph 500 best pubs in England

[LeadBelly]

Not footy but beer/socialising related.
An article today on this subject (probably behind a firewall https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/best-pubs-england/ )

Ones listed for Lancashire):
The Admiral Lord Rodney (Colne)
The Black Horse (Preston)
Victoria Hotel (Gt Harwood)
The Swan with Two Necks (Pendleton)
The Red Lion (Wheelton)
The Limeburners Arms (Nether Kellet)
The Crooked Billet (Worsthorne)
The New Inn (Clitheroe)
The Red Lion (Earby)
The Moorbrook (Preston)
The Spinners Arms (Adlington)
The Stanley Arms (Aughton)

Writer states
I’ve written about pubs for more years than I care to recall, and have developed strong opinions about what makes a great one. Atmosphere, of course; fixtures and fittings that engender warmth, happiness and cosiness; good beer, particularly cask ale; and a sense of place.
Of great importance too, I think, is that the cost of entry should be the cost of a drink. That’s why I’ve picked few gastropubs. I also haven’t included a lot of micropubs, since – while they often have superb beer – they can be short on ambience and history. A great pub needs character, and only the best micropubs

The article just has a couple of sentences on each featured pub. For The "Armiral" :
It’s not immediately clear what Colne, a Lancashire market town, has to do with an 18th-century Royal Naval officer who beat the French at the Battle of the Saintes, but such is the enigmatic beauty of pub names. This Admiral is a real survivor, a solid yellow-brick structure with plenty of light-industrial units for neighbours. Much of the rest of the neighbourhood was bulldozed in the 1930s. With a stage in the back garden, it’s well-known locally for live music and popular with CAMRA members too: for the delightful interior, including mosaic entrance and tilework.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Went in The Moorbrook both times we played Preston last season and was decent, couple of the lads with us had a wood fire pizza and said they were excellent too.

Went in the Black Horse before and after the cup game and that was good as well.

[Winstonswhite]

Unpopular opinion but Swan with two necks is massively overrated IMO. Zero atmosphere

[steve1264b]

Live about 2 miles from red lion wheelton, good pub, lots of real ale,music and food, surprised its in top 12 in lancashire!

[NL Claret]

Limeburners …….wow.

We have a static caravan about a mile away from the pub, never ever been in or have the inclination to go in even if it has made the list.

[claret wizard]

The Kettledrum should be pushing towards that list.

[Dark Cloud]

Some good uns on there, but surprised to see The Malt and Hops in Chorley doesn't make it. Definitely one of my favourites tbf.

[Bow]

Big Window must have been 501

[ŽižkovClaret]

The Bridge should be there IMHO

[steve1264b]

Some good uns on there, but surprised to see The Malt and Hops in Chorley doesn't make it. Definitely one of my favourites tbf.

Exactly

[ollieclarets8]

Interesting article as you can't really know unless you've literally been in every pub in England.

[LeadBelly]

Interesting article as you can't really know unless you've literally been in every pub in England.

Yes, these types of listings are always v subjective &, as you allude to- is there anybody who's actually been to even half of all the pubs in England?

Still- Ive spotted a couple in the county I now live (Hants) that I'm likely to pass near and give a try.
There are brief descriptions (couple of sentences) of the chosen pubs and why he liked them - so some sort of guide to if a reader might also like.

[TheFamilyCat]

I'm surprised there are 500 pubs left in England.

[ClaretTony]

Been in the two Preston pubs. Used to visit the Black Dog regularly back in the 1970s & 80s. It was a damn good pub then.

[Spike]

Been in the two Preston pubs. Used to visit the Black Dog regularly back in the 1970s & 80s. It was a damn good pub then.

Unfortunately the. Black Dog has gone to the dogs

[ClaretTony]

Unfortunately the. Black Dog has gone to the dogs

I’m going back around 35 years since I was last in but top pub then.

[Polesworth]

An interesting article and the writer qualifies his choice with his personal criteria for 'best' pubs. If you're interested mainly in pubs serving top quality cask ale then the place to look is on the CAMRA web site. Below is a list of the local pubs to Burnley, in the 2025 edition of The Good Beer Guide. Note the Good Beer Guide's wording, beer as opposed to pub. I've sampled the beer in all of these and not had a bad pint in any but they're maybe not all where you'd take your granny for Sunday Lunch!

Bridge Bier Huis, Burnley
New Brew-m, Burnley
Lane Ends Hotel, Burnley
Commercia,l Burnley
Crooked Billet, Worsthorne
Hare & Hounds, Haggate
Bankers Draft, Barrowford,
Admiral Lord Rodney, Colne
Boyce's Barrel, Colne
Arden Inn,Accrington
Trawden Arms Trawden Forest Community Pub, Trawden
Old England Forever, Clayton le Moors
Crown Inn, Bacup
Hop Micro Pub, Rawtenstall
Griffin Inn, Haslingden
Royal, Great Harwood
Buffer Stops, Rawtenstall
1B Tap House, Great Harwood
Swan With Two Necks, Pendleton
Dog Inn, Whalley
Vault, Oswaldtwistle
Alehouse, Todmorden
Bowland Beer Hall, Clitheroe
Ale House, Clitheroe, BB7 2DA
New Inn, Clitheroe
Beer Shack, Clitheroe
Barlick Tap Ale House, Barnoldswick

[ClaretPete001]

An interesting article and the writer qualifies his choice with his personal criteria for 'best' pubs. If you're interested mainly in pubs serving top quality cask ale then the place to look is on the CAMRA web site. Below is a list of the local pubs to Burnley, in the 2025 edition of The Good Beer Guide. Note the Good Beer Guide's wording, beer as opposed to pub. I've sampled the beer in all of these and not had a bad pint in any but they're maybe not all where you'd take your granny for Sunday Lunch!

Bridge Bier Huis, Burnley
New Brew-m, Burnley
Lane Ends Hotel, Burnley
Commercia,l Burnley
Crooked Billet, Worsthorne
Hare & Hounds, Haggate
Bankers Draft, Barrowford,
Admiral Lord Rodney, Colne
Boyce's Barrel, Colne
Arden Inn,Accrington
Trawden Arms Trawden Forest Community Pub, Trawden
Old England Forever, Clayton le Moors
Crown Inn, Bacup
Hop Micro Pub, Rawtenstall
Griffin Inn, Haslingden
Royal, Great Harwood
Buffer Stops, Rawtenstall
1B Tap House, Great Harwood
Swan With Two Necks, Pendleton
Dog Inn, Whalley
Vault, Oswaldtwistle
Alehouse, Todmorden
Bowland Beer Hall, Clitheroe
Ale House, Clitheroe, BB7 2DA
New Inn, Clitheroe
Beer Shack, Clitheroe
Barlick Tap Ale House, Barnoldswick

The Griffin in Haslingden brews its own beer and is a very decent pub but it's not posh enough for me to go in on a regular basis - people laugh at my matching cravat and wellington boot combo, which I find very gauche.

So, regardless of the excellent beer and cheery bonhomie I shall be taking my business elsewhere.

[Bow]

An interesting article and the writer qualifies his choice with his personal criteria for 'best' pubs. If you're interested mainly in pubs serving top quality cask ale then the place to look is on the CAMRA web site. Below is a list of the local pubs to Burnley, in the 2025 edition of The Good Beer Guide. Note the Good Beer Guide's wording, beer as opposed to pub. I've sampled the beer in all of these and not had a bad pint in any but they're maybe not all where you'd take your granny for Sunday Lunch!

Bridge Bier Huis, Burnley
New Brew-m, Burnley
Lane Ends Hotel, Burnley
Commercia,l Burnley
Crooked Billet, Worsthorne
Hare & Hounds, Haggate
Bankers Draft, Barrowford,
Admiral Lord Rodney, Colne
Boyce's Barrel, Colne
Arden Inn,Accrington
Trawden Arms Trawden Forest Community Pub, Trawden
Old England Forever, Clayton le Moors
Crown Inn, Bacup
Hop Micro Pub, Rawtenstall
Griffin Inn, Haslingden
Royal, Great Harwood
Buffer Stops, Rawtenstall
1B Tap House, Great Harwood
Swan With Two Necks, Pendleton
Dog Inn, Whalley
Vault, Oswaldtwistle
Alehouse, Todmorden
Bowland Beer Hall, Clitheroe
Ale House, Clitheroe, BB7 2DA
New Inn, Clitheroe
Beer Shack, Clitheroe
Barlick Tap Ale House, Barnoldswick

I’d agree with the clitheroe ones apart from the bowland beer hall. Decent enough venue when you’re in a group but the beer is awful.

[boatshed bill]

Devon's finest is my local. They are not wrong.

[Longsidelenny1882]

Admiral lord rodney colne upthecolne

[GetIntoEm]

Bad list. Rodney is shite

[Longsidelenny1882]

That’s my local upthecolne