Located just outside of Bury, the small market town of Ramsbottom is brimming with great places to eat and drink. There’s Basque-influenced Levanter and its sister bar Baratxuri, Neapolitan specialists Tre Ciccio, and newcomers to the neighbourhood Colleen’s - but really, that’s just scratching the surface.
Many will also be familiar with the award-winning pub and proper countryside boozer Eagle & Child Inn. Boasting amazing views across the valley to Holcombe Hill and Peel Tower, as well as its own edible beer garden, there's a good reason why it's collected so many awards and accolades.
After lying derelict for a number of years, it was brought back to life by Glen Duckett back in 2011 and transformed into a social enterprise providing disadvantaged young people with the chance to build skills and gain employment in hospitality and catering. As well as picking up the award for best beer garden last year, in 2017 it was also named Great British Pub of The Year, and applauded for its view, food and atmosphere.
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Six months ago, Duckett handed over the reins of the business to father-and-son operators Bill and Will Gallie of Gallie Inns. Since taking over the pub, the duo have sought to retain the ethos of the pub but have given things a spruce up here and there.
The award-winning pub garden - arguably the star of the show with views of the West Pennine Moors surrounding it - has been renovated and now features a massive tepee, which holds around 70 diners, as well as a purpose-built wood-fired pizza oven.
“It’s quite the transformation outside to be honest,” says Will Gallie. “Outside there are around 100 covers as well, and then we’ve also got heaters, plus the tepee is rain-proof, and mostly wind-proof.”
Proving the outdoor food offering is just as good as the views, pizzas here have been gaining quite the reputation for their tongue-in-cheek names and delicious ingredients. “When we were creating the pizzas we didn’t want to try and compete with the Italian restaurants locally, so we’ve given them some quite quirky names.
“One of the best sellers is called the Clucking Good with barbecued-base, chicken breast and onion, and the Truffle Pig also does well and is topped with prosciutto ham, chestnuts and mushrooms. We’re also quite proud of The Wild Side because it’s made with local ingredients.
“Wild garlic grows in Nuttall Park so we send our chefs out foraging there and then we make a white garlic pesto for the pizza. It’s already been quite popular and the pizza oven is going to be open all the way through the summer holidays, all day everyday from 12-8 outside.
“The edible beer garden is being revived as well, so we’ve got fruit trees with apples and pears growing and a herb patch - it’s starting to look really quite beautiful.”
The sort of pub you can spend the whole day in - and even the nights thanks to its five boutique bedrooms - the food and drink offered inside the pub, is just as good as the pizzas served al fresco. The floor-to-ceiling glass extension added on to the back of the building, provides amazing views across the valley to Holcombe Hill and Peel Tower, and the ideal backdrop to tuck into some proper pub grub.
Whether its beer battered Fleetwood haddock and chunky chips, best-selling “Double Bomber” cheese pie with homemade brown sauce, or Cumberland sausages and mash, the pub tries as much as possible to champion and support local producers to curate its menus. “There’s a very big focus on local produce, and we try to use local as much as possible.
“So at the moment all our meat is from a place less than five miles away and another place in Rosendale, which is about five miles the other way. Our fruit and veg - other than that coming from the garden - is from a place in Ramsbottom and we use a local farm for all our dairy products.
“We’ve got a very traditional, pub classic section to the menu, but we’ve also added a new section, which is designed for the chefs to be a bit more creative and use seasonal produce. We’re encouraging them to go to the butcher and the fishmonger to ask what produce is really good this time of year, and we’ll be keeping it fresh by changing that section of the menu every 90 days.”
Drinks wise, Thwaites who have the tenancy, are well represented, so there’s a good selection of ales - some of which are brewed pretty close to the pub. Gin and rum also feature heavily, and outside during summer they’re running a variety of seasonal drinks including mango and lime G&Ts, Aperol and limoncello spritz and other classic cocktails.
Building on the pub’s socially conscious ethos, Will and his dad are also looking to bring on local college students on hospitality courses to give them real life training once a week. And the good work doesn't stop there.
“We’re currently putting together a package across both our sites, which is something very important at the moment. It’s not just about paying people properly, that’s obviously still very important, but it's also about making them feel valued.
“So we’re now trying to agree a discount for the local gym that is 24 hours, which fits into the hospitality lifestyle. And we’re trying to get some other deals with local businesses too where their staff can come and eat with us at a discount and vice versa.”
Eagle & Child Inn, 3 Whalley Rd, Ramsbottom, Bury BL0 0DL
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