FROM the outside the Griffin’s Head looks like an ordinary community pub, but inside something special is happening.

A new menu has been launched offering classic pub food but it is 100 per cent freshly-prepared, seasonal food and sourced from within a small radius of the premises.

A very ambitious move for a small pub, only a handful of places in East Lancashire of the Three Fishes ilk can say the same thing, but it’s paid off as the quality shines through.

In its humble but relaxed surroundings, to start I chose the deep-fried cauliflower fritters with curry mayonnaise.

The batter was light and the cauliflower beautifully cooked inside.

My friend chose the trio of Cowman’s chipolatas – a selection of pork, Cumberland and black pudding sausages from the renowned Clitheroe butcher served with a mustard mayonnaise. A meat lover’s heaven.

For mains, I chose the steak and ale pie, which came in a light pastry and was crammed with melt-in-the-mouth beef and accompanied by red cabbage, parsnips, carrots and the best homemade chips I’ve tasted in an age.

My friend’s simply roasted chicken was deliciously moist as you would hope with its organic source.

A lovely pavlova (cream, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and light meringue and homemade apple pie with Mrs Dowson’s ice cream rounded things off perfectly.

All around the busy dining room there were murmurs of appreciation and enjoyment as plates were brought out and taken away empty, always a good sign.

The bill came to £30 – outstanding value for a veritable feast.