Boathouse (Irlam)

The boathouse is only a 2 minute walk from my house so it is the pub I consider my local. This is very handy for me as I also consider The Boathouse to be the best pub in Irlam.

Not many people who read this review will have ever heard of Irlam, it is a small town on the outskirts of Salford so I doubt that many of you will have ever visited but some people may have passed through without realising as quite a few people do when trying ...
...reason I mainly frequent The Boathouse is to watch football. The only drawback is I support Manchester City and most people that drink in there are scummy Manchester United fans (only kidding). Most of the games I watch are United but even though I refer to the punters as scummy they are in fact all really nice people. The people that drink in there are the main reason it is my favourite local pub. Even though everybody knows that I support City, ... more

The boathouse is only a 2 minute walk from my house so it is the pub I consider my local. This is very handy for me as I also consider The Boathouse to be the best pub in Irlam.

Not many people who read this review will have ever heard of Irlam, it is a small town on the outskirts of Salford so I doubt that many of you will have ever visited but some people may have passed through without realising as quite a few people do when trying to get to the M6 motorway or Warrington. If you are coming from the other way the M60 or more than likely the Trafford Centre. Either way you will not have seen The Boathouse.

The reason I mainly frequent The Boathouse is to watch football. The only drawback is I support Manchester City and most people that drink in there are scummy Manchester United fans (only kidding). Most of the games I watch are United but even though I refer to the punters as scummy they are in fact all really nice people. The people that drink in there are the main reason it is my favourite local pub. Even though everybody knows that I support City, on a big game night I can go in and have plenty of banter with the United fans.

The location of The Boathouse is ideal for me, but not for somebody who hasn’t been there before and is trying to find it. It is set quite far back off the Main Road through Irlam (Liverpool Road) and I have been told by some friends that lived outside of the area it was difficult to find.

If you turn off the main road through Irlam onto Ferry hill Road and continue right to the bottom you will find the boathouse. It is next to The Old River. A small section of river that I think was part of the River Irwell, but don’t quote me on that. The river is behind the pub and is used mainly for people to go fishing. From the outside it is a nice, friendly looking pub. It has a car park at the front with plenty of spaces and a flagged area with tables and chairs, in the summer you can’t get near them for love nor money.

As much as I like The Boathouse, I have to wonder whether somebody visiting for the first time would. When you first walk in you will see the bar right in front of you. The pub was refurbished a couple of years ago so all the furniture is new but still has a traditional pub look about it. After the pub was refurbished they built a conservatory on the back of the pub that is good to sit in at summer time with a view of the river, along with an outdoor, heated smoking shelter.

The left hand side of the pub is the vault. This is where most of the regulars congregate. Especially when the football is on.

The reason I question if anybody discovering the Boathouse for the first time would like it as much as me is a couple of reasons. Once inside the ceilings are really low, not low enough that you would hit your head on them, but it does make it quite dark inside and there never seems to be adequate lighting. Anybody going there for the first time might find it slightly dingy with the lack of light and the low ceilings.

The second reason is that there is no air conditioning. If it is a warm day outside the pub gets extremely warm. I know if it’s a nice day you would probably go outside anyway but if the game is on and you stay inside it can get very sweaty, even if they open doors and windows. This again I can only think is a result of the low ceilings holding the heat of everybody in.

The Boathouse would be useful if you have been out for the day and don’t want to go home and start making meals and dirtying pots. They serve food from 12.30pm to 7pm. The menu is what you would consider pub grub; there are normal meal selections and children’s meals also. I have only eaten there a couple of times so it wouldn’t be fair for me to comment on the food too much, I was happy both times I ate there though. Both times I had mixed grills that were well prepared and very enjoyable. On Sundays there is the Sunday roast option with an adult option at £5.95 and a children’s option at £4.25.

The best reason to visit is definitely to watch the football. There are plenty of TV’s to watch the game on. They are all placed near the back of the pub; if you don’t want to watch then you will easily get a table near the entrance. There are 2 plasma screens and a big screen in the vault. I have spent many a night in there supping Carling Cold and giving grief to United fans.

As far as the prices for drinks, I would compare it as the same as most pubs nowadays. I only drink lager so I only really know the price of that. Carling Cold is usually around £2.40 pretty much the same as any pub in Irlam. Other drinks on draught include Carling, Fosters, Stella, Greenall's Mild, John Smiths Smooth, Guinness, and Strongbow Cider.

On Monday night the mens darts team plays, followed by the ladies darts team and poker night on a Tuesday. Wednesday night is usually the best. I normally spend my night watching Champions League football, followed by the weekly pub quiz. Me and a couple of mates won £900 last year playing, play your cards right, after the quiz. There is also entertainment every other Saturday night, sometimes though the word entertainment is used very loosely in my past experience.

The pubs opening times are Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday 12 noon until 11.30pm, Wednesday 12 noon until 11.30pm and Friday and Saturday 12 noon until midnight.

I would recommend a visit to the Boathouse to anybody who is for any reason in the vicinity of Irlam for a quick bite or just a couple of drinks. I have always found the landlord and the bar staff to be very friendly and always helpful. Even on football nights if the pub is packed the bar staff is always efficient and you’re never at the bar for very long, which is just the way I like it.

The Boathouse also welcomes familys. During the day you will find plenty of family's having a drink and a meal. The staff do ask that children are out of the pub by 9pm.

 

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