I don't suppose it will ever happen, but if I had a day in Burnley with nothing much to do except wander
around and have a few pints, I’d probably do something like this:
11.30
Getting off the train at Manchester Road station (well, we can dream) I’d go straight across the road into
the Ministry of Ale. It sells the best pint of beer in Burnley, so
what’s to discuss?
12.30
Eventually I’d drag myself out of the Ministry and head down the hill. I’d be tempted to have a look in at
the White Lion on St James’s Street at the bottom of the hill. I like this
pub and they’re supposed to have Thwaites’ Lancaster Bomber
on these days, so on that basis it would have to be worth a look.
1.30
Then it would be round the corner onto Church Street and Burnley’s real ale flagship,
the Sparrow Hawk. I’d probably have a pint
of Moorhouses' Black Cat, unless one
of the guest beers grabbed my fancy. This would be a good place to eat and soak up forthcoming booze as well.
If it was a matchday, it would have to be the bargain pie and peas.
2.30
If it was a matchday the Sparrow would be very crowded by now, so it would be over the road to
the Talbot, where they’d have a few decent beers on and there’d be room to
breathe. Perhaps it would be in here that I'd find out the game had been called off.
3.30
Ah well, with no game to go to I might as well stay out and have a jar or two. But there’d be a lot of the day to
play around with now, so it would be as well to do some walking between pubs. I’d stroll over to
the Garden Bar at the far end of St James’s Street for a pint
of Lees bitter.
4.30
Time to wander out of the centre now, so I’d continue along Westgate, across Trafalgar Street and up the first part
of Accrington Road until I got to the General Havelock. I’d compensate for
not having a game to go to by browsing the fine collection of Burnley FC memorabilia, naturally enough with a pint
of Jennings in my hand – hopefully the mild.
5.30
I could carry on up Accrington Road now, but having spent a bit of money I'd feel the need for a cheap pint.
So I’d cross the motorway and go onto Padiham Road, where I’d call in at
the Tim Bobbin to drink a pint of Sam Smith’s.
6.30
Resisting the temptation to carry on up Padiham Road to the other good pubs there, I'd probably head back down
towards the motorway and Gannow Lane, where I’d go to the Grey Mare for a pint
of Hyde’s bitter.
7.30
From Gannow Lane I could take the subway down Smallshaw Lane under the motorway and onto Accrington Road.
As I walked back in the direction of the centre I’d come to the
General Scarlett,
Moorhouses’ brewery tap, which I would of course feel
compelled to visit.
8.30
After heading back down Accrington Road I'd be tempted to go into the Havelock again, but in the interests of
diversity I’d bear right onto Coal Clough Lane, and the Coal Clough, for a pint
of Massey’s.
9.30
To complete the circle it would be back down Coal Clough Lane and Trafalgar Street to the Ministry,
to slump in a corner and nurse a pint of mild. It would probably be time to go home now, but if I
still felt up to it then at chucking out time I could head back to the Sparrow to take advantage of their
late opening times – until one o’clock on Saturdays!
Of course if I only had time to go to one pub it would have to be the Ministry. If I had time to go to two,
the Ministry and the Sparrow.
