The Barefoot Backpacker

Seven Best Pubs In Todmorden

Todmorden is a small town in the far west of Calderdale; indeed until 1888 the border between Lancashire and Yorkshire passed through the centre, along the Walsden Water. Although largely culverted, it’s still possible to see this stream in places, including on Water Street where a couple of the pubs mentioned below stand.

It’s an easy town to get to; the railway station stands where the lines to Manchester, Leeds, and Preston meet, and the main roads have bus services that link towns in those directions (Rochdale, Halifax, and Burnley, respectively). In addition, both the Rochdale Canal and Calderdale Way pass through the centre of the town, next to the Golden Lion, in fact.

Of course it is blessed with several pubs – these are just a few of the better ones, or at least those I’m more likely to go into. They cover a whole range of styles and vibe, from traditional English pubs to modern micropubs, and from small community hubs to … whatever the heck the Polished Knob is. These are in no particular order, though the first four are very close to each other.

The Golden Lion

The Golden Lion is a traditional white-painted pub with black trim, standing prominently on a street corner beneath a bright blue summer sky. A gold lion emblem hangs above the main entrance, while simple hanging baskets soften the otherwise monochrome frontage. A white car is parked outside, and colourful street art decorates one side of the building.
The long outside of the Golden Lion. It also goes back a way too, and some of that is in stone bricks.

A relatively large place right next to the canal. Indeed during a folk festival in Spring 2026 there was morris dancing on the canalside, and people had direct access from there to the bar. It’s apparently the oldest pub in town, too.

A customer stands at the long wooden bar beneath illuminated
The bar – long and spacious.

Inside it’s quite open-plan, with a pool table at one end. It actually looks more like a traditional local boozer, although with considerably better beer – six on cask, usually from local breweries rather than national chains (they’ve seemed fond of Manchester-based breweries on my visits). It won the local CAMRA’s pub of the season in Autumn 2025.

The main room of The Golden Lion combines a traditional pub with a live music venue, featuring small tables with red upholstered chairs facing a low stage. Large speakers, fairy lights and a disco ball hint at regular gigs, while blue-painted pillars divide the open space. A black wood-burning stove sits at the back of the stage beneath soft coloured lighting.
Quite a large seated area too; a nice pub to chill in.

The pub serves Thai food, and the upstairs is a function room which hosts regular events like open-mic nights and small concerts – there’s usually a pretty full A4-sized poster in the window listing them.

Nan Moor’s

The narrow Victorian frontage of Nan Moor's Bar rises above a street-level entrance, its black-painted ground floor contrasting with the pale sandstone upper storeys. Posters and notices fill the windows, while a CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year banner hangs above the doorway. Hanging baskets add colour to the entrance, giving the independent pub an eclectic and welcoming appearance.
Outside Nan Moors. Note the plethora of posters – it’s very much a community pub.

This is a small micropub with a beer garden that goes back further than you’d imagine, and which seems to creep onto the neighbouring canal towpath. It’s in the centre of the town, opposite the Golden Lion. I am unaware who Nan Moor was or why this pub has that name. I’ll find out.

A rustic wooden bar dominates the centre of Nan Moor's, surrounded by mismatched stools, hanging wine glasses, merchandise and quirky decorations. Disco balls, dried foliage and bags of fruit hang above the counter, giving the small venue a creative, slightly unconventional feel that matches its independent character.
View of the bar. It’s not very big but as you can see there’s a lot there!

It’s quite funky inside; a long thin bar and seating area decorated with all manner of ‘stuff’ and trinkets. As you might expect, it’s run by a couple of artists, and they host events here, including folk nights. Be wary of its opening times, which are quite varied and slightly limiting.

Looking from the rear of Nan Moor's towards the entrance, a customer stands at the bar while a small group chat at a wooden booth nearby. Large front windows let daylight flood into the narrow room, where plants, posters and eclectic decorations create a relaxed café-meets-bar atmosphere. The compact space feels busy, friendly and informal.
It’s quite a busy little place, for sure.

There’s a small selection of beers available on tap (mostly keg, due to size constraints limiting cask ales), but this includes a bespoke-labelled lager. There’s a fridge with bottles and cans. They seem to specialise more in cider, including, on my visit, several from a local cidery (Crapapple) who make drinks from otherwise-discarded fruit, and have won CAMRA’s Cider Pub of the Year several times.

The Fox

The stone-built frontage of The Fox pub in Todmorden sits beside a cobbled street on a sunny afternoon. Hanging flower baskets brighten the pale stone building, while large front windows reveal glimpses of the cosy interior. Several people relax at small pavement tables outside, enjoying drinks in the sunshine beneath a bright blue sky dotted with white clouds.
The outside of The Fox – a lovely old stone building.

A deceptively-sizeable pub on the cobbled Water Street between the canal and the town hall, this venue has two decent-sized rooms either side of a bar area with seating.

The compact wooden bar at The Fox displays rows of beer pumps beneath a large blackboard listing the current beers and ciders on tap. Shelves of spirits and bottled drinks line one wall, while a small stove and fireplace add warmth to the cosy room. The focus is clearly on the wide range of drinks available.
The bar, showing the beer board. It’s quite homely, I feel.

The rooms are decently-sized, with laminate wooden flooring and stone walls. There’s also quite a bit of décor that maintains the ‘fox’ theme; this, plus the quite orangey colour scheme, makes it all feel quite homely, in a way.

Inside The Fox, wooden tables and chairs surround a traditional black fireplace set against mustard-yellow patterned wallpaper. Framed fox illustrations hang above the mantelpiece, while sunlight pours through the large front window onto cushioned window seating, creating a warm and homely atmosphere.
Everything has a foxy feel to it, from the wallpaper to the paintings, and, not pictured, the ornamentation.

There’s a good selection of beer available, with up to six casks and fifteen kegs. There’s also a small fridge with an array of cans to drink in or take away.

Beer Necessities

A group of CAMRA members gather outside Beer Necessities during an award presentation, holding a large banner recognising the pub as Halifax & Calderdale CAMRA Pub of the Season. Several people watch from the pavement while others sit outside with drinks in the warm evening sunshine. The pub's wide picture window reflects the busy street behind the ceremony.
Not the easiest outside to take a picture of – the road isn’t terribly wide. Pic taken during their CAMRA award presentation.

Another micropub on Water Street, this one looks quite plain on the outside but packs quite a punch inside.

The compact wooden bar at Beer Necessities is lined with hand pumps serving a wide selection of beers, while chilled cans and bottles fill a glass-fronted fridge beside it. Fairy lights, colourful pump clips and framed beer memorabilia decorate the walls, giving the modern micropub a bright yet informal atmosphere. Pendant lights hang from the high ceiling above the polished wooden counter.
Wooden bar, beer fridge, and beer taps to full effect.

It’s one long room, separated partway by a small flight of steps. It’s not very wide, but it does have some space out the front for street drinking. They don’t sell food, but they do serve crisps; fittingly, being on the opposite side of the street to the old border, from both Lancashire Crisps and Yorkshire Crisps. From summer 2026, they also started to offer locally-made pork pies at the weekends.

Viewed from a raised step, Beer Necessities has a long, narrow layout centred around a simple wooden bar. A bartender serves drinks beneath colourful pendant lights while rows of beer taps line one wall alongside a large Guinness clock. Through the open frontage, customers can be seen enjoying drinks at tables outside on the pavement.
View through the bar from the back room seating. It’s not very wide but it is quite long.

There’s usually three or four beers on cask, and a good selection on keg, including (for some reason) Pabst Blue Ribbon, the college drink of a couple of my American friends. They also have a fridge with a variety of bottles to drink in or off the premises, and they won a local CAMRA award for Pub of The Season in summer 2026.

The Polished Knob

The broad stone frontage of The Polished Knob occupies a prominent position on Todmorden's high street. Hanging flower baskets decorate the building, while bright blue picnic benches and folded parasols line the pavement outside. Surrounded by neighbouring shops, the pub combines traditional Yorkshire stone architecture with a lively town-centre presence.
The outside of this building does not give away anything about the inside.

Possibly the oddest pub I’ve been to, not just in Calderdale, but at least regionally. It’s on the main street, opposite the market and at the bottom of the railway viaduct.

Inside The Polished Knob, colourful retro booth seating surrounds raised tables on a black-and-white chequered floor. Neon lighting, vintage posters, music memorabilia and quirky decorations fill every wall, creating a vibrant, eclectic space with a distinctly alternative atmosphere. Large windows allow natural light to mix with the coloured interior lighting.
What is this monstrosity?

Walking in, it feels like the illegitimate child of a childrens’ playroom and an American diner. There’s colourful neon everywhere, the tables are formica, there’s a whole array of weird trinkets, and there’s a defined stage area you can sit in. There is also a small beer garden at the back, which is no less decorated.

The large central bar at The Polished Knob is surrounded by tall stools beneath rows of warm hanging filament bulbs. Numerous hand pumps line the counter while shelves of bottles and glassware fill the back bar. A handful of customers sit chatting or enjoying drinks, giving the spacious room a relaxed but lively feel.
The bar isn’t immune to the vibe either.

There’s a small array of beers on tap, and the place does food. The first time I went in, I was stuck in a queue behind several old ladies waiting to pay for their carvery lunches. Quite bizarre combination all round. Check opening times; it’s not open every day.

The Alehouse

Outdoor tables sit beneath a large maroon canopy outside The Alehouse on Todmorden's main street. Several customers enjoy drinks despite the grey weather, while a chalkboard advertises upcoming live music performances. Hanging flower baskets brighten the frontage, giving the pavement seating an inviting feel.
Another pub that isn’t the easiest to take a picture of, partly because also the seating area runs to the road and there’s always cars parked in front.

A short walk north of the bus station, towards Centre Vale Park, this is on the right hand side of the road, in a terrace of several bars, cafes, and the like.

Viewed from the seating area, the compact wooden bar at The Alehouse stands beneath long chalkboards listing beers, ciders and hot drinks. Shelves behind the counter display bottles and spirits, while exposed brickwork, leather armchairs and wooden tables create a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. A couple of customers enjoy quiet conversation nearby.
Wide view of the inside of The Alehouse. That’s pretty much all of it there is.

It’s very small inside – about the size of a large living room – but there’s an area of outdoor seating at the front, under an awning, that merges with the outdoor seating of the neighbouring restaurant. The décor makes the place vibe a little like a beachfront cafe.

The Alehouse has a bright, welcoming interior with pale wooden floors, black-framed tables and a mixture of chairs and upholstered seating. A large decorative clock surrounded by greenery hangs on one wall, while handwritten chalkboards above advertise cask ales, coffee and hot drinks. Several customers sit chatting over drinks in the cosy café-style setting.
Small area to the side; I told you it wasn’t very big!

On my last visit there were five ales on cask (despite the board advertising four – there’d be room on the bar for a sixth!), and three on keg. It also offers ciders on tap. It’s one of those places that ‘prefers cash’, and of the ten people inside, I was the youngest. Make of that what you will.

The White Hart

The White Hart occupies an impressive stone building with striking black-and-white timbered gables above its entrance. Outdoor picnic benches with red and blue umbrellas line the pavement, where several customers enjoy drinks outside. Hanging baskets and traditional pub signage complete the historic frontage on an otherwise quiet street.
It looks like a large traditional pub. It … isn’t.

Close to the railway station and just off the main junction in the centre of town, this grand building feels strangely smaller inside than you’d expect. It looks like an old-fashioned traditional boozer that’s been there for centuries, and has an outdoor beer garden that backs onto the railway approach hill, so it’s arguably the most convenient of the pubs in Todmorden.

A long traditional wooden bar stretches through The White Hart beneath warm lighting and dark timber panelling. Staff stand behind rows of hand pumps while customers chat nearby, with television screens showing sport further along the room. Decorative Guinness signs, polished brass beer fonts and dark wood furnishings give the pub a classic, contemporary feel.
The long bar inside the White Hart, looking like a long bar in most generic pubs.

Inside it’s much more of a gastropub-type vibe, though strangely one that doesn’t sell food. It does do a decent number of beers (at least five), albeit the ales they have tend to be standard ones like Wainwrights and Old Peculiar.

Beyond an archway, customers sit in comfortable booths beneath strings of Guinness bunting in a carpeted lounge area. Dark wood panelling, framed pictures and soft lighting create a relaxed atmosphere, while television screens mounted on the far wall suggest the pub regularly shows live sport. A yellow
The back room, here used for family parties.

It feels very much like a generic pub, with sportsball on several screens, a few gambling machines, and on my visits it’s been a place for family get-togethers. That said, I don’t get any ‘bad’ vibes from it, all I have is a vague sense of ‘indifference’. Of the pubs in this genre though in the town, it’s definitely the best of them. We don’t need to mention the “Duke Of York.”

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The Barefoot Backpacker

“I go to these places so you don’t have to”

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