WE love to shine the spotlight on local venues to socialise with family and friends around East Lancashire.

This time we have headed to Mellor to find out about a very popular place deserving of a place as our ‘Pub of the Week’.

Name of the pub

The Millstone at Mellor

Address of the pub:

Church Lane, Mellor

Landlord/landlady name:

Michael Newton

How long have you been the landlord/landlady for?

14 months

Bar staff and their names:

Tom Hughes and Liam Lupton

Give us some history about the pub

Daniel Thwaites has a long and proud association with Mellor as the family were great benefactors to the church and school. Once a former 17th-century coaching inn, The Millstone has been part of Thwaites’ pubs for many years, before becoming the cornerstone of the company moving into the hotel industry in 1980. Proud of what it has achieved since then – The Millstone is now a five-star AA rated inn, with 23 en-suite bedrooms and an award-winning restaurant.

Is food served? Is so what’s on the menu?

The Millstone’s one AA Rosette-awarded restaurant offers a mix of daily, bistro-style specials as well as traditional classics to suit varying tastebuds. Using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, the inn’s signature dishes include Thwaites beer-battered fish and chips, Tandoori chicken breast with homemade curry sauce and its Sunday roast – The Millstone was recently named as one of the top five best places for a roast dinner in East Lancashire by Lancashire Telegraph. For four-legged companions, The Millstone has a dedicated dog menu on offer, courtesy of Sir Woofchester, including Bark Burgers and Paw Star Dog ‘Martinis’.

Is there a beer garden

When the sunny weather strikes, The Millstone is lucky to have five outdoor tables which are great for al-fresco drinks and dining.

Do you have any darts/snooker/pool teams

The inn doesn’t, but if you love quiz nights - get a team together and join us every Thursday evening.

Most popular drink served is:

It has to be our Thwaites Original ale, brewed just two miles down the road at Daniel Thwaites head office.

Most memorable moment at the pub

This year, we’re finalists in the ‘Small Serviced Accommodation’ category at the Lancashire Tourism Awards 2023. It’s great to see that the team’s hard-work and dedication to culinary excellence doesn’t go unnoticed.

Do you have an entertainment line-up?

Absolutely, we love to host up-and-coming local musicians on the last Friday of every month, while a weekly quiz night every Thursday helps raise funds for the local Mellor church. As we fast approach the festive season, guests can enjoy a live singer every Friday evening in the bar area, and we’re also welcoming a local band to ring in 2024.

Have you faced any challenges within the industry

I joined The Millstone just after Covid restrictions were fully lifted, so my main focus has been to build a strong, stable team. The people are what makes The Millstone so special.

The best thing about running a pub is

The local Mellor community is at the heart of everything we do, with residents continuing to support us over the years, so we try to give back as much as possible. We recently partnered with The Traders Arms to host a charity cricket match which successfully raised over £1,600 for the village church.

The worst thing about running a pub is..

The cost-of-living crisis has impacted the country as a whole and the hospitality industry is not immune – with impacts ranging from rising utility costs as well as supply issues, which I’m sure all pubs and restaurants can relate to.

The perfect hangover cure is...

Hair of the dog. If a pint of Thwaites ale can’t banish the hangover, nothing will.