SIX East Lancashire watering holes which retain their historic character have made it into a new book ‘ Real Heritage Pubs of the North West’.

It was published yesterday by the Campaign for Real Ale at the Great British Beer Festival at London’s Olympia.

The heritage half dozen are The Little Queen’s in Bacup.; The Old England Forever in Clayton-le-Moors; Darwen’s Punch Hotel; The Victoria in Great Harwood; The King Edward VII in Guide, Blackburn;and Chorley’s Trader Jack’s .

The Little Queens (formerly The Queens Hotel) is singled out for its ‘authentically traditional tap room’ with wood block floor, fixed seating all round, bell pushes, old fireplace and narrow scrubbed tables.

The ‘star feature’ of the old England Forever is its ‘little-altered Edwardian public bar’ while the Punch Hotel is praised for remaining ‘a Victorian red-brick locals’ pub which, remarkably, still has five separate rooms plus a lobby bar’.

The Victoria also known as ‘The Butcher Brig’ gets top marks for being ‘a superb Edwardian pub’ with a special mention for its ‘Public Kitchen’ bar, probably now unique, recalling when pubs offered cooking and food heating facilities to the poor.

King Edward VII is praised for its right front room’s ‘impressive fireplace with a fine mirrored-surround mantlepiece’.

Author Geoff Brandwood says: “I’ve been really impressed by the rich choice of heritage pubs in the North West. Having a drink in many of these is a great historic experience to be savoured and remembered.”

Trader Jack’s is included for its ‘typical north-western layout of a passage round the servery, with several rooms off and a small corner public bar’ and the holes cut into walls and windows inserted to aid supervision’.

* Anyone with any suggestions for their own entries for heritage pubs in East Lancashire pleased contact the Lancashire Telegraph