We love to shine the spotlight on top venues in Bolton to socialise with family and friends.

This time we have headed to a top town-centre place.

Name of the pub:

Northern Monkey Bar

Address of the pub:

The Pack Horse, Nelson Square

Landlord/landlady name:

Andreea Oros

How long have you been the landlord/landlady for?

5 years

Bar staff and their names:

Ryan, Kellie, Richard, Tyler, Leah, Courtney, Allisha, Jake, Dom and Aiden

Give us some history about the pub:

The Pack Horse has a long history, from being part of the Magee Marshall Brewery, to being a residents bar for the hotel, more recently and Italian Restaurant until we took it in 2018 and you could say it’s gone full circle, back supplying locally produced beers from our own Bolton brewery.

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

We’ve got a selection of dishes at the Monkey, including our signature stone-baked pizzas, smoky BBQ pulled pork loaded fries, piled high with tender pulled pork and rich barbecue sauce. Our juicy burgers are cooked to perfection and can be customised to your liking, while our loaded nachos are a delicious mix of crispy tortilla chips, melted cheese, sour cream, salsa, and more.

Is there a beer garden?

We have seats at the front when the sun shines.

Most popular drink served is:

Our Monkey casks ales, with our signature cocktails coming close second.

Most memorable moment at the pub:

We’ve recently held an All-you-can-eat pastie challenge while fundraising for Bolton Hospice

Do you have an entertainment line-up?

We have live music every weekend featuring an array of genres from pub classics to indie, jazz, reggae, rock and we hold stand up comedy nights every two months. Next one is on November 23 - some tickets still available.

Have you faced any challenges within the industry?

The obvious Covid lockdown. But we’re back with a bang now and the support we had from the people of Bolton was unbelievable!

The best thing about running a pub is...

Our customers are our closest friends and everyone who comes can enjoy the great atmosphere.

The worst thing about running a pub is...

The raising costs of everything - from bills to suppliers - and trying to pass as little as possible to our customers.

The perfect hangover cure is...

Drinking beer made in the town you got drunk in!