Review: Flying Horse Hotel

The Flying Horse Hotel

Flying Horse Hotel
Packer Street
Rochdale
Visited Friday lunchtime, May 6 2012

This is a ten-bedroomed hotel in the heart of Rochdale’s heritage centre nestling in the corner of the Town Hall Square at the foot of the steps leading up top St Chad’s Parish Church. There is ample paid parking outside although disabled parking is free.

It is situated in a beautiful, leafy location yet is literally a two minute walk from the shopping centre.

At weekends this is a bustling, busy town centre pub with live bands. There is a large function room.

During the week at lunchtime, the bar, that is accessed from the front, doubles as a dining area. Seating is well-upholstered and comfortable with a quiet lounge adjacent to the bar. It is pleasingly decorated, although the effect is somewhat spoiled by two large-screen TVs and a large, makeshift stage which takes up quite a lot of floor-space. Toilets are basic but adequate and clean.

The bar is extremely well-stocked and is a real-ale drinkers’ paradise with 8 local beers on hand pump, all in the £2.55 - £2.95 range. When I visited, there were beers from JW Lees, Timothy Taylors, Greenfield and Hornbeam. They also serve cocktails from a limited range.

There is an extensive and very reasonably-priced menu with plenty of specials on the blackboard. On Saturdays they have a breakfast menu from 10.00am - 1.00pm; no doubt to tempt weekend shoppers. On Fridays, they serve a set meal for two, ‘pick and mix’ tapas menu for £6.00 per person. On the last Friday of each month, they host a themed 'Tapas Night’.

The menu is very varied with 8 starters, grills, homemade pies, hot baguettes, hot and cold wraps plus sandwiches. Two courses will set you back about £8.00 to a maximum £10.00. The food is well cooked by chef Ben Boothman and presented and served sizzlingly hot. There are plenty of vegetarian choices.

I started with the stuffed jalapeno breaded peppers. The stuffing was cream cheese and it was served with a tasty sweet chilli dip and leaves at £3.25.

For main course I had sausages from the ‘Posh Pig’ in Whitworth, served with mash, peas and onion gravy at £5.05.

I chose to wash this town with a pint of Timothy Taylor’s Best Bitter which was on excellent form.

I think that this is an excellent venue for lunch or an early evening drink. Owing to the live bands and its proximity to Rochdale’s nightclubs, I think that I would need some convincing to go there for an evening meal but as a lunch venue it is hard to beat and I would have no hesitation in going for a return visit.

I am judging this on the basis of a midweek luncheon visit and the scores will reflect this.

Beers 5/5
Service 4/5
Location 5/5
Décor/ambience 3/5
Cleanliness 4/5

Overall 4/5