1 March 2020
Into Lancashire, my next big target for GBG completion.
Mind, Whitworth looks like it’s in Rochdale to me. “Rochdale IS in Lancashire” screams Old Mudgie. It was probably in Yorkshire once.
Yes, this is the land of straggly villages along the A671 on the way to Rossendale. It’s a untidy picture in a beautiful frame, full of takeaways (which are normally shut), keg pubs and potholes.
I can’t remember the last time I stopped here, but I picked a good day to do the Band Club, with its evening only openings every day except Sundays.
This is the Rochdale of weaving and mining, of brass bands and rag puddings.
I entered the Club (no card checks) to a roar, two rooms celebrating/commiserating an equaliser for the Stretford Rags at Goodison Park. I thought it’d be Burnley fans round here.
The odd stare tell me I’m in the way of the screen so I duck.
The main bar had that classic curved seating that defines “club”.
It’s won lots of awards by offering LocAles, so obviously I go for the Banks’s, which was a cool, foamy NBSS 3, possibly 3.5 I decide later.
Lacings never lie.
But Baylis & Harding handwash (just add alcohol) does.
It’s a classy club, but not posh.
Whitworth doesn’t look at all posh, but I notice the sign for “Conservation Area” and head up some cobbled streets that could be Dobcross.
Up to a smart pub with a blue plaque and mums with children called Gemima and Toby (probably).
I keep walking, up to St. Bartholomews, a slippery path I wouldn’t fancy doing if we ever do get a Winter.
Up to the stocks reserved for visiting pub tickers on their 6th pint.
Magic. You find it when you look.
retiredmartin 
Towns like that make the north simply amazing. What details. Looks like a picture perfect day too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
In all seriousness the good weather seems to follow me around.
Those Pennine Lancashire towns can look a little drab but if you find the right spot and right day they’re gorgeous.
The better known pubs are to the east closer to Mytholmroyd and Hebden.
LikeLike
The entire community was convinced Dick Tattersall would never amount to anything, but here we are in the 21st century, and they’ve all been forgotten to history while old Dick has a commemorative blue plaque in his honor. 😉
Your photo of the “classic curved seating” got me thinking that this architectural feature really is possibly unique to UK pubs. In America we’ve generally got either tables (and their high table cousins) or else booths. I wonder if you’d find a single example of the sort of horse-shoe-shaped continuous fixed bench seating shown in your photo anywhere in the entire USA. If so, it would surely be in an Irish theme pub doing its best to emulate the proper old pubs that have inspired it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good point, Mark.
That horse-shoe seating isn’t unique to clubs and is definitely my favourite as you can see and hear everything going on 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Used to be a lot more common in pubs – see my latest blogpost:
http://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2020/03/chairs-chairs-everywhere.html
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HTQyYfXgrvU/Xl6Nov1Ae3I/AAAAAAAAHOc/PPT0FTBiIe85ztgKakhR2eejNFJnhpaiwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/lounge%2Bbar.jpg
As Martin says, the best kind of pub seating 😀
Baylis & Harding Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit handwash in a working men’s club in Whitworth? What is the world coming to? Don’t they do a Tripe & Ferret version?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Does America have anything vaguely similar to UK working men’s clubs?
LikeLike
Is this near enough, Scott?
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=workingman%27s+dead+full+album+
LikeLike
Sorry, this:
LikeLike
Good to see a thread developing on a post about Whitworth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely
LikeLike
Great stuff and a photogenic reward for doing it during daylight (mostly not possible during winter and certainly not when I visited).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those 7pm weekday and Saturday openings are a killer. I do like to see what a place looks like at its best.
LikeLiked by 1 person