The Lancaster district has a wide choice of pubs to suit all tastes and pockets, but the ‘proper’ old school boozers are sadly dying out.
Here at the Lancaster Guardian, we love to support these traditional pubs, which are often packed with interesting characters and serve cheaper pints than posh places that often feel more like restaurants than pubs.
These are timeless pubs where conversations often compete with live sports on TV or a game of pool or darts in the bar.
Here are 11 of the last ‘proper’ old school Lancaster and Morecambe pubs but we’d like to know about more so let us know which are your favourite boozers and we’ll check them out.
1. Smugglers Den
Morecambe’s oldest pub - circa 1640 - is alleged to be haunted and to have a secret tunnel leading to the beach for smuggling purposes. This is a true Free House with private owners and cask ales are always on sale. Located in old Morecambe in Poulton Square. Photo: Google
2. Ye Olde John O'Gaunt
This rustic pub, in Lancaster's Market Street, was established in 1871 and has bags of character. It offers ales, hearty pub fare and regular live music nights. Photo: Google
3. Chieftain
This olde worlde pub in the centre of Morecambe is a proper local with well kept beer and very reasonable prices. It shows all the best sporting action, and offers pub quizzes and live music. Photo: Google
4. The Three Mariners
As the oldest pub in Lancaster, The Three Mariners is steeped in history, located inside a Grade II listed building dating back to the 15th century and one of only two sites in Britain with an original gravity-fed cellar. This CAMRA award winning pub, in Bridge Lane, is known for its excellent ale and all the meals are freshly made using ingredients from local suppliers. Photo: Google