retiredmartin

August 2024. Chorley.

Well, Greater Chorley, really. Clayton-le-Woods, really,

but although that’s got a lot of pubs, or did have till recently, Wiki has nothing to say about Whittle.

The most interesting feature on the 3 miles north to our hotel for the night is the Mormon Church dominating your M61 journey from Manchester to Preston, as majestic in its way as Durham cathedral or Maidenhead Conservative Club.

Whittle’s Travelodge is a total dump, staff apart, but cheap(ish) and only 6 minutes from Buckshaw Hospital where Matt has to be at 7:45 tomorrow morning for an operation*.

“Fancy a pint Matt ?” I call as he heads to his luxury room.

“Sorry, not allowed alcohol before the op”.

That sound unlikely; I had 4 pints before my Covid jab and it enhanced the vaccine.

“But I’ll join you for a soft drink“. Good lad.

The Travelodge pub is a JW Lees house, which is a bonus. Top of my head I can recall Lees pubs next to budget hotels I’ve used in Crewe and Chadderton, which is the high life.

Gorgeous, too, though inside with last food orders long called it’s a bit forlorn,

and with the glasses stacked up,

(a real picture of 2024 drinking taste there), I did wonder if at 21:31 we’d arrived too late for a pre-emptive tick.

“Glad to see you still open till 11” I tell the cheery lass**, “a lot of foody pubs would be closing now“.

I expect her to say “Oh“. Instead she says “Wimps“. Top, top, response.

I’m delighted to tell you the Lees Bitter is cool and chewy, a clear 3.5. Matt is happy with the Guinness 0.0, the best of the pub N/As.

I can’t pretend that the outside drinking area is a classic, but it’s perfect for a family catch-up to a ’90s soul/gospel soundtrack,

and we even get a fleeting sight of the chain pub cat.

Not my finest pub cat photo, chain or otherwise.

* The operation was available live on my Tik Tok channel but you’ve missed it.

**I’m sure Matt is horrified I talk to young people.