Atherton Arms

The Atherton is a Holts pub, which tends to come with a certain level of faux grandeur that I’ve encountered in various Holts locations over the years; they often look good but lack in quality. The staff were friendly, which was a plus, and I ended up chatting with an elderly couple next to me while watching the football, so the atmosphere wasn’t too bad. However, we were only interested in having one drink before making a quick exit. Now, back to my drink. I ordered a pint of what was supposedly Holts IPA, but honestly, it was far from any IPA I’ve ever had—more like an IPZ, it was that awful.

After attending the Bent N Bongs Beer Bash, my friends and I decided to explore more of Atherton. We picked The Arms since it was within walking distance of Formby Hall. The pub was packed with patrons watching a football match on the big screen. While it wasn't overly rowdy, the noise made it difficult to carry on a conversation (as you can probably guess, I'm not really a football fan). The beer was reasonably priced and decent, but to be honest, I wouldn’t be in a hurry to go back anytime soon.

It's a lovely little pub that I often visit on Friday nights for a quiet drink with my partner. There's always a vibrant atmosphere; it's never empty or dull, but it's generally not overly rowdy either. The only time it tends to get a bit loud is during football matches, and even then, it's mostly just the typical chatter of guys complaining, cheering, and debating offside calls, whether a goal was scored, or if there was a foul. Overall, I would say it's a charming pub with affordable beer and good food!

Nice place, great games room with snooker and pool. Large space plenty of tables. Holts beers well kept and good value. Usually have one or two guest beers on. Nice spirit selection as well. Sport on TV as well. Good value for money.

The Atherton Arms is a no nonsense boozer and thankfully chav free. There is a nice cosy feel about the place without being spaectacular and you are likely to find old grandads, students and suits all propping up the bar at any given time. The beer is cheap and most folk are friendly enough. It gets a bit loud and crowded on Friday and Saturday or when the footy is on.