A couple touring and reviewing the UK’s boozers returned to Cheshire for one of their first pub crawls of 2025.
The Great British Pub Crawl is a project taken on by Nottingham natives, Dale Harvey and Holly Booth, who have now rated almost 5,000 watering holes – including 11 new venues following their recent trip to Middlewich.
Here’s what they thought…
The King’s Lock
Having made it into Middlewich for around 2.30pm, my first stop off was at the furthest pub out of town along the canal route… ‘The King’s Lock’ and what a wonderful pub to start at! Brilliant selection of both keg and cask ales with 4 cask as well as offerings from both Beartown and Salt on the draft lines. A super little pub with great views, lovely staff and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. They do a smashing looking menu and it’s just an all round top pub!
The Cheshire Cheese
Stop two was just a 3 minute stroll down the road… and is called ‘The Cheshire Cheese’ which is another absolute beauty! The ladies there are just lovely and they have a super beer garden space that includes a lovely little stage for live music. Landlord and Speckled Hen on as real ale options and some great tap offerings in a really beautiful and well presented pub that’s split into bar and lounge sides.
The Boars Head
(Image: The Great British Pub Crawl)
Next up was ‘The Boars Head’ which is a Robinsons pub and very grand looking old hotel building. Some beautiful rooms and alcoves as well as 12 fully functioning en suite rooms to make up the hotel side of the business. The food looks amazing and it’s a lovely menu which is all homemade and the ladies that run the place are all lovely! Dog friendly, 2 real ales on from Robinson’s and a lovely atmosphere and mix of people in!
The Kings Arms
It was then just a 2 minute walk to ‘The Kings Arms’ that sits opposite a glorious looking old church that looks to date back to the 1700s. Well the pub probably wasn’t far behind it and this great old coaching inn still has a well preserved wattle and daub wall inside the bar area. Split into two sides, landlord Danny is a lovely chap and there is a decent mix of keg beers on, a pool table and dart boards… a proper locals local.
The Vaults
‘The Vaults’ is just across the road and is another friendly community local style pub. Dog friendly with plenty of tap options on the bar and a lovely lady running the bar. A pool table, plenty of screens all over and a good vibe… a really friendly place!
The White Bear
Next door is ‘The White Bear’ and this glorious old coaching inn is stunning inside and out! White fronted with lovely black beams, once inside it gets even more impressive. Lovely stone floors, wood and fireplaces throughout with a comfortable, warm and cosy vibe. But the true magic of this one lays with the beer as there are four ever rotating real ales on offer (none of which I had ever sampled before which is a real rarity) as well as a brilliant few keg lines that also include Beartown and Salt amongst them! Run by lovely folks who clearly have a passion for beer, it’s no wonder this has made the Good Beer Guide for 11 years in a row! Top stuff!
The Newton Brewery
Next up is the furthest of the walks to do… ‘The Newton Brewery’ which was all of 5 minutes. A gorgeous old pub that’s got to be over 100 years old and as the name suggests was a former brewing pub. Situated right on the canal, this one hasn’t brewed for a number of years but has kept the name. It’s dog friendly, split into two sides, has a lovely beer garden and really friendly landlady. Two great ales on – Proper Job (St Austell) and the one for local heroes, Four Priests, which is a mere stone’s throw from here and my next stop.
Four Priests Brewery
My next stop was the one I’d been most excited about for the day… the amazing ‘Four Priests Brewery’ where Andy opened up especially to give me a tour of the unit and taproom… and what a belting little place this is! Andy’s passion for beer really comes to the forefront and having sampled two of their amazing products, I can safely say that this a Brewery that’s ready to take the world by storm and shouldn’t be slept on! It’s a wonderful little tap room and just a brilliant little Brewery so make sure you check out the YouTube video and see it for yourselves… and whilst you’re on YouTube watching this one be sure to pop onto Four Priests own YouTube channel and subscribe for their updates too!
The Big Lock
Just across the road from Four Priests is ‘The Big Lock’ where you’ll find 3 real ales on offer and a pub perfectly blending the mix of food house and bar. Friendly service and a nice looking place that has plenty of dining space!
Royal British Legion
It was then back on myself and down through the town again as the ‘Royal British Legion’ didn’t open until later in the day… a great little club with good feel to it and three snooker tables! One real ale on offer and a decent tap mix at incredibly low prices.
The Turnpike
My final stop of the night then took me into the housing area of the town and to ‘The Turnpike’ which is a large community local run by a fantastic landlady! Having once been a pub carrying a poor reputation, you only have to walk through the front doors of this one now to be able to feel the respect and the love that has gone into making this one a fun, safe and enjoyable environment for all. It’s a smashing pub with brilliant mix of folks using it and the best way to finish off a fun day around this great little town!
The verdict
I had a great day and once again proved to myself that small towns are often some of the best days out you can have!
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