Good grief, a (very) good Thwaites pub. I quite like the idea of Thwaites, but the execution of their beers often seems a little underwhelming. A bit like Everards.
It may turn out to have been a bit over-generous to give the Red Lion in Stockton Heath a coveted Top 100 place, but I’d certainly recommend this to our US guests if they make it north again. Just as long as I leave a place for the Lower Angel as well.
And Simon liked it as well.
It’s a bit simplistic to think of Stockton Heath as the posh bit of Warrington, so I’ll call it the posh bit of Warrington.
You’ll be glad you walked there from Warrington Bank Quay station, the traffic is horrendous and on a walk you get exciting views of the Manchester Ship Canal, which is presumably where I dropped any notes I took from this trip, and a close-up of the parish church, host to a wedding of tattoo enthusiasts (that doesn’t really narrow it down in Warrington, to be fair).
The central bit of “the village” (it isn’t) would look pleasant without the A56 and A49 rushing through it, and on Saturday it looked as smart as anywhere I’ve been in Cheshire. Except Lymm.
I really should have popped in the Red Lion last August, when it looked attractive and homely and I had to tick Costellos, but I didn’t and I can’t travel back in time to fix that.
And this time I could enjoy a leisurely pint in a pub full of pensioners talking guff (English meaning). What better way is there to pass a half hour ?
Just like a good Sam Smiths or Batham house, the rooms are gorgeous, and designed for seated drinking. In light of the comments about noseying round attractive pubs, I should say no-one was in the least surprised when I did that here. I sense a recent refurbishment the locals are rightly proud of.
The photos can speak for themselves;
All the action was at the bar though, where a surprisingly mixed crowd were arriving to settle in for the Grand National in four hours time. Some were pacing themselves, most weren’t.
Open all hours, this is very much the drinkers pubs in an area full of gastro pretension.
I don’t know why the Red Lion has only just made the Beer Guide, but the Original was the best Thwaites I’ve had in many years (NBSS 4), cool and full-flavoured, and may have been even better by 4pm.
Yet more proof that it’s the pub, much more than the brewer, that makes or breaks the quality of the beer.
retiredmartin 
I love the “100” series and will continue to do so even if you include more than 100 pubs in the list. Nice looking place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Where did Dick’s comment go ? Did I delete by accident. It was his best for ages.
LikeLike
Sadly I missed his best comment.
LikeLike
Worth repeating. Those photos certainly speak to me.
LikeLike
Did I delete your first post or did you ? I’d like to take the credit for it 😉
LikeLike
I do not think I did. If I did, it was not intentional.
LikeLike
Here a top 100 candidate you may have unfortunately missed Sarf of the river –
https://853blog.com/2017/04/19/shut-down-the-greenwich-pub-being-run-by-its-regulars/
Although you may get some info on a likely pre-emptive at the end of the article.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Originally a Greenalls’ pub, like pretty much every other one in that neck of the woods.
Although it’s still a very pleasant and characterful pub, it used to have a marvellously unspoilt National Inventory interior and really was a warren of little rooms. I did visit it once many years ago, but can’t really visualise it. This was swept away in a refurb some years ago, and it doesn’t feature on the NI at all now 😦
The Bowling Room at the back is still a great little room, though 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thought it looked wonderful, well worth a look if you’re around there. A lovely glass display of local scenes that I might add to the post.
Nothing without the pubby buzz and unexpectedly good beer, of course.
LikeLike
Looks good, but I’m non too sure about the carpet? Having spent a fair bit of time in these parts, owing to Mrs C’s heritage. I always find Warrington to be exactly like Warrington RL – it’s always their year … just like last year, it’s always their year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You look down(at carpets), I’ll look up !
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love going in pubs with carpets,it always seems to make them seem more comfortable than, a bare boarded pub.
I have never been to Warrington,just passed through it on train, is it pubby enough for me to do.
Regarding your top 100 pubs,i am sure i could do a top 100 of the roughest pubs i have been in,as i do seek them out and i love doing estate pubs.
Is that a good idea for my failing blog or not!
LikeLike
What happened to the bowling green, heard its a mess now.
LikeLike