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Detail Pages
The White Cross, Lancaster
Lancaster
LA1 4XT
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about The White Cross
This is a very large, split level pub with a pleasant location alongside the canal that runs through the town centre. You enter via a large canalside patio with lots of bench seating,which must be great in the summer, but was a pretty grim prospect on a Winter's evening that was cold enough to have frozen the canal. Through the front door, you emerge into an upper dining level which runs in a narrow, carpeted strip behind the servery and has lots of formally arranged tables and chairs under huge arched windows, although the space was a bit dead until one large group arrived and filled it. Head down a set of steps, past a few tub chairs, to the main bar area, with the servery acting as a screen between the upper and lower levels. The bar has a simple counter and some low-level glass panes in the bar back. Opposite is a spacious carpeted seating area with high tables and stools giving way to banquettes and padded chairs around the perimeter. Beyond the end of the bar is a plain space dominated by a pool table with a huge clock on one wall, whilst elsewhere large local photos, a shelf full of old Good Beer Guides and a few plain mirrors do their best to fill the wall space. A cool 70s and 80s rock soundtrack was playing throughout my stay and there was a modest sized, mainly younger crowd on this Monday evening. .
The ale range was one of the most extensive I found in Lancaster, with a long row of handpulls offering a choice between Bowland Pheasant Plucker, Lancaster Red, Sharps Doom Bar, Tirril Borrowdale Bitter, Settle Ernie's Milk Stout, Haviestoun Bitter & Twisted and Taylors Landlord, plus two real ciders. My pint of the Milk Stout was decent enough and the barman was a supremely chilled individual, despite it getting quite busy when I arrived, and served me out of turn, ignoring the stupid queue of people who had formed at one end of the bar.
I thought this was one of those pubs that probably work well in certain contexts, but didn't quite do it for me on this occasion. On a warm summer's day, the canalside seating would be an undoubted winner and working through the many ales might seem an enticing prospect but on a cold, dark evening I found the pub a bit too big and impersonal to settle down in and was content to head off as soon as my pint was finished. I may well have scored this very differently under other circumstances.
Date of visit - 15th January 2024
On 12th May 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3126 recommendations about 3126 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The White Cross
Upmarket canal-side pub / restaurant in a well-converted (and extended) old building also benefiting from a row of wooden tables along the towpath which proved an excellent spot for a pint on a sunny, early autumn, afternoon. Usually has up to 14 real ales on handpump, but even with six plus a couple of ciders in these strange coronavirus times the selection was still reasonable, and I opted for the Tirril Grasmere Gold (£4.00) which proved a good choice.
On 28th September 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8159 recommendations about 8159 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about White Cross
no qualms with quality or range of beer here, it's a bit of an emporium. but the place itself is completely up its own arse sadly, devoid of any atmosphere or soul and not cheap at all. comfortable and pleasant enough but plenty of better places in Lancaster. though many will disagree with me.
On 10th August 2018
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1071 recommendations about 1036 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about White Cross
Pubs with as many as 15 hand pumps tend to get dismissed by me as permanent beer festivals or drinking barns, so I have to say this is the most pub-like I've ever experienced. The bar manager was friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable, without being at all condescending. The atmosphere, given the size of the place, was cosy. I can imagine that in summer, with people spilling out onto the canal-side benches, it would feel a little different, but the excellent beer range, with some "usual suspects" at one end of the bar and obscurities at the other, with a decent choice of darker, maltier beers for the winter, would make this my top pub in Lancaster at this time of year.
Date of visit: 29th November 2015
On 14th January 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3810 recommendations about 3536 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about White Cross
I can't really add anything from what's been said before so I'll just say I found it to be really nice. Worth a visit.
On 4th March 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about White Cross
Another canalside pub converted from an old mill, just 5 minutes walk along the towpath from the Water Witch. This pub is much more of a lounge than the Water Witch. It's a very large space with lots of comfy seating alongside dining tables and chairs. Food is served, but it doesn't appear to be as prominent as at the Water Witch. There's a canalside patio with plenty of seating as well. 12 ales available on our visit, many of which appear to be changing guests. My pint was in good nick and Ms CAMRA thought that the red wine was decent as well. There were also 2 real ciders available. They have a pie and beer festival in April. I quite liked it here and Ms CAMRA loved it.
On 11th June 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3227 recommendations about 3138 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The White Cross
Only a few minutes walk from the Water Witch along the toepath. This is a large open plan pub, which was slightly warehouse/boat workshop in style. The main room and bar is along the canal side, which consisted of a few steel columns, timber clad walls and slate floor. There was also a large conservatory on the left of entry. The manager was welcoming and chatty. There were 14 handpumps, all of which were in use on our visit, plus 2 ciders, including one from the Ribble Valley. We went for the Hawkshead Lakeland Gold and Tirrill Brewery EVPA, both ales were in excellent condition.
On 23rd February 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3401 recommendations about 3401 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The White Cross
Modern pub/restaurant on the canal bank, inside there is almost a wetherspoons feel initially but it does have more going for it than a standard chain pub. Comfortable with good service the 9 real ales are superb.
On 19th August 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1457 recommendations about 1435 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The White Cross
Christmas re-visit found the pub unchanged and still performing very well. I supped an excellent Bowland Black Dragon Porter and a serviceable Kirkby Lonsdale Jubilee Stout. Mrs Quinno had a mulled cider!
December 2010
The White Cross is a ‘must-visit’ in Lancaster and it’s easy to see why. A very nice canal-side conversion (used to be warehouse), it’s on two different levels and has a light, airy interior with distinct areas and plenty of decent seating that’s well-maintained – perhaps a bit loungey for some tastes but I like it. The bar is in the centre of the pub and serves a wide variety of quality ales (ten in total, mainly local brews) alongside numerous other offerings - the quality is always exceptionally good. Beer is often served by knowledgeable staff – I’ve seen them handing out some tasters to groups of drinkers to broaden their horizons. It’s child-friendly during the day. Food is available in a nice-looking conservatory area and the outside canal-side seating is nice on a sunny day.
Overall this makes for a cracking venue, albeit slightly out-of-the-way unless you know town quite well or come prepared with a decent map. A good pairing with the Water Witch, the other Lancaster canal pub.
On 28th December 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5220 recommendations about 5203 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tim Tomlinson left this review about The White Cross
Lovely pub on the canal side. Great in the summer sun or welcoming in winter.
9 cask ales to choose from,including quite a few local ones.
The food is good pub fare and really healthy portions.
On 5th April 2008
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3 recommendations about 3 pubs]