White Lion

Barthomley, Cheshire

Marston's Pub Company tenancy

As you would expect from a thatched country inn built in 1614, the White Lion is all about heritage and offers a very traditional English pub experience.

The pub is a distinguished black and white building with low ceilings and exposed beams. It consists of two rooms on different levels. At the lower level is

the main bar with a fireplace and a

quarry-tiled floor. The room at the higher level is furnished with wooden benches and tables.

Laura Condliffe took on the tenancy in January 2006 after six years managing the pub and has resisted the temptation for change.

She says: "Too many pubs have adopted a theme such as family or gastro, but we are simply a very traditional English pub - very much as it was 100 years ago."

There are five cask ales: Marston's Pedigree, Marston's Bitter, Mansfield Cask Ale and two from Jennings - Cocker Hoop and Sneck Lifter.

Occasionally, one of those will make way for a guest beer - Condliffe is always quick to ask the regulars what they would like to try out.

Another attractive feature of the White Lion is that, whatever the weather, there are always two open fires going. "It is a real selling point. Customers love to see them and they act as a form of central heating for the building," says Condliffe.

In keeping with the traditional theme, there is no fruit machine and no music, although occasionally a local band will perform.

The pub has an 80:20 wet-dry split, with traditional English home-made pub grub served only at lunchtimes. The food is simple pub classics such as hot pot, steak pie and ploughman's.

The White Lion attracts a wide range of local clientele, including the local bike club. It also gets a lot of visitors who have heard about its glowing reputation, as well as passing trade because it is so close to junction 16 on the M6.

"We get a lot of new faces popping in, who have heard of our tradition for cask ales and good food," says Condliffe.