We visit a pub perfectly placed in front of Lytham Green
Time was when Lytham was a one pub town. There were plenty of them but there were few you would really want to go into - The Taps was favourite and, if that was bursting at the seams, The County would do.
Of the rest, some were places you would frequent to watch sport and others were establishments you would use to plan small crimes. Strange really, when you consider ‘Leafy Lytham’ seems mainly occupied by gentlefolk and its location and upmarket shops attract large numbers of visitors.
Happily, someone spotted the gap in the market. The Queens Hotel is a glorious old building overlooking the Green. But until recently it wasn’t a place you would go out of your way to visit. New owners have spent a small fortune transforming a fairly rough old boozer into an excellent dining pub. Here is what we found:
Interior: A lovely airy Victorian open plan room with big windows and tastefully decorated with some original features and some quirky new ones. Look out for the mounted ducks.
Food: If you like your potatoes roasted in beef dripping this is for you. The cutlery comes in old (but clean) Lyle’s Golden Syrup tins and the plates are, happily, free of foams, swirls and smears. You will find some very well cooked dishes which use local ingredients. We had fish and chips (�10.95) and something called a Lancashire Burger (there is lovely black pudding involved) for �9.95. Both were well executed and beautifully presented.
Service: A hungry team of youngsters are well drilled, polite and enthusiastic.
Drinks: A good selection of real ales, regulars and guests, a reasonable wine list and, when we went, they were offering cocktails served in dainty vintage teapots. So Lytham, darling!
Verdict: It gets the Queen’s Award from Lancashire Life.
The Queen’s Hotel, Central Beach, Lytham. Tel: 01253 737316.
