THERE may be a chill in the air but that should not stop you from taking in great views of East Lancashire while you enjoy your favourite tipple.

Each week we put the spotlight on a different venue and find out the reasons for their success in the ‘Pub of the Week’ feature. This time it is the turn of The Bonny Inn in Salesbury.

Name of the pub:

The Bonny Inn

Address of the pub:

68 Ribchester Road, Salesbury, BB1 9HQ

Landlord/landlady name:

Mike Shields - general manager

How long have you been the landlord/landlady for?

Approximately five years

Bar staff and their names:

Lewis - assistant manager and Gail - supervisor

Give us some history about the pub:

The pub has been established since the late 1800s and we have been the owners for the the past five years overseeing a massive refurbishment and installing a state of the art kitchen.

Is food served? Is so what’s on the menu?

Yes, we serve traditional pub classics with a modern twist and you will find popular dishes such as fish and chips, fish pie, chicken kiev and steaks. We also serve a fantastic Sunday Roast and we also have a variety of dishes available for vegetarians and other dietary requirements.

Is there a beer garden?

We have a beer garden at the front and a back patio with an unbelievable view of the surrounding countryside of Longridge Fell. There are plans to be made to make use of the back field as well - watch this space!

Do you have any darts/snooker/pool teams?

Unfortunately we do not.

Most popular drink served is:

My homemade gins called Bonny Ginn are extremely popular and my Christmas Spiced Gin is proving popular as we move towards December! Our most popular lager is Pravha and it is a crisp 4 per cent Pilsner by Staropramen. Our most popular bitter is Gold by Daniel Thwaites and it is a 4.1% per cent crisp citrusy golden ale. Our most popular wine is Pinot Grigio and this can served by the glass or the bottle and is an Italian dry white wine with hits of citrus, apple and pear.

Most memorable moment at the pub:

Christmas is always a special time of year especially of yearly Christmas carol evening in partnership with our local church St. Peter’s.

Do you have an entertainment line-up?

We have local singer songwriter David John Jaggs performing on New Year’s Eve and we are looking to include monthly entertainment moving into next year.

Have you faced any challenges within the industry?

The past two years have been extremely tough not just for us but the entire hospitality industry as a whole and with a national shortage of staff it hasn’t made things any easier coming back after the lockdowns. We tried to think out of the box and offer a Friday night chippy tea offer to our loyal local customers and this proved popular so much so that we still offer the service every Friday. People are still a little wary about coming and visiting but I can assure you that we take every measure possible to make you comfortable in our environment and ease any concerns that you may have.

The best thing about running a pub is:

Not one day is ever the same! The customers (apart from the regulars!) change daily and you will always receive a warm welcome upon arriving. We try to build a rapport with our customers and try to get to know them and make them feel at ease whilst they are here either as a couple, a family or just popping in for a beer with your dog!

The worst thing about running a pub is...

The uncertainty in the present climate.

The perfect hangover cure is...

Berocca and a strong coffee. If all else fails hair of the dog!