I have been to Todmorden a few times over the years in these blogs but with an increasingly broadening pub and bar scene it was worth another visit to this small town in the Calder Valley which straddles the historic boundary between Yorkshire and Lancashire....
On the face of it, it has not been a good few weeks for the 16,000 or so inhabitants of Tod, as it is known locally. In December, a damaged culvert and water main conspired to close the A646 for several weeks, thus cutting off the town's only road link east into Yorkshire and resulting in a long and time-consuming detour via Littleborough in Greater Manchester over long and winding moorland roads, with the main road only re-opening in the past few days. Then earlier this month one of the town's major employers in the town, Weir Minerals, announced plans to close their site here with the loss of 250 jobs. And so as the train from Halifax pulled in to the town's railway station, I was uncertain what sort of atmosphere would be prevailing in the town which is located at the western edge of Calderdale at the meeting point of three steep valleys leading to Yorkshire, Great Manchester, and Lancashire, with the omnipresent stare of Studley Pike looking down on the town from its lofty station on the surrounding moors.
I soon got a sense as I walked in to the White Hart just down from the station where there was a lively atmosphere in what was a very busy pub with a wide mix of customers, all the tables seemingly occupied. This large pub with its part mock-Tudor facade has been a stalwart of Todmorden's town centre drinking scene for many years, which included a spell as a Wetherspoons pub for a while until 2023. I hadn't been in since it had re-opened under new owners and for all intents and purposes it could still have been a Spoons pub, although I don't recall there being a large TV screen behind the bar showing Sky Sports News from previous visits. I ordered a half of Eagles Crag Pale Eagle which only cost me a Spoons-like £1.45, and wasn't bad either (NBSS 3), and found an empty table with its chairs pulled off elsewhere on which to rest my beer.
The girl working on the counter at Todmorden News was very cheerful as I paid for my papers, likewise at PW Stansfield butchers on the stall at the indoor market where I bought some chicken and sausages. And this carried on when I stopped at the pub which is based in there, the Market Tavern. I had popped in here early last year and come across a really friendly community space with some decent beer from the Reedley Hallows brewery who are based in Burnley, a few miles away from Tod. I ordered a half of Pendleside, their 4% pale beer which was very pleasant (NBSS 3). The small inside seating area was full so I had to sit on one of the stools down the outside of the stall which act as an overflow. As I had found on my previous visit the bar feels very much part of its surroundings so I had a pleasant half hour or so absorbing the chatter and vibe as I sipped my beer.
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| Market Inn, Todmorden |
I left the indoor market and set off walking away from the town centre on the Burnley Road, passing the town's small bus station and a small park, whilst across the road Aldi seemed to be busy with Saturday shoppers. After a few minutes I came to a row of buildings set back behind a wall and railings on a slightly raised terrace. Most had a gazebo/smoking shelter with a few chairs in front of them, which was the case with the Alehouse, the next stop on my route. I have been here a few times now, and I enjoy it more each time I come. It was fairly busy when I walked in to what feels like a comfortable living room, with people chatting and relaxing, with the odd dog snoozing here and there, a solitary eye opening from time to time to check on proceedings. There were 5 hand pumps on the bar at the end of the room, with two from local favourites Eagles Crag, plus beers from Deeply Vale Brewery, a porter from Frome Brewery in distant Somerset, and a beer from Unbound Brewery in Colne, which despite being fairly local I had never come before. So I went for a pint of that one, and found it to be a pleasant and refreshing 5% ABV blonde ale (NBSS 3). I enjoyed my half hour here at this friendly little micropub.
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| Alehouse, Todmorden |
I re-traced my steps back into town and headed out on the Rochdale road for a short distance. After about 10 minutes or so I crossed over the bridge over the canal, and immediately came to a place I had never visited before - well actually that's not strictly true as I had walked in before a couple of years ago, only to be told that it was closed for a private event. But having seen over the intervening period that the place had kept on winning awards for the quality of both its beer and cider, a visit to Nan Moor's (opening image) had been on my to do list for some time.
I walked in to a warm and busy bar, with a small queue at the tiny bar situated just on the left as you go on. I waited and soon I was being served by a friendly lady who turned out to be Alice, one of the co-owners of the bar. An unusual feature here is that the cask beer here is served by gravity direct from the barrel. Space considerations means there is normally only one beer on, but I had dropped lucky today, as Yellow Peak from Torrside was pouring. This 4.2% pale is always worth seeking out, and direct from the barrel today it was in particularly fine condition (NBSS 3.5), and I have to say it was the best beer of the day overall. I managed to find a perch at one end of the bar and had a pleasant chat with Alice as she served and got on with the work behind the bar, at one point making sugar syrup for the cocktails. She told me that the bar is named after a local witch and is based in a former tattoo parlour. They have folk music and other events on regularly. There was a lovely warm atmosphere to the place, with an eclectic mix of customers (and the odd dog) adding to the friendly vibe. It had taken me a long time to finally get here, but I won't leave it so long before I come again. And if those awards keep on coming, don't be surprised to see Nan Moors appearing in the Good Beer Guide at some point in the future.
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| Nan Moor's, with the cask at the back of the bar |
Across the road the Golden Lion was doing a roaring trade. A real community hub and focus for the town, there was a very broad mix of people of all ages here as I walked in. There was a queue at the bar but to be fair I was served fairly quickly and asked for a half of Landlord, one of 6 cask beers on the bar. I found a spot at the side of the bar on which to lean and drink my beer (NBSS 3) as a high chair was moved to another table for one of the younger end. After the friendly and more intimate atmosphere in the last few places I had been this was something of a change in tempo and ultimately a little disappointing on the night, but to be fair, this is somewhere that does so much for Todmorden and its residents, and it is only natural and deserved that it has become so popular.
I left the bustle of the Golden Lion behind, crossed back over the bridge, and turned down Water Street, the short cobbled cut-through that runs beside Walsden Water, which traditionally formed the border between Yorkshire and Lancashire and which due to it running beneath the town hall on its way to join the River Calder meant at one time it was possible to dance across the border of the two counties in the ballroom within. There are three bars along Water Street, of which I had planned to visit two.
The first was a new bar to me, Beer Necessities, which opened up last September, having been a shop in its previous life. It was pretty busy when I walked in to a large room, with the bar on the left, whilst there was a further room raised a little beyond. There were 4 hand pumps on the bar, including beers from Northern Whisper and Seven Bro7hers, which are on regularly, whilst I spotted one from Shiny that caught my eye. When it was my turn to get served it was by a familiar face, Stacy, who I used to see regularly a few years ago in Calan's in Hebden Bridge. She was just helping out here she said, as she poured me a pint of Riwaka Type Beats. She gave me a loyalty card for the bar, buy 9 pints and get the 10th one free, which I felt would be a step too far to attempt this evening! I again found a resting place at the side of the bar to drink my beer, which was a 4.1% gluten-free pale ale single-hopped with the New Zealand Riwaka hop, which I found to be enjoyable, refreshing, and in very good condition (NBSS 3.5). As with the other bar I'd visited for the first time today, Nan Moors, I enjoyed my visit to Beer Necessities, and I look forward to visiting again so I can use my loyalty card!
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| The Beer Necessities, Todmorden |
Next door to the Beer Necessities is Three Wise Monkeys, which I'd visited on my last tour of Tod when it had had no real ale, and I'd ended up having a bottled beer. I had no plans to go here on this trip, although if I had realised at the time it has now got 3 hand pumps on the bar I would have called in. But hey, there's always next time. I had one more place on my agenda before catching the train back, and whilst it wasn't a new bar as such, it was under new ownership and had undergone a change in name.
What used to be the Pub has now become the Fox, having been acquired by new owners following the retirement of the previous ones. To be honest, I'd never really warmed to the Pub when it moved from its original tiny home close to the market, finding the new place a little soulless in comparison. However, walking into the Fox, looking good in its outside makeover, it was immediately welcoming and more intimate-feeling having been decorated inside with warmer colours. The beer arrangements were similar to before, 6 hand pumps of which Ossett White Rat is on all the time, with a further 10 beers on tap along with lagers and cider. The place was quieter than some of the others I'd been in, although I did only stay in the central room which houses the bar. I enjoyed a half of Keighley Bitter from Wishbone, a beer that I'd never come across before from this local brewery. It is a 4.3% premium bitter which was very well-balanced with a malty base and dry hoppy finish (NBSS 3.5). I got chatting to the lady behind the bar, Nina, who is the manager, but we had more of a chat when she turned up the following day as a customer when I was working at the Meandering Bear in Halifax! I finished my beer and headed up to the station, having enjoyed my short visit to the Fox.
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| The Fox, Todmorden |
I had had a really enjoyable afternoon in Todmorden where there is now a thriving bar scene with some very good beer and friendly people. And I certainly won't be leaving it too long before I make a return visit to the town. Well, there's cask beer to try at the Three Wise Monkeys and I've got that loyalty card for Beer Necessities to fill up for a start....
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