It’s no secret that this last year has been hard on hospitality. According to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), over 500 pubs closed in 2023, which equated to over 6,000 job losses. Rising prices, the cost of living and lifestyle factors have all culminated in this sector struggling to keep afloat. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. As Luke Littler mania continues to sweep the nation, demand for darts is thriving. One pub chief of a chain based in Blackpool has even committed to hang dartboards in more than 117 venues across the UK, as more and more customers want to pick up the sport. To add to this, we recently surveyed just over 5,000 Brits, who flagged the pub as being their favourite place to play darts, outside of the home. As warmer weather approaches and beer garden season beckons, we wanted to investigate the best pubs across Greater Manchester to visit this summer. Factors such as pubs that have facilities for people with disabilities, access to a beer garden, live music, the average cost of a main meal and of course, access to a dartboard all made up the ranking which celebrates 14 pubs across the area. Read on to see whether your local made the list... The Balcarres Arms Based in Wigan, The Balcarres Arms is (in their own words) “everything you would expect from a local pub and more”. With a Google Review rating of 4/5 stars, The Balcarres Arms came up number one on our list. You can enjoy a pint of lager for just £3.20, and the average price of a main meal comes in at just £9.52. What’s more, the menu is both vegan and vegetarian friendly, and each Friday punters can enjoy a bottle of prosecco for just £12.99. What a winner! Lazy Toad Based in the heart of Droylsden, the Lazy Toad comes in at second on our list. With access to a beer garden for warmer days and an inside dartboard in case the classic Mancunian weather hits, the cost for a pint of lager is just £3.50. Out of all the pubs on our index, the Lazy Toad boasts the cheapest average price of a main meal at just £5.42, and includes gluten-free options, as well as vegan and vegetarian choices. Spread Eagle You’ll find the Spread Eagle on Bromley Cross, in Bolton, which boasts a 4.2/5 star rating, according to Google Reviews. The average price of a main meal is just £8.98 and a pint of lager will cost you £4.20. Customers praise the Spread Eagle for its friendly staff, relaxing atmosphere and warm welcome given to little ones and dogs alike. A bonus point was awarded to the pub for their ‘free pool Tuesdays’. Jolly Carter Another one of Bolton’s favourites is the Jolly Carter. Offering locally sourced food and award-winning cask ales, the average cost of a main meal will set you back just £8.36. The Jolly Carter has recently embraced new management, who have updated the pub with a new menu, quiz nights, karaoke, and a new entertainment system. Management regularly keeps locals up to date with events at the venue, which include everything from open mic nights to bingo, and a senior afternoon hosted once a month to serve the local community. Arden Arms The Arden Arms is based in a historic grade II listed building in Stockport. You’ll find real fires at the Arden Arms, and a pint of lager will cost you £5.25. Catering to vegetarians, the average price of a main meal comes in at £12.85. With a 4.6 rating on Google Reviews, customers have taken to the search engine to praise the pub on its amazing staff as well as how dog-friendly the venue is. Spring Inn A modern take on a traditional pub, the Spring Inn is a characterful venue and offers a warm and friendly atmosphere. Ranking sixth place on our list, the Spring Inn serves delicious daily menus which cater to both vegans and vegetarians alike. Popular with the locals, the Spring Inn hits the top of our list for the largest number of combined social followers. We also awarded bonus points to the Spring Inn for their bottomless Yorkshire puddings and gravy with their Sunday lunch (how could we not?). Three Tunnes Built in 1792, you’ll find the Three Tunnes at the heart of Hazel Grove, in Stockport. The average cost of a main meal is just £7.90 (the second cheapest on our list), and the pub is renowned for its cask ales and home cooked food. Known for its chilled atmosphere and for showing a variety of sports, customers have described the venue as ‘an old fashion gem’. Pineapple Pub Based in Bolton, The Pineapple Pub came in at eighth place on our list. You can grab a pint of lager for just £3.50 at The Pineapple, who pride themselves on being a family-run pub who provide a friendly and clean environment for all. This is reflected in their Google Reviews where customers have praised the venue for their lovely staff who make the pub part of the community. We spoke to The Pineapple’s Landlady, Francesca Marone about the role of the pub in 2024 and whether she has noticed more customers using their dartboards this year. She said: “Pubs are vital to communities. They are safe places where neighbours can come together and socialise, which is crucial in today’s world, where society can often feel so disconnected and driven by technology. Pubs are often drivers for raising money for local charities, as well as providing meeting spaces for a variety of different organisations and are often the first venue where musicians get to play. "Since Luke Littler came onto the scene, we have seen so many more people inspired to play darts. More customers have wanted to come and use one of our dartboards and we’ve seen groups of people start their own darts teams, which is great!” The Royal Sovereign In their own words “The Royal Sovereign is a cracking local pub that serves sizzling steaks and lots of classic meals.” Both dog-friendly and with access to a large beer garden, you can find The Royal Sovereign on Eccles Road, in Bolton. The Royal Sovereign caters to both vegans and vegetarians and an average main meal comes in at just under a tenner (£9.58). Hamers Arms The Harmers Arms state on their website that they are a place that “promotes a relaxed family feel where people can come with good friends and enjoy the great food and drinks available”. With a 4.5 Google Review rating, it’s clear to see that customers of the Hamers Arms agree with this statement. Renamed the ‘Hamers’ in 1848 in honour of Richard Hamer, the Hamers Arms is steeped in local history. The Gate Inn Nestled in the beautiful countryside of Diggle, in Oldham, The Gate Inn hosts live music every Saturday from 9pm and describes themselves as a “family and pet friendly pub”. The average cost of a main meal comes in at £14.07 – so while a slightly more expensive choice than others on our list, we were impressed by their ‘kids eat free on Wednesdays and Thursdays’ offer, to which a bonus point was awarded. Bent Brook Based in Urmston, Bent Brook sports almost every facility you’d need for a top-tier visit, including a cashless pool table (when you’re not playing darts), outdoor play for little ones AND access to EV charging. A pint of lager starts at £4.50 and the average cost of a main meal comes in at just £8.50, making eating at the Bent Brook very affordable. Old Hall Located in Timperley, in Altrincham, the Old Hall is based on a golf course and boasts a beer garden, dartboard as well as a pool table and a large TV to show sporting events. From the June 14 - July 14, you’ll be able to tune into the Euros at the Old Hall, where a price of a pint starts at just £3.90. Heaton Nestled in Stockport, the Heaton was founded in 1892 under a different name and changed hands until it became the Heaton in 2018. Serving a variety of pub classics on its menu, the Heaton caters to vegans, veggies and those who require gluten-free options. So, there you have it. Our list of the best pubs to visit in Greater Manchester this summer. We hope this inspires you to support your local establishments - especially the ones which sport a dartboard. Whether you’re seeking a cozy corner to enjoy a pint or a lively spot for a game of darts with friends, Greater Manchester’s pub scene offers something for everyone. To get you prepared for your next visit, why not check out our personalised darts range so you can go boasting the very best products! From custom dart flights to clothing, we have everything you need to elevate your pub darts experience. Cheers to great times and unforgettable memories in Manchester’s finest pubs this summer! Methodology Darts Corner utilised their own data of 5,381 customers as well as third-party data from pub websites, social media pages, Google and Use Your Local. The price of a pint of lager was collected from the pubs directly and represents the cheapest lager on draught. A weighting was then given to each data point, with a score then calculated, with the pub with the highest score being represented as the 'best’ and the pub with the lowest score being presented as the 'least'. All data is accurate as of 20/05/2024 and prices are subject to change. Pictures: Three Tunnes, Hamers Arms, Lazy Toad, Arden Arms Alex Moss is a content creator for Darts Corner and the co-host of the Weekly Dartscast podcast. Alex co-founded the Weekly Dartscast in 2017 and has helped produce 350+ episodes of the podcast, with their list of previous guests on the show a who’s who in the world of darts. Alex also writes content for the Darts Corner blog, including the weekly darts news round-ups and how-to guides.
